17 JANUARY 2021
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| THE PLAQUE TO JOE PAYNE ON THE MINERS ARMS ON MANOR ROAD |
Brimington Common a small village just over a mile outside of Chesterfield may be famous for very little but it has a well renowned son who should impress all football and sports fans namely Joe Payne.
On 17 January 1914 the football world would not know what was to come into its sights as our future football star was born and just over twenty years later he would secure a record for The English Football League which will probably never be beaten.
Starting his young life on Manor Road in a house long gone and opposite The Miners Arms the establishment that know displays the plaque that tells of Joe's achievement he moved into work at Bolsover Colliery he played for their football side but after being spotted by Luton Town made the switch down south at just twenty years of age something that must have been a major move in its time.
The Hatters played him as a half back and it wasn't a consistent start so much so that before his record scoring game he had not played for Luton from September 1935 to that 13 April 1936 fixture.
The game against Bristol Rovers saw Luton without two of their regular front men and Payne was utilised in the centre forward role a position that he had of course undertaken at Bolsover Colliery Fc. The Hatters secured a 12-0 victory, amazingly they had drawn 2-2 a few days before against Rovers, Payne looked to have equalled Robert 'Bunny' Bell in securing nine goals and although their was no TV replays a further goal was under review and when the match referee awarded it to Joe he had a record that still stands today.
Having found his rightful place in the side Joe went on to score a club record 55 goals in 39 games as Luton won the Third Division South next season. The Derbyshire born player made one appearance for England scoring two goals in an 8-0 victory over Finland. He went onto play for Chelsea signing in 1938 for £5,000, some fee for the age, the second world war limited his chances and he made an appearance for his home town club Chesterfield in an 8-0 win over Notts County. He went on to sign for West Ham United and then latterly Millwall.
I first learned of this remarkable feat from a family friend as a youngster and over the time have popped along to look at the plaque in memory of Joe and now after a conversation with ace photographer Barry Dyke who mentioned it was Joe's birthday this weekend decided to re visit the story.
The family friend tells me that a photograph he had of one of Joe's goals was passed on to one of his relatives who in turn let Luton Town have it for their records. The Hatters apparently made a large wall frame of the picture and invited the relative to a grand opening, in recent years the club opened up a lounge in their record breaking players name too.
The man who brought fame to Brimington Common sadly passed away aged just 61 on 22 April 1975 in Luton the home of his greatest achievement, but football and Brimington will never forget their record breaking son.
