| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leonard Roy White | ||
| Date of birth | (1930-03-23)23 March 1930 | ||
| Place of birth | Skellow, England | ||
| Date of death | 17 June 1994(1994-06-17) (aged 64) | ||
| Place of death | Huddersfield, England | ||
| Position(s) | Centre forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Upton Colliery | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1950–1952 | Rotherham United | 43 | (15) |
| 1953–1962 | Newcastle United | 269 | (153) |
| 1962–1964 | Huddersfield Town | 102 | (37) |
| 1964–1966 | Stockport County | 53 | (24) |
| Total | 467 | (229) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Leonard Roy White (23 March 1930 – 17 June 1994) was an English professionalfootballer who played as acentre forward. He is most notable for his time atNewcastle United, where he is the club's all-time third highest goalscorer.
Born inSkellow,West Riding of Yorkshire, a small village nearDoncaster, White started his career atUpton Colliery, before moving toRotherham United[1] and progressing through theMillers' youth and reserve teams. Although originally acentre forward, he developed his skills as a winger too. It was in the latter position that he made his league debut, scoring in a 5–0 victory overWrexham in August 1950. He scored six goals in his first six first-team games. With wingerJack Grainger already established in theMillers' team, White's appearances were limited, but in 1952, an injury to centre forwardJack Shaw led to Grainger being switched to the central striker role, and White again playing as a winger. He was in great form and was selected for the FA national team in fixtures against the Army and the RAF. Those FA representative games brought him to the attention of theFirst Division clubs and he joinedNewcastle United in 1953 for £12,500 – a relatively high amount at the time. The signing of White came following two recentFA Cup successes for Newcastle.[2]
At Newcastle, White was primarily partnered up front alongside the well-establishedJackie Milburn during the 1950s. Because of this, White often found himself in the shadows. Despite that, he had an impressive goalscoring tally and was instrumental during Newcastle's FA Cup-winning campaign of 1955. Once Milburn ended his career in the late 1950s, White took over as the leading striker, and continued to improve his ratio of goals. White is the club's all-time third highest goalscorer with 153 goals, behind Milburn with 200 goals andAlan Shearer with 206 goals.
White eventually left the club forHuddersfield Town in 1962, and finished his career withStockport County in 1966.
White was married to his wife Joyce until his death inHuddersfield in June 1994.
White's brotherJack White was also a professional footballer playing centre half forAldershot andBristol City before managing non leagueCambridge City andWellington Town.[3]
Newcastle United