Early and personal life
Louis Antonio Page was born on 27 March 1899 in Bootle cum Linacre, Liverpool, Lancashire. He was the youngest of ten children to Robert William and Jane (née Galvin); his father was born in Calcutta and worked as a crane driver at the Liverpool docks. Three brothers – Tom Page (footballer), Tom, Jack Page (footballer, born 1886), Jack and Willie Page, Willie – also played professional football. He married Lily Tinsley in 1920 and had six children: Lilian (born and died 1920), Louis (born 1921), Philimenia (born 1925), Mary (born and died 1928), Derek A. (born 1931) and Terence (born 1942).Club career
Page began his senior career with Merseyside clubs Everton F.C., Everton and South Liverpool F.C., South Liverpool. He entered professional football with Stoke City F.C., Stoke during the 1919–20 Stoke F.C. season, 1919–20 season, scoring his first senior goal on 13 December, in a 2–1 defeat to Birmingham City F.C., Birmingham at St Andrew's (stadium), St Andrew's. However, he featured just eight times in 1920–21 Stoke F.C. season, 1920–21 and then once in 1921–22 Stoke F.C. season, 1921–22, as the "Potters" won promotion out of the Football League Second Division, Second Division. He left the Victoria Ground to sign with Northampton Town F.C., Northampton Town of the Football League Third Division South, Third Division South. The "Cobblers" finished eighth in 1922–23 Football League, 1922–23 and 1923–24 Football League, 1923–24, and ninth in 1924–25 Football League, 1924–25. He scored 24 goals in 122 league games at the County Cricket Ground, Northampton, County Ground. Page transferred to Burnley F.C., Burnley, who finished one place and one point above the Football League First Division, First Division relegation zone in 1925–26 Football League, 1925–26. He wrote himself into the List of Burnley F.C. records and statistics, club's record books on 10 April 1926, when he scored six goals in a 7–1 win over Birmingham. He finished as the List of Burnley F.C. seasons, club's top scorer in 1925–26 with 26 goals. He scored 15 goals in 1926–27 Football League, 1926–27 to again become the club's top scorer, as the "Clarets" achieved a top five finish. They dropped to 19th in 1927–28 Football League, 1927–28, two places and one point above the relegation zone. They again finished 19th in 1928–29 Football League, 1928–29, but were this time seven points above the drop zone. Burnley were relegated in 1929–30 Football League, 1929–30, having attained a lower goal average than Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United. They then finished eighth in the Second Division in 1930–31 Football League, 1930–31 and 19th in 1931–32 Football League, 1931–32. He made 248 league appearances, scoring 111 goals, during his time at Turf Moor. Page joined Walter Crickmer's Second Division side Manchester United F.C., Manchester United for a £1,000 fee in March 1932. He played nine games at the end of the 1931–32 Manchester United F.C. season, 1931–32 season and three games at the start of the 1932–33 Manchester United F.C. season, 1932–33 season, before falling out of favour under new secretary Scott Duncan (footballer), Scott Duncan and moving on to league rivals Port Vale F.C., Port Vale in October 1932. He played 19 games in all competitions during the 1932–33 Port Vale F.C. season, 1932–33 season, falling out of favour in March 1933. He was not kept on at The Old Recreation Ground beyond the campaign, and so Page left the English Football League, Football League to forge a career in management.International career
Page featured for England national football team, England seven times in 1927, alongside England and Everton F.C., Everton great Dixie Dean. He played four British Home Championship games and three exhibition game, friendlies, and scored against Belgium national football team, Belgium on 1 May 1927; his goal came in the 63rd minute, in what was a 9–1 victory.Caps
Management career
Yeovil & Petters United
Page's first managerial post was with Yeovil Town F.C., Yeovil & Petters United in summer 1933, also being registered as a player. He finished as the List of Yeovil Town F.C. seasons, club's top scorer in 1933–34 Southern Football League, 1933–34 with 23 goals. In the 1934–35 Southern Football League, 1934–35 season, Yeovil topped both the Southern League West Section and Western League Division 1 tables.Newport County
Page was appointed manager at Welsh club Newport County A.F.C., Newport County on 7 June 1935. The club finished 21st in the 22 team Football League Third Division South, Third Division South in 1935–36 Newport County A.F.C. season, 1935–36, but successfully applied for re-election. Newport then moved up to 19th in the 1936–37 Newport County A.F.C. season, 1936–37 campaign, finishing two places and two points above the re-election zone. He was sacked on 9 September 1937, a few games into the 1937–38 Newport County A.F.C. season, 1937–38 season; his successor, Billy McCandless, led the club to a 16th-place finish in the Third Division South. After leaving Newport he became trainer-coach at Glentoran F.C., Glentoran in 1939–40 Irish League, 1939–40, as the "Glens" finished third in the IFA Premiership, Irish League. He later served as manager of Liverpool-based Carlton F.C.Swindon Town
When league football resumed after the Second World War, he was appointed manager of Swindon Town F.C., Swindon Town. Page was forced to build a completely fresh team, and so Swindon's fourth-place finish in the Football League Third Division South, Third Division South in 1946–47 Football League, 1946–47 was seen as a highly respectable achievement. The "Robins" slumped to 16th place the 1947–48 Football League, following season – just two points off the bottom spot. They did though knock Burnley F.C., Burnley out of the FA Cup, before being beaten in the Fifth Round by Southampton F.C., Southampton. In 1948–49 Football League, 1948–49, Swindon again finished fourth, without ever challenging for the promotion and relegation, promotion spot. Swindon then finished 14th in 1949–50 Football League, 1949–50, 17th in 1950–51 Football League, 1950–51, 16th in 1951–52 Football League, 1951–52, and 18th in 1952–53 Football League, 1952–53. Page always had to deal with a shoestring budget at the County Ground, Swindon, County Ground, and was forced to sell many of his top players. Page was relieved of his duties at the end of the 1952–53 season, and was handed £500 in compensation.Chester
He became manager of Chester City F.C., Chester in 1953. The "Seals" finished bottom of the Football League Third Division North, Third Division North in 1953–54 Football League, 1953–54. The Sealand Road outfit again finished last in 1954–55 Football League, 1954–55, before rising to 17th in 1955–56 Football League, 1955–56. He later worked as a Scout (association football), scout for Leicester City F.C., Leicester City.Career statistics
Source:Honours
As a player
Stoke *Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1921–22 Stoke F.C. season, 1921–22 England *British Home Championship: 1926–27 British Home Championship, 1926–27 (shared)As player-manager
Yeovil & Petters United *Southern League West Section: 1934–35 *Western League Division 1: 1934–35 *Somerset Premier Cup: 1935Baseball
Louis Page and his three brothers were all England baseball Internationals. Louis played in the annual International against Wales eight times between 1925 and 1933, 1928 being the exception, the last five as Captain.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Page, Louis 1899 births 1959 deaths Sportspeople from Bootle Footballers from Liverpool English footballers England international footballers Association football forwards Everton F.C. players South Liverpool F.C. players Stoke City F.C. players Northampton Town F.C. players Burnley F.C. players Manchester United F.C. players Port Vale F.C. players Yeovil Town F.C. players English Football League players Southern Football League players Western Football League players Association football player-managers English football managers Yeovil Town F.C. managers Newport County A.F.C. managers Glentoran F.C. managers Swindon Town F.C. managers Chester City F.C. managers Southern Football League managers English Football League managers Association football coaches Association football scouts Leicester City F.C. non-playing staff