Lawson: Frederick Ian Allison (Ian)

1962-1966 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Ouston, Co Durham: 24-03-1939

Debut: v Huddersfield Town (a): 03-03-1962

5’11” 11st 8lb (1963)

Lawson joined Burnley from Pelton School in March 1956. He made a sensational start to his professional football career when he scored four times on his debut for Burnley against Chesterfield in a 7-0 F.A. Cup Third Round win on 5th January 1957 when he was still only seventeen. It took him just four minutes to get the ball in the net to open the scoring. He got his second, and Burnley's third, soon after the second half commenced. He completed his hat-trick with the fifth Burnley goal after eighty-one minutes and got his fourth and Burnley's seventh just before the final whistle. He retained his place in the League team but seemed to have a liking for the F.A. Cup as he took his total to seven in two games with a hat-trick as Burnley put nine past New Brighton without reply at Turf Moor on 26th January 1957 in the Fourth Round. He played two further F.A. Cup ties in the 1956-57 season and scored another goal in the 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town in the Fifth Round on 16th February 1957 to bring his season's tally to eight goals in four ties, while scoring twice in seven League games. An impressive ten goals in eleven games in all games. His efforts were rewarded when he was called up for England at youth level on 26th September 1957 and played alongside club team mate John Angus against Spain at St Andrew's Birmingham. However 1957-58 and 1958-59 were barren seasons for Lawson as he failed to play any games at all for the first team, but he scored three goals in the 1959-60 season, including the winner at Old Trafford against Manchester United, in eight League and one F.A. Cup appearance. The strength of the Burnley squad was such that his first team chances were limited as Burnley lifted the First Division Championship. Like all men of his age in that time he had to do his National Service in the Armed Forces and that meant that he was not always available. 1960-61 saw the introduction of the League Cup and he played twice in that competition without scoring, but managed two goals in eight appearances in the League He had played his final game for Burnley on 29th April 1961 at West Ham United and had not figured in the first team for almost a year, when, after scoring seven times in twenty-three League appearances, and eight times in five F.A. Cup ties and making two League Cup appearanes without scoring for Burnley, in a team that was rarely out of the top half dozen clubs in Division One, was signed by the then struggling Second Division Leeds United for £20,000 in March 1962. He arrived as Leeds started to piece together a team that could avoid relegation and then plan for better days. Prolific scorer John McCole had departed the club early in the season and his replacement, Billy McAdams had failed to fire and Jack Charlton was pushed forward in the hope that he might emulate John Charles. Lawson did score in his third game, a 1-4 defeat at Southampton, in which Gary Sprake made his Leeds debut, but it was the signing of Bobby Collins and Cliff Mason, who debuted in Lawson's second United game, a 2-0 home win over Swansea Town that brought the experience that would be later blended with the promising Juniors to the Revie team that would sweep all before it for more than a decade. It was the Swansea game that gave Leeds their first win in eight games and the hard-working, and at times unorthadox, Lawson played his part as United remained unbeaten in nine games and avoided relegation by winning 3-0 at Newcastle United in the last game of the season on 28th April 1962. The signing of Jim Storrie and the return of John Charles saw Lawson out of favour in the 1962-63 season. Even after the departure of John Charles, Leeds went out and bought Don Weston, and it was not until the final games of the season that he fought his way back into contention and finished the season with five goals in six games. He became a valued member of the squad which won the Second Division title in 1963-64, scoring eleven goals in twenty-four games. However as the Leeds team became more sophisticated in their push for the top flight with the addition of class players such as Alan Peacock, Jim Storrie and Don Weston, and the emergence of young forward stars from the juniors, Lawson was marginalised. In June 1965 he moved to Crystal Palace for £9,000 and was the first Palace player to be substituted, but he did score six times in fifteen starts and two substitute appearances in the League. He later had spells with Port Vale, who paid £1,000 for his services, in August 1966, but he failed to score in eight appearances, one of which was off the bench. He joined Barnsley in August 1967 but did not make a senior appearance at Oakwell and his football career came to an end at the age of twenty-eight.