Leslie Lake

Leslie Lake

Luton boy Les began his football career with local side Holly Rangers and graduated through the Town’s Colts team during the early war years. He was playing regular first team football as the war drew to a close and took this through to the 1946/47 season where his ability to play in either full-back position meant that he was one of the first names on the team sheet.

Surprisingly he lost his place early in the following campaign and was then regarded as a deputy for the remainder of his time at Kenilworth Road. At the end of the 1948/49 season he decided to emigrate to the United States but was back again before Christmas and was taken back by the Hatters but his appearances were limited due to the form of Billy Cooke and Bud Aherne.

Les died in 1973 at the young age of 53 following a training run.