David Layne

David Layne
Personal information
Date of birth (1939-07-29) 29 July 1939
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Playing position Striker
Youth career
Rotherham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1959 Rotherham United 11 (4)
1959–1960 Swindon Town 41 (28)
1960–1962 Bradford City 65 (44)
1962–1964 Sheffield Wednesday 74 (52)
1972–1973 Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)
1972–1973 → Hereford United (loan) 4 (0)
– Matlock Town
Total 195 (120)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

David "Bronco" Layne (born Sheffield, 29 July 1939) is an English former footballer most famous for playing for Sheffield Wednesday and his involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964.

Layne started his career playing part-time for Rotherham United in the summer of 1957. He only played eleven matches for the Millers over two seasons, but still managed to score four goals before he was given a free transfer and joined Swindon Town. Layne became a prolific goalscorer whilst at Swindon, netting 28 goals in 41 games and attracting the attention of Bradford City who paid a club record £6,000 for his signature midway through the 1960–61 season.

Layne broke the Bantams' goalscoring record in 1961–62 scoring 34 league goals over the course of the season. His goalscoring prowess was now attracting the attention of bigger clubs and he moved to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 1962. Bradford recouped £22,500 for Layne, setting the record for highest fee received by the club at the time.

Layne spent two seasons at Hillsborough and was the club's top scorer in both with 58 goals in 81 games over the two-year period. Layne's career was however cut short in its prime when he became involved in the British betting scandal of 1964. Layne was found guilty of match fixing and betting against his own team and along with several other players was jailed and banned from football for life.

The ban was lifted eight years later[1] and Layne rejoined Wednesday in 1972 but failed to earn a place on the team and was sent on loan to Hereford United. After only four games at the club he retired from league football and joined Matlock Town where he spent the rest of his career before being forced to retire through injury.

In 2006, it was reported that he was working as a pub landlord in Sheffield.[2]

Layne's nickname was inspired by a popular American Western TV series, Bronco which was broadcast in the UK just as Layne was establishing his career. The protagonist, Bronco Layne, was played in the series by Ty Hardin.

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