The son of a Lancashire-born railway ticket inspector, Gillbert Roylance spent most of his footballing career playing with the crack Yorkshire Amateurs team. Whilst playing with the Amateurs, defender Roylance attracted attention from several League clubs, notably Tottenham Hotspur. They wanted to offer him a professional contract but, in those days, there was a maximum wage a footballer could earn and he was happy to continue playing as an amateur and earn a decent wage as a rent collector for Leeds City Council. As a result he stayed with the Amateurs until he was in his 40s. An England amateur international he was in the squad for the 1936 Olympics but never played. During the war he was posted to Wales with the RAF and served as a PT instructor. Gilbert’s son Tony also played for Yorkshire Amateurs.
Great Britain