Leonard Francis Townsend (31 August 1917 – August 1997) was an English professional association football, footballer who made over 110 Football League appearances, either side of the Second World War, for Brentford F.C., Brentford, Bristol City F.C., Bristol City and Millwall F.C., Millwall as an inside right. He later became a manager in non-League football, serving Hayes F.C., Hayes, Slough Town F.C., Slough Town and in two spells, Maidenhead United F.C., Maidenhead United. Townsend's achievements with Maidenhead United saw him inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2005.

Playing career

Hayes

An inside right, Townsend joined Athenian League club Hayes F.C., Hayes from Isleworth Town as a 17-year-old in 1935. He had a prolific two seasons in front of goal for the club, scoring 64 goals in 52 appearances. He departed Church Road (football stadium), Church Road at the end of the 1936–37 in English football, 1936–37 season.

Brentford

Townsend initially joined hometown Football League First Division, First Division club Brentford F.C., Brentford as an amateur during the second half of the 1936–37 Brentford F.C. season, 1936–37 season and signed a professional contract at the end of the campaign. He spent the 1937–38 Brentford F.C. season, 1937–38 season in the club's Brentford F.C. Reserves and Academy#Reserve team, reserve team and scored 19 goals in his first 15 London Combination appearances. With the first team struggling in the First Division during the first half of the 1938–39 Brentford F.C. season, 1938–39 season, manager Harry Curtis (football manager), Harry Curtis gave Townsend his professional debut for a match versus Huddersfield Town A.F.C., Huddersfield Town on Christmas Eve 1938 and he scored the winner in a 2–1 victory. The subsequent signing of Tommy Cheetham limited Townsend's chances of making a breakthrough into the first team, but he finished the 1938–39 season with four goals in five appearances. The break-out of the Second World War in September 1939 saw Association football during World War II, competitive football suspended for the duration of the war. During the war, Townsend scored 102 goals in 120 appearances, a record which included four Hattrick (football), hat-tricks and one double hat-trick. He also guested for a number of clubs and returned to The Football League, Football League action in the 1946–47 Brentford F.C. season, 1946–47 season, scoring 9 goals in 33 games in a disastrous campaign, which saw the Bees relegated to the Football League Second Division, Second Division. Townsend departed Brentford in May 1947, after making 41 appearances and scoring 14 goals in competitive matches while at Griffin Park.

Bristol City

Townsend and Brentford teammates Dai Hopkins and Frank Clack signed for Football League Third Division South, Third Division South club Bristol City F.C., Bristol City in June 1947. He had a happy two seasons with the club, scoring 50 goals in 80 appearances and topping the Third Division South goalscoring charts in his 1947-48 Football League Third Division, first season. He formed a formidable goalscoring partnership with Don Clark (footballer), Don Clark, though the pair's exploits failed to bring any success in the league.

Millwall

Townsend joined Third Division South club Millwall F.C., Millwall in July 1949 and made just five appearances and scored one goal during the 1949–50 Football League, 1949–50 season.

Non-League football

Townsend dropped into non-League football and signed for Southern Football League, Southern League club Guildford City in 1950, a move which reunited him with his former Bristol City manager Bob Hewison. He departed the club in 1952, after helping the Sweeney to two successive Southern Football League Cup (England), Southern League Cup finals. His final season as a player came in 1953–54 with Kent Football League (1894–1959), Kent League club Ashford Town F.C. (Kent), Ashford Town.

Representative career

While guesting for Belfast Celtic, Townsend appeared for the Irish League representative team in a match against their League of Ireland XI, League of Ireland counterparts on 26 April 1943. He scored in the 2–2 draw.

Managerial and coaching career

Guildford City

While a player with Guildford City, Townsend combined his playing duties with that of first team Coach (association football), coach.

Hayes

Townsend returned to Hayes as Manager (association football), manager in 1952, taking over from former Brentford teammate George Wilkins (footballer), George Wilkins. He presided over a mediocre 1952–53 Athenian League campaign, before being replaced by Wilkins.

Ashford Town

Townsend had a spell as Assistant coach, assistant manager of Ashford Town during the 1953–54 season.

Maidenhead United

Townsend was appointed manager of Corinthian League (football), Corinthian League club Maidenhead United F.C., Maidenhead United in 1954. He presided over the first period of success in the club's history, winning two Berks & Bucks Senior Cups, the Corinthian League Memorial Shield and the league title in his final season with the club. Townsend departed the Magpies in 1958.

Slough Town

Townsend joined Corinthian League club Slough Town F.C., Slough Town as manager in 1958. With a number of his former Maidenhead United players in his squad, Townsend had a frustrating time with the club, failing to challenge in the league and finishing as runners up in the Berks & Bucks Benevolent Cup in 1959–60, though he managed to win the Southern Combination Cup in 1958–59. After finishing bottom of the Corinthian League in the 1960–61 season, Townsend was released as manager.

Return to Maidenhead United

Townsend rejoined Maidenhead United as manager in 1964. Now managing at Athenian League Premier Division level, Townsend failed to manage the Magpies to success in the league, though he won his third Berks & Bucks Senior Cup with the club in 1966. He resigned in 1969 and was honoured with a place in the club's Hall of Fame in 2005. As of September 2014, Townsend's 473 matches in charge of Maidenhead is more than any other of the club's managers.

Personal life

Townsend served for six years with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry during and after the Second World War. After retiring from football, Townsend was a London-based sales representative for both Carborundum and Tex Abrasives before retiring in May 1982. Townsend lived in Seaford, East Sussex, Seaford before his death in 1997.

Honours

As a manager

Maidenhead United *Corinthian League (football), Corinthian League (1): 1957–58 * Berks & Bucks Senior Cup (3): 1955–56, 1956–57, 1965–66 * Corinthian League Memorial Shield (1): 1956–57 Slough Town * Southern Combination Cup (1): 1958–59

As an individual

* Maidenhead United F.C., Maidenhead United Hall of Fame

Career statistics

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Len 1917 births 1997 deaths Footballers from Brentford English footballers Association football inside forwards English Football League players Southern Football League players Hayes F.C. players Brentford F.C. players Colchester United F.C. players Bristol City F.C. players Millwall F.C. players Guildford City F.C. players Ashford United F.C. players Slough Town F.C. players Maidenhead United F.C. players Hayes F.C. managers Maidenhead United F.C. managers Slough Town F.C. managers Belfast Celtic F.C. wartime guest players Plymouth Argyle F.C. wartime guest players Leeds United F.C. wartime guest players English football managers Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry soldiers Irish League representative players Chelsea F.C. wartime guest players British Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from London Kent Football League (1894–1959) players