Joe Payne, born in Brimington Common near Chesterfield, played centre-forward for Bolsover Colliery and signed by Luton Town, where due to injuries to colleagues, Payne was played at centre-forward for Luton Town on Good Friday, 13 April 1936 in a match against Bristol Rovers. He scored 10 goals in a 12–0 Luton win, still a Football League record.
The following season he scored a record 55 goals as the Hatters (Luton was famed for making straw boaters) won the Third Division South championship. In his time at Luton he scored 83 times in 72 games. In 1937 he made his only appearance for England, scoring two goals in the 8–0 victory over Finland.
A year later he was signed by Chelsea for a large fee, scoring 10 goals in 21 appearances, but his career was then interrupted by the Second World War. Following the war, Payne spent a short spell at West Ham United (netting 6 in 10 games) before retiring.
A plaque commemorating Payne, who died on 22 April 1975, aged 61, is affixed to the outside of the Miner's Arms public house in Brimington Common. A lounge at Kenilworth Road stadium is named in honour of Joe Payne. Below, Payne scores one of his ten.
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