Player Profile

Goalkeeper Lane was signed from Merseyside neighbours Tranmere Rovers in September 1971 as a cover for Ray Clemence. A rare injury to the club's first-choice 'keeper meant that Lane was thrown in at the deep end for his League debut at Derby on 2 September 1972. However, he unfortunately distinguished himself for all the wrong reasons by safely catching a deep cross from Alan Hinton and then stepping backwards over his own goal-line! Despite this 'howler', the injury situation with Clemence meant that Lane kept his place for the League Cup tie at Carlisle United three days later. There were no further mishaps in a 1-1 draw but Lane never played a first-team match for the club again.

After a long and frustrating period of reserve-team football, Lane was eventually given a free transfer in May 1975. Later that month he joined second division Notts County. Lane was a reserve there as well and went into non-league football, his highlight reaching the FA's Challenge Trophy final with Kettering Town in 1979 which they lost 2-0 to Stafford Rangers. He died in 2011 aged 62.