Tommy Lawton's heartbreaking letter to Sir Richard Attenborough

But Lawton was a giant among footballers, though I had to rely on my father for tales of his days with us.

I saw him play for Notts County in a Second Division at Goodison Park, County won 5-1 if I’m not mistaken, an inside right named Jackson scored four. Tommy was the centre forward, he played for a few teams but his best years, like a lot of players then, were ruined by the war... he had a lot to answer for, that fucking Hitler.

Being a footballer - probably even up to the late 1970's / early 1980's was probably not the golden ticket we all assume. Jimmy Hill's influence in that respect was beneficial.

But - the PL wages by comparison cannot be described as anything but obscene. Even mediocrity gets rewarded.

Only this morning while walking our Dixie, I got talking to two Blues in the local park. One of them mentioned how his father had met the real Dixie Dean in some pub in Chester (the Dublin Packet?) and how Dixie ended up buying his father (he'd never met him before) a pint. Can't imagine it from a modern day player (except perhaps the likes of Naismith or Cahill) as I get the impression they're too self-absorbed in their blacked-out Daimlers.

It's distressing to read Tommy's deferential appeals to the paternalistic Attenborough's charity. Tommy was ten times the player that Dickie Darling was an actor.

Jimmy Hill (RIP) started something in the early '60s to take better care of the likes of Tommy - although too late for him - and today watching piennar or osman do virtually nothing but pick up more in a week than the average Evertonian's ten-month (twelve-month) salary is xxxxx obscene.

Tommy - or erm Vardy, Carroll, Benteke, erm ....... Jerome ......

Colin, written by a fella who grew up in a semi-detached house in Crosby mate on Manor Road!

Amazing aerial skill. Legend has it that they would help train him with a long row of bottles on the goal-line, each one marked with a number. As the ball was crossed, they called out a number and Tommy would knock the bottle over.

Not read the letters. Too personal. None of my business.

Good to see you back Mr Ferry. From Crosby to Hyde Park eh? You have come up in the world.

A tenner. The tight-fisted, snivelling get.

I thought all his films were crap as well. Take ’Gandhi’ – what a load of bollocks – would never have happened!!!

At first, I thought the letters from Dickie’s office, posted while he was away filming, must have been an oversight, but to see the follow-up from Attenbro’ asking for the dosh, and expressing how embarrassed he had been, was totally disgusting.

I hated him in his films, and I hated Gandhi too – so that’s two of us!

In the '50s Sunderland were heavily fined for paying wages and signing on fees to well known players at the time.

Can you imagine today's prima donnas putting up with that, or even the OHS... my, how times change.

I don’t think they should have been published and they reflect badly on Attenborough. Nor do I think they should be used to bash modern players.

I would expect that, if Wayne Rooney, or indeed many current players, received such an anguished request, help would be given quietly and not in the form of a loan.

But I find the suggestion that the letters are to be sold is worse. Wonder who gets the money. It would be good to think that the money raised would go to one of the causes set up to help some of the older footballers who are struggling etc.

The requests for the tickets, however... he didn’t need to ask that of a man he was already indebted to.

We’ve all known people who have no shame in asking favour after favour. I don’t know either party, but is it possible that Lawton simply asked Attenborough for one too many favours?

On Attenborough, I thought he came across quite well. The 100 pound was a 'loan' but Attenborough never used the word and made it clear that it's repayment was up to Tommy. I thought that was quite a dignified way to give it - not charity but also not hard arsed with it.

On the tickets, again, I can understand. It wasn't the money, it was the embarrassment to Attenborough of it going through the club books and not being collected.

None of this clouds my view of Tommy. It's no surprise to hear that footballers of that time were short of cash in their retirement and he was prepared to do whatever it took to find work and make ends meet.