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Andy Rennie
(1925 - 1934)
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| Born 1901 (Baillieston. Glasgow). Died September 5th 1938 (Luton) | ||
| Position (Centre Half or Centre Forward) | ||
| League Appearances 307 | ||
| Goals 148 | ||
| Also Played For Kilwinning Rangers and Newport County | ||
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| Andy Rennie was without doubt the real goalscoring hero of Luton Town during the inter war years. Born in the Baillieston district of Glasgow he was a powerful dynamic inside forward or centre forward who had a left foot shot that was feared by goalkeepers. After showing his goalscoring prowess as a junior he was suprisingly converted to the centre half position during his time with Kilwinning Rangers. His showing in that position had scouts flocking to see him perform, including those representing Luton Town. So it was as a centre half was signed by Luton and he made his league debut in a 4-1 home win against Swindon Town on February 13th 1926. The following season, 1926/27 he more or less made the centre half position his own, and scored the first of his 148 goals against Bournemouth in the final home game of the season. Early in the 1927/28 season he was moved into the centre forward position for 6 games, and scored 5 goals. After which he moved back to his normal position at centre half. Then after Christmas he was moved forward once again, this time for good to take the place of the injury striken Syd Reid. Rennie then finished the season as leading goalscorer with 24 goals which included a hat-trick in a 5-0 home win over Torquay United. The following season, 1928/29 was to be his best ever when he was not only Luton Town`s leading goalscorer, but the also The Football League`s leading goalscorer with 43 goals, which at the time was also a club record. Highlight of the season was an 8-0 win over Gillingham in which Rennie scored 5. Supporters of the time claim that he could score from almost anywhere inside the opponents half, and it is true to say many of his goals were scored from long range. It was also said that he had rather a quick temper which led to him having the nickname of "Ratty Rennie". He maintained a decent scoring record well into the mid 1930`s. He could operate quite effectively at inside left, and he was the perfect foil in that position for the likes of Jimmy Yardley and Tommy Tait. Sadly Rennie was not to live long after his retirement in 1935. He was admitted to The Bute Hospital on Dunstable Road (later known as St. Mary`s) in August 1938 for a routine hernia operation. However complications set in and died from pneumonia on September 5th at the age of 37. He left a widow and two young children. His brother Joe also played forv The Town, making 4 appearances during the 1933/34 season. Andy`s daughter Isobel, married Bill Burtenshaw, who played for The Town in the late 1940`s | ||
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| Andy Rennie (centre of picture) scores against Coventry City in a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road on October 13th 1928. In that 1928/29 season he set what was then a club record of 43 goals in a season | ||