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Lost in France: The Remarkable Life and Death of Leigh Roose, Football's First Superstar
Tells the story of Leigh Richmond who was a brilliant and controversial Edwardian goalkeeper.
- GenresFootball
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 7, 2019
'Lost In France' chronicles the life of enigmatic Welsh goalkeeper Leigh Richmond Roose before it was cruelly cut short on a WW1 battlefield.
On the football field, Roose was a maverick goalkeeper who set the gold standard for goalkeeping in the early 20th century English leagues. He played with passion, abandon, and inspired a generation of goalkeepers to be as daring as him. Off the field he was a playboy that moved in and out of London social circles, living off the suspect living payments his clubs provided him with in return for his goalkeeping expertise. As such, controversy followed him around in his prime and during the twilight of his career. He burned bridges with some clubs, while others glorified him. He was erudite, athletic, confident--a genuine football philosopher who would regularly wax lyrical on the fine art of goalkeeping in newspapers. This daring-do led him to the WW1 battlefield, and after serving England with great pride he, like many of his generation, was cut down in a foreign field.
'Lost In France' author Vignes delicately and authoritatively picks apart Roose's life from the scant anecdotal evidence, and his investigation on where Roose's finally resting place lies is a particular highlight. Overall, 'Lost In France' is not just an insight on the life of the maverick goalkeeper, but an insight into the English football league in its formative years. As such, the writing takes on a historical bent and lacks a certain poetic feel. Nevertheless, 'Lost In France' is an informative and short read that outlays the fascinating English foundations of the game we so love through the prism of one of its forgotten heroes.
It is interesting to note that Vignes has provided a chapter at the end in which Roose's goalkeeping 'philosophy' is laid out in detail, taken from articles Roose had written for newspapers/magazines in his prime. Though Roose's thoughts are often unintelligible and confusing, there is an undoubted genius behind his words. One can only speculate as to what he could have achieved in his life after football, had he come through WW1.
STARS: 4/5
FULL TIME SCORE: An inspired and heroic display by the goalkeeper leads to a 3-1 win for the away side.
On the football field, Roose was a maverick goalkeeper who set the gold standard for goalkeeping in the early 20th century English leagues. He played with passion, abandon, and inspired a generation of goalkeepers to be as daring as him. Off the field he was a playboy that moved in and out of London social circles, living off the suspect living payments his clubs provided him with in return for his goalkeeping expertise. As such, controversy followed him around in his prime and during the twilight of his career. He burned bridges with some clubs, while others glorified him. He was erudite, athletic, confident--a genuine football philosopher who would regularly wax lyrical on the fine art of goalkeeping in newspapers. This daring-do led him to the WW1 battlefield, and after serving England with great pride he, like many of his generation, was cut down in a foreign field.
'Lost In France' author Vignes delicately and authoritatively picks apart Roose's life from the scant anecdotal evidence, and his investigation on where Roose's finally resting place lies is a particular highlight. Overall, 'Lost In France' is not just an insight on the life of the maverick goalkeeper, but an insight into the English football league in its formative years. As such, the writing takes on a historical bent and lacks a certain poetic feel. Nevertheless, 'Lost In France' is an informative and short read that outlays the fascinating English foundations of the game we so love through the prism of one of its forgotten heroes.
It is interesting to note that Vignes has provided a chapter at the end in which Roose's goalkeeping 'philosophy' is laid out in detail, taken from articles Roose had written for newspapers/magazines in his prime. Though Roose's thoughts are often unintelligible and confusing, there is an undoubted genius behind his words. One can only speculate as to what he could have achieved in his life after football, had he come through WW1.
STARS: 4/5
FULL TIME SCORE: An inspired and heroic display by the goalkeeper leads to a 3-1 win for the away side.
April 22, 2026
Although about a goalkeeper from the begining of the 20th century , the book is economical on its use of both footbal and Edwardian jargon. The sleek, enjoyable prose of the book makes the time fly when you read about Leigh Roose.
And what character ! A star sportsman, a dandy, a playboy and war hero. If this was an Hollywood movie, many would it exagerated.
And what character ! A star sportsman, a dandy, a playboy and war hero. If this was an Hollywood movie, many would it exagerated.
September 29, 2026
An extraordinary story about an extraordinary goal keeper. Leigh Roose and Marie Lloyd might very well have been the Posh and Becks of Edwardian England!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews