David Layne

David Layne

Layne in 1963
Personal information
Date of birth	(1939-07-29) 29 July 1939 (age 85)
Place of birth	Sheffield, England
Position(s)	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)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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.

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.

He joined Swindon Town. Layne became a prolific goalscorer whilst at Swindon, netting 28 goals in 41 games.

He attracted 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 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 Sheffield Wednesday 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 gaoled and banned from football for life. The ban was lifted eight years later.^[1] Layne rejoined Wednesday in 1972 but failed to earn a place on the team.

He was sent on loan to Hereford United. After only four games at the club he retired from league football.

He 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]

• "Bradford City Football Club official website". Archived from the original on 14 July 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
• "The Sheffield Wednesday Archive". Retrieved 1 August 2006.