Eric Houghton

Eric Houghton was a right hand batsman who was educated at Donington Grammar School. He played for Sleaford, Aston Unity and Olton Cricket Clubs. He played minor county cricket for Lincolnshire, but after the war played seven times for Warwickshire without any conspicuous success - his highest score was 41 against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston in 1947.

His main sport, however, was football, and between 1929 and 1947 he made 392 appearances for Aston Villa, scoring 170 goals - he also won eight England caps. He was reputed to have one of the hardest shots of the immediate pre-war era. He finished his career with Notts County, going on to manage them before returning to manage Villa, guiding them to the FA Cup in 1957 but was sacked near the end of the 1958-59 season (after refusing to resign). He subsequently returned to Villa Park for a second time as a director, serving the club for many more years.
Cricinfo staff