Norman John Catlin (8 January 1918 – 22 May 1941)[1] was an English footballer, who showed considerable promise as a schoolboy which was not fulfilled as a professional with Southampton Football Club. He died in the controversial sinking of HMS Gloucester off the coast of Crete in May 1941.
Catlin was born in Liverpool but moved as a child to the Bitterne area of Southampton.[1] When he scored 17 goals in an English Schools Shield match in 1932, he made the national sporting headlines. In all he scored 62 goals in 13 matches as Southampton schoolboys reached the final. This prolific goalscoring form attracted the attention of Arsenal who signed him on amateur terms; he was shortly afterwards capped for the England Schoolboys.[1]
He subsequently returned to Southampton, joining the "Saints" as an amateur in June 1933, before signing a professional contract on his 17th birthday in January 1935.[1] After playing in the reserves, he made his first-team debut away to Swansea Town on 28 December 1935, when he played at outside-right as replacement for Arthur Holt.[2]
He appeared to find his slight build a disadvantage and failed to develop into the player that everyone had expected.[1] After only six first-team appearances, his League career ended in March 1937, when aged only 19. He then played for Ryde Sports on the Isle of Wight, although he was re-signed by Southampton in 1938 on a part-time basis, without getting back into the first team.[1]
Naval career and deathEdit
After ending his full-time football career in 1937, Catlin joined the Cunard-White Star Company as a clerk.[1]
On the outbreak of World War II, Catlin enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was a member of the crew of HMS Gloucester when she was attacked by German Stukadive bombers off the northern coast of Crete and sank on 22 May 1941. Catlin was posted missing on 29 May, but is now confirmed to have died during the sinking.[3] Of the 807 men aboard at the time of her sinking, only 85 survived.[4]
^Otter, Ken (2001). HMS Gloucester The Untold Story. Durham: G.A.M. Books. p. 1. ISBN0-9522194-2-5.
October 21, 2023
norman, catlin, norman, john, catlin, january, 1918, 1941, english, footballer, showed, considerable, promise, schoolboy, which, fulfilled, professional, with, southampton, football, club, died, controversial, sinking, gloucester, coast, crete, 1941, personal,. Norman John Catlin 8 January 1918 22 May 1941 1 was an English footballer who showed considerable promise as a schoolboy which was not fulfilled as a professional with Southampton Football Club He died in the controversial sinking of HMS Gloucester off the coast of Crete in May 1941 Norman CatlinPersonal informationFull nameNorman John CatlinDate of birth 1918 01 08 8 January 1918Place of birthLiverpool EnglandDate of death22 May 1941 1941 05 22 aged 23 Place of deathHMS Gloucester Kythira Strait off CreteHeight5 ft 8 in 1 73 m 1 Position s Outside rightYouth careerBitterne Boys Club1932 1933Arsenal1933 1935SouthamptonSenior career YearsTeamApps Gls 1935 1937Southampton6 0 1937 1938Ryde Sports1938 1939Southampton0 0 International careerEngland Schoolboys 0 Club domestic league appearances and goals Contents 1 Football career 2 Naval career and death 3 See also 4 ReferencesFootball career EditCatlin was born in Liverpool but moved as a child to the Bitterne area of Southampton 1 When he scored 17 goals in an English Schools Shield match in 1932 he made the national sporting headlines In all he scored 62 goals in 13 matches as Southampton schoolboys reached the final This prolific goalscoring form attracted the attention of Arsenal who signed him on amateur terms he was shortly afterwards capped for the England Schoolboys 1 He subsequently returned to Southampton joining the Saints as an amateur in June 1933 before signing a professional contract on his 17th birthday in January 1935 1 After playing in the reserves he made his first team debut away to Swansea Town on 28 December 1935 when he played at outside right as replacement for Arthur Holt 2 He appeared to find his slight build a disadvantage and failed to develop into the player that everyone had expected 1 After only six first team appearances his League career ended in March 1937 when aged only 19 He then played for Ryde Sports on the Isle of Wight although he was re signed by Southampton in 1938 on a part time basis without getting back into the first team 1 Naval career and death EditAfter ending his full time football career in 1937 Catlin joined the Cunard White Star Company as a clerk 1 On the outbreak of World War II Catlin enlisted in the Royal Navy He was a member of the crew of HMS Gloucester when she was attacked by German Stuka dive bombers off the northern coast of Crete and sank on 22 May 1941 Catlin was posted missing on 29 May but is now confirmed to have died during the sinking 3 Of the 807 men aboard at the time of her sinking only 85 survived 4 See also EditList of footballers killed during World War IIReferences Edit a b c d e f g h Holley Duncan Chalk Gary 1992 The Alphabet of the Saints ACL amp Polar Publishing p 65 ISBN 0 9514862 3 3 Chalk Gary Holley Duncan 1987 Saints A complete record Breedon Books pp 94 95 ISBN 0 907969 22 4 Commonwealth War Graves casualty details Otter Ken 2001 HMS Gloucester The Untold Story Durham G A M Books p 1 ISBN 0 9522194 2 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Norman Catlin amp oldid 1164012468, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
