Rovers Legends: Edwin Gladstone Latheron

I’ll be honest. I’ve never heard of Edwin Latheron.

That was until I saw this story on the Lancashire Telegraph website.

Having been born in Grangetown near Middlesbrough, in 1887 (a year after our famous three FA Cups in a row), he was spotted by Rovers playing for Grangetown against Blackburn Crosshill in a cup competition.

Midfielder Latheron was signed by Rovers manager Robert Middleton for £25 in 1906. He helped us to win the 1911/12 and 1913/14 league championships and was top scorer in 1912/13.

He won his first England cap on March 17 1913 in a 4-3 win over Wales and earned his second (and last) cap against Ireland the following February.

He signed up to fight in the Great War in March 1917, having scored 120 goals in 303 games for Rovers.

Along with thousands of other young allied soldiers he was tragically killed in the Battle of Passchendaele on October 14. He was just 29.

Category: Rovers Legends