Lazarus, Mark

Lazarus was an Englishman who played professional soccer in England in the 1960s and 1970s. During his career as a winger, he played for many teams, including Leyton Orient, QPR (Queens Park Rangers), and Crystal Palace. In 1967, he was the first Jewish professional to play in the League Cup final, which was held for the first time in Wembley Stadium. In the final, Lazarus scored the game-winning goal in QPR's 3-2 win over Albion. As of November, 2001, Lazarus was running a road haulage firm in Romford.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Dec. 5, 1938

Career Highlights:
Lazarus, who began his professional career in the late 1950s (with Barking in 1957), was a member of Burnley in 1961-62 when he was sold to QPR (Queens Park Rangers) for a then-record 27,500 English pounds (it was his second go-round with QPR). A winger, he left QPR soon after, but returned for a third time in 1965 and remained with the club for a couple of years.

In 1967, he helped QPR capture the double as Third Division champions and the League Cup winners. The Cup final was held at Wembley Stadium for the first time and QPR won the game by a score of 3-2 over Albion, when Lazarus scored the Rangers' third and decisive goal. The victory, QPR's only capture of a major competition in its history, marked the first time a Third Division club won any major trophy in England.

After spending time at Crystal Palace, Lazarus moved clubs again and transfered to Leyton Orient in 1969-70. The O's, a Third Division club, saw an immediate improvement after Lazarus began playing on the wing for them. The team quickly moved from fourth place to first (after 34 league games). Then, with only a few games remaining, Lazarus scored the only goal in a 1-0 win to capture the league championship. Lazarus appeared in 29 of 46 league games and scored seven goals, third highest on the team.

Origin:
Stepney, England

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