Following the end of the Second World War, AC Torino had dominated the game in Italy, winning four consecutive Scudettos and providing most of the National team for those years has well. However, on 4th May 1949, on their way back from an exhibition game against Benfica in Lisbon, tragedy struck as the plane carrying the team crashed into the Basillica complex on Superga mountain to the north of Turin.

All 31 people on board the flight were killed, including the entire Torino team, with the exception of three players who had not made the trip. Amongst the people who died in the disaster was Leslie Lievesley, coach of the Torino side, and a former Rossington Main player.

Les Lievesley was born in Staveley, Derbyshire in 1911, the son of Joe Lievesley who had played as a goalkeeper for Sheffield United and Woolwich Arsenal prior to World War 1. Having injured his arm during the Great War Joe Lievesley left Arsenal and returned to work as a miner at Rossington Colliery, whilst also turning out for the newly formed Rossington Main. Soon enough Joe’s son Leslie would join his father in the Main team to began his extraordinary football career here at Oxford Street.

Les Lievesley’s teenage talent was soon noticed and he moved to Belle Vue, signing for Doncaster Rovers in 1929 where he continued his impressive exploits, scoring 21 goals in 66 games. Having impressed for the Rovers Lievesley was signed by Manchester United, but he failed to establish himself at Old Trafford, making just two appearances before signing for Chesterfield in 1933.

Lievesley’s stint with the Spirites was brief and he moved south later that year to join Torquay United. Playing as a defender for Torquay Lievesley made 144 appearances, and scored five goals for The Gulls between 1933 and 1937. After four seasons in Devon Lievesley moved on again, joining another Third Division (South) side Crystal Palace. Lievesley would make over 80 appearances for The Eagles, scoring three goals, before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

When War broke out Lievesley hung up his boots to join the RAF as a squadron leader, and flew throughout the conflict, but come 1945 he chose not to return to London and instead took up a role as a coach in the Netherlands. Lievesley’s coaching talent led to him being scouted by the management of Torino and he joined Il Toro in 1947. Initially employed within the youth set-up, Lievesley was soon promoted to 1st team duty where he worked in partnership with the great Hungarian trainer Ernest Erbstein right up until the tragedy of Superga in 1949.