Source: Team_Talk
Lower league stalwart Lawther dies
Former Sunderland, Blackburn and Northern Ireland striker Ian Lawther has died at the age of 71.[LNB] The Belfast-born forward, who won four caps for his country, also played for Scunthorpe, Brentford, Halifax and Stockport and scored 180 goals in a Football League career spent mainly in the lower divisions.[LNB]Lawther came to English football to join Second Division Sunderland in 1959 after starting his senior career with East Belfast and Crusaders and moved to First Division Blackburn three years later.[LNB]He scored 21 goals in 59 League games for Blackburn, who said in a statement today: "We are saddened to hear of the death of former striker Ian Lawther."[LNB]
