John Furlong

John Furlong

John Butler Furlong was born in Luton in 1868 and was elected onto the committee at the Annual General Meeting in 1888. He had been secretary of Luton Albany in 1886/1887 and had played for Town reserves for some time before making his first team debut in 3-1 win over Bedford. His Father, George Furlong, was also a committee member.

He disappeared from view in Luton in 1889 but can be found working in Derby in 1890, though he soon left with the record book noting 'irregular conduct'. 

He was noted as an excellent high diver, assuming the pseudonym ‘Professor Vivian’ for reasons, sadly, never known. A family member recalls being told that John used to 'jump off bridges into water with a lit cigarette in his mouth - and resurface with it still lit'. 

He moved to Bristol in 1892 where he married Kate and became a schoolmaster. He died there in 1950, age 82.