Robert Owen Edwards Fears the Worse as Luton Town F.C. QB Suffers Neck Injury.
Ron Baynham, a former goalkeeper for Luton Town and England, passed away at the age of 94.
After joining the Hatters in 1951 and playing his final game there in 1965, Baynham made 434 appearances for the team.
At the time of his death, Luton Town reported that he was the oldest living English international player, having won three caps for his country.
The club added that when he returned to Kenilworth Road in later years, he was always met with enthusiastic ovation.
According to historian Roger Wash of Luton Town, who penned his obituary on the club’s website, “he had been back several times since, where his appearances on the pitch at half-time were met with rapturous applause, despite him saying that no-one would remember him.”
Born in 1929 in Birmingham, Baynham developed an early passion for cricket.
He first became interested in football when his brother, believing that goal would be the greatest position for him, established a team and “dumped” Baynham there, according to Mr. Wash.
A scout saw Baynham and offered him a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers, but he declined.
Instead, he signed with Worcester City, and after two years, he received an offer for another trial at Kenilworth Road, where he signed for £1,000.
1955 saw the Hatters promoted to Division One, and the same year, Baynham took a plane to Copenhagen to watch England destroy Denmark 5-1.
He was given two additional caps, one each against Spain and Northern Ireland.
Getty Photographs Suit-clad Ron Baynham and Billy Wright stand outside an aircraftGetty Photographs
In 1955, Ron Baynham (right) traveled to Denmark with Billy Wright and the England team.
Luton played Nottingham Forest in the 1959 FA Cup final. Though bittersweet, it was the apex of Baynham’s playing career.
Baynham called it the “biggest disappointment” of his career, according to the club, and added, “Sadly, the team that day did not play like the team I knew.”
He suffered a fracture to his head in a home game against Sheffield United in September 1960, but he made a full recovery to resume his career.
Despite suffering a terrible pelvic injury, he had to play in a reserve game in 1965, which was his last game in goal.
At the club’s 1999 FA Cup final 40th anniversary festivities, Mr. Wash recalled him and said he “proved the life and soul of the party.”
Baynham worked at Luton Airport, as a painter and decorator, and then retired to reside in Silsoe, Bedfordshire.
