- Joe Payne scored twice in his only England game in 1937, an 8-0 win over Finland
- The one-cap wonder scored 10 for Luton in a 12-0 win over Bristol Rovers in 1936
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Eight of England’s 12 games against Finland have been played in Helsinki, and the first of them turned out to be the only cap won by one of the nation’s forgotten goal heroes.
Joe Payne was 23 on his England debut in May 1937 after a season in which his 55 goals fired Luton Town to the Division Three (South) title.
Although his greatest feat came in the previous year when, in what was only his seventh appearance for the Hatters and his first for them up front, he scored 10 goals in a 12-0 win against Bristol Rovers at Kenilworth Road. It remains the record for goals scored in an English Football League match.
Luton signed him at 20 and sent him on loan to Biggleswade. Then tried him in various positions, even in defence, before Easter Monday in April 1936 when, with three strikers injured and no manager, someone at Luton thought it was a good idea to ask him to lead the line against Bristol Rovers.
There would be no going back. Payne scored his first after 23 minutes, had a hat-trick by half time and his 10th in the 90th minute to break a record set only weeks earlier by Bunny Bell, who scored nine for Tranmere Rovers in a 13-4 win against Oldham Athletic.
Joe Payne pictured in 1937 when he made his only appearance for the England national team
Payne scored two goals against Finland – who will be England’s opponents again on Sunday
Payne was propelled from a Luton reserve likely to be released at the end of the season to overnight stardom, destined to be known forever more as ‘Ten Goal Payne’. His 55 goals in 1936-37 remain a record for Luton as they reached the second tier, and Payne was called up for England’s tour to Scandinavia, where two goals in the 8-0 win against Finland in Helsinki did not prove enough for a second cap.
At the age of 24, after 87 goals in 77 games for Luton, he signed for Chelsea in March 1938. Payne remained prolific through wartime football but twice broke an ankle during this period and it was an injury which marred short post-war spells at West Ham and Millwall. He retired in 1948.
Payne died in 1975 at the age of 61 with his legendary status secure. There is a lounge named in his honour inside the stadium and his sole England cap is owned by Luton, who intend to display it in a museum which is part of the new stadium plans.
Source From: Football | Mail Online
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