Lambton: William Ernest (Bill)

1958-1959 (Manager Details) (Manager Details)

Lambton was born in Nottingham on 2nd December 1914. He was a goalkeeper with Basford North End before joining Second Division Nottingham Forest in May 1935 but he never played a senior game for them. During World War Two, he went to Exeter City and signed for them after the war in April 1946, but again he never played a senior game for the Third Division South team. He moved to Doncaster Rovers in October 1946 and had three games with them as they won the Third Division North championship in 1946-47. He was well past his prime and decided to retire and concentrate on coaching. A fitness fanatic, he even helped keep British amateur boxers in trim when he was coaching in Denmark with KB Copenhagen. On his return to England he coached Scunthorpe United and among his unorthodox training methods were trampoline sessions aimed at keeping players supple and fit. Raich Carter persuaded the thirty-eight year old Lambton to join Leeds United as trainer-coach in November 1957, taking over from Bob Roxburgh, who had been United's trainer since the mid-1930s but was now moved over to run the physiotherapy department. The Directors of Leeds United declined to extend the five year contract of Raich Carter at the end of the 1957-58 season, and they turned to his coach as Caretaker-Manager when Carter departed. His training methods did not win favour with the Directors, or more importantly the players. However, during his short stay he made a contribution to the club that was to shape its future destiny. He signed Don Revie and later and he also signed Billy Bremner! The two men were to have a major part to play in the History of the Leeds United Football Club. The club needed a leader who could take them on to bigger and better things, but Bill Lambton wasn't the man. His ill fated regime began depressingly with a 4-0 defeat on the opening day of the 1958-59 away to Cup holders Bolton Wanderers and they then struggled for most of the season. By 8th November 1958, Leeds were third from bottom in the First Division with just twelve points from sixteen matches, but before the end of the month Lambton had taken drastic action, the signing of Don Revie, was probably the high spot of Bill Lambton's time in charge at Elland Road forking out a fairly significant £14,000 to buy ex-England inside forward Don Revie from Sunderland. Revie made his debut in the middle of a four match winning run which saw the club rise to eleventh in the table and Lambton was finally confirmed as permanent Manager on 9th December 1958. Presumably, chairman Sam Bolton was unable to attract a bigger name to Elland Road and decided to settle for Lambton. The decision wasn't very popular with the players, however, and Lambton never won their respect. Eventually, there was a players' meeting in protest. It was a rebellion. Eric Kerfoot and Jimmy Dunn had complained about him. Things had gone downhill after the brief improvement following Revie's arrival and Irish captain Wilbur Cush stood down as captain, with Revie the unanimous choice to succeed him. Only days later discontent with Bill Lambton reached a peak. Grenville Hair and Jack Overfield both demanded transfers, Leeds slumped to a 6-2 defeat at Wolves and the Directors were expressing their dissatisfaction with the Manager. The harsh words expressed by his players represented the final straw and Lambton chose to fall on his sword. Few were sorry to see him go, and it had been an unpleasant time for both man and club. United turned to their training staff led by Bob Roxburgh to take over the reins for the last ten games of the season. Lambton was not out of work for long, although his next job earned him a place in the Football League record books for the shortest Managerial appointment on record. In April 1959, he spent three days as Scunthorpe United's Manager, although the appointment had only been verbal. He took a coaching position with Grimsby Town but that too was soon ended. Lambton was appointed Chester Manager in January 1962, two months after the sacking of Stan Pearson. Chester were enduring a miserable season that saw them finish bottom of the Football League. Greater things were expected the following season, but a poor run of just four wins in their last eighteen games saw them finish fourth from bottom and forced to again apply for re-election to the League. Although Chester comfortably achieved enough votes to remain in the League, Lambton had his contract cancelled by mutual consent in July 1963 and left football entirely. He died at his home in Sherwood, Nottingham on 16th September 1976, aged sixty-one.