FINDING WILLIE LAYTON is a tale of tragedy, loyalty and triumph

Willie Layton was a great full back for Sheffield Wednesday in the late Victorian/Edwardian era. 

He won the Second Division Championship in 1899-1900 and was twice a winner of the top flight in 1902-03 and 1903-04. Three seasons later he was a member of the Wednesday team that won the FA Cup when they beat Everton 1-0 at the Crystal Palace. 

However, before he even made the first team, Willie, a miner and a young part time professional footballer, was a lucky man when he decided to take a night shift off work at Blackwell Colliery in order to be fresh to play for Sheffield Wednesday reserves the following afternoon. In doing so he avoided a major explosion that killed seven of his friends. 

A 4 minute documentary film explains more at:-  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k1fcY5vtPo