| Roy Swinbourne | |
| Fullname: | Royston Harry Swinbourne |
| Birth Date: | 25 August 1929 |
| Birth Place: | Denaby Main, England |
| Death Place: | Kidderminster, England |
| Position: | Centre-forward |
| Youthyears1: | – |
| Youthclubs1: | Wath Wanderers |
| Youthyears2: | 1944–1945 |
| Youthclubs2: | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Years1: | 1945–1957 |
| Caps1: | 211 |
| Goals1: | 107 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1955 |
| Nationalteam1: | England B |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
Royston Harry Swinbourne (25 August 1929 – 27 December 2015) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers.[1] He was capped once by England B.[2]
Swinbourne began his career at Wath Wanderers, the Yorkshire-based nursery club of Wolverhampton Wanderers. He moved south to join Wolves in 1944[3] and signed as a professional the following year.
After proving himself in the reserve ranks, he made his debut on 17 December 1949 in a 1–1 draw with Fulham.[4] He came to the fore during the 1950–51 season, replacing Jesse Pye in the attack, and finished as top goalscorer with 22 goals.[5] Injuries waylaid him the following year, but in the next campaign, forming what was described as "a potent dual spearhead" with Dennis Wilshaw,[6] he was once again the club's leading scorer with 21 goals.[7]
His tally of 24 in the 1953–54 season was a career best and helped Wolves capture their first ever league championship. It was Swinbourne himself who scored twice in the final game, a 2–0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur that confirmed the title.[8] The following season brought another strong return, including two goals in Wolves' famous floodlit victory over Honved of Hungary.[9] [10]
In 1955 he scored for England B in a 1–1 draw against their German counterparts: His career was halted when he damaged his knee while hurdling over a posse of cameramen on the pitchside at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground in November 1955.[11] [12] After trying to return just weeks later,[13] He was forced to undergo surgery on the injury, but was never able to resume his playing career and retired in May 1957.[11]
In later life, Swinbourne lived in Kinver before moving to a nursing home in Kidderminster.[14] He died on 27 December 2015, aged 86, following a long battle with vascular dementia.[15] He was survived by his wife, Betty, and daughters Jayne and Helen.