Larrett Roebuck

Larrett Roebuck (27 January 1889 – 18 October 1914) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town as a left back.[5] He was the first Football League player to be killed in the First World War.[3]

Larrett Roebuck
Personal information
Full name Larrett Roebuck[1]
Date of birth (1889-01-27)27 January 1889
Place of birth Jump, England
Date of death 18 October 1914(1914-10-18) (aged 25)[2]
Place of death near Beaucamps-Ligny, France[3]
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[4]
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1913 Silverwood Colliery
1913–1914 Huddersfield Town 17 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

As a boy, Roebuck worked as a trammer at Silverwood Colliery and after being sentenced to one month's imprisonment for stealing a watch in 1904, he enlisted in the territorial section of the York and Lancaster Regiment.[3][6] Over the next seven years, he was stationed in India and Ireland and was promoted to lance corporal, but was demoted back to private in 1910 for "misconduct".[3] He married in 1908 and had four children.[3][6] Roebuck was discharged into the reserves in 1912 and likely returned to work as a miner prior to becoming a professional footballer in 1913.[3] After Britain's entry into the First World War in August 1914, he was mobilised by the York and Lancaster Regiment and arrived on the Western Front in September 1914.[6] On 18 October 1914, Roebuck was recorded as "presumed dead" after an attack near Beaucamps-Ligny during the Race to the Sea.[3] His death was confirmed by two comrades in January 1915.[3] Roebuck is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing.[2]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Huddersfield Town 1913–14[7] Second Division 17020190
Career total 17020190

See also

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 251. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  3. "18 October 1914 Larrett Roebuck killed in action on this day". The Western Front Association. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  4. "The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Huddersfield Town". Athletic News. Manchester. 18 August 1913. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Thomas, Ian; Hodgson, Alan; Ward, John (2007). 99 Years & Counting – Stats & Stories – Huddersfield Town History. Huddersfield Town Football Club. ISBN 978-0-9557281-0-5.
  6. "Tragedy of Huddersfield Town star Larrett Roebuck killed at Ypres". YorkshireLive. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. "Player Profile – Larrett Roebuck". HTAFC Archive. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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