Browning: Leonard James (Len)

1946-1951 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Leeds: 30-03-1928

Debut v Charlton Athletic (a): 25-09-1946

6’2 1/2" 11st 8lb (1948)

A pupil of Leeds Modern School, Browning represented England Youth Clubs against Wales and against the Air Training Corps, at Wembley on his eighteenth birthday, before he joined the Leeds United feeder club, Headingley Rangers. He joined the United ground staff in August 1946 and, after a hat-trick for the Reserves, soon made his first team debut at the age of eighteen. After his initial game it was almost two years before he featured again as he learned his trade in the Central League. This experience stood him in good stead and with his height giving him aerial power and, not being unskilfull with the ball at his feet, he became a formidable player. He was leading goal-scorer in 1948-49 and 1950-51 but was transfer listed and joined Sheffield United for £12,000 in November 1951. He won a Second Division Championship medal with them in 1952-53, but had to quit League football because of TB in November 1953, after scoring twenty-five times in sixty-five appearances. He played with East End Park WMC in the Yorkshire League before a broken leg ended his playing days altogether. An avid Table Tennis player, he was part of the Elland Road backroom staff maintaining the videos and worked as a technician at All Saints’ College Horsforth. He died on 27th September 2008, in Leeds, aged eighty.