Ex-Mariners star was haunted by memories of former Man U team-mates who died in Munich air tragedy

                                          

Jeff Lightfoot in 1957 shortly before his move to Grimsby

A FOOTBALLER who quit Manchester United to play for Grimsby Town has died aged 90.

Jeff Whitefoot, who had been given his 1950 Old Trafford debut (against Portsmouth) while aged just 16,  left the Red Devils in 1957 after losing his place in the first team.

However, the move did not come until after he had helped his first club to win the League title in season 1955-56.

His Blundell Park debut on November 23, 1957, was against Fulham who had their own star player in England international Johnny Haynes.

Although the £8,000 Cheadle-born signing quickly became one of The Mariners' star players, he did not enjoy the training methods of manager Allenby Chilton (whom he had played alongside at Man U)  and what he perceived to be the club's lack of ambition.

Meanwhile his wife, Nell, heartily disliked living in Grimsby.

Before the start of the 1958-59 season he joined Nottingham Forest for £10,000 and was a member of the side that beat Luton Town 2-1 in that same season.

After retiring from football in 1967, Whitefoot's  jobs included managing a bookmaker's shop, owning a greengrocer's and managing pubs, latterly one at Oakham in Rutland.

To the end of his life, he was haunted by thoughts of eight of his former Manchester united team-mates who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster of February 1958.

Had he not lost his first-team place to Eddie Colman, one of those who died, he  might have been on the aeroplane that crashed with such tragic consequences.

* Jeff Whitefoot, born December 31, 1933; died July 2, 2024.