Jackie Bray

John Bray (22 April 1909 – 20 November 1982) was an English footballer who played as a left half. He won 6 caps for England between 1934 and 1937. His younger brother, George, was also a professional footballer and spent his entire career with Burnley.[3]

"Jack Bray" redirects here. For the Australian rules footballer, see Jack Bray (Australian footballer).

Jackie Bray
Personal information
Full name John Bray[1]
Date of birth (1909-04-22)22 April 1909[1]
Place of birth Oswaldtwistle, England[2]
Date of death 20 November 1982 (aged 73)[1]
Position(s) Left half
Youth career
Clayton Olympia
Manchester Central
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1929–1938 Manchester City 257 (10)
Total 257 (10)
National team
1935–1937 England 6 (0)
Teams managed
1947–1948 Watford
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played for Manchester Central, before spending 1929 to 1938 with Manchester City, winning an FA Cup runner-up medal in 1933 and a winners medal in 1934, before helping the club to the First Division title in 1936–37. He guested for numerous clubs during World War II, and briefly managed Watford in the 1947–48 season.

Club career

Bray played for Clayton Olympia and Manchester Central, before joining Manchester City in 1929. He helped the "Citizens" to finish third in the First Division in 1929–30. They dropped to eighth place in 1930–31 and then 14th in 1931–32. City reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1932, where they lost 1–0 to Arsenal at Villa Park. Though they could only manage a 16th-place finish in the league in 1932–33, City reached the FA Cup final, losing 3–0 to Everton at Wembley. They then rose up to fifth place in 1933–34, and won the FA Cup with a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth. City finished fourth in 1934–35 and ninth in 1935–36. In 1936–37, Bray was a virtual ever-present as Manchester City took the Football League title. The Maine Road outfit then dropped to 21st place in 1937–38, and were relegated into the Second Division.

His career was then interrupted by World War II. During the war he guested for Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest, Bolton Wanderers, Crewe Alexandra, Birmingham and Port Vale.[1]

International career

Bray won his first England cap on 29 September 1934 in a 4–0 win over Wales at Ninian Park.[4] He won further caps in games against Ireland at Windsor Park, Germany at White Hart Lane, Wales at Molineux, and Scotland at Wembley.[4] His final appearance was on 17 April 1937, in a 3–1 defeat to Scotland in front of a crowd of 149,407 at Hampden Park.[4]

Management career

Bray was appointed as Bill Findlay's successor as manager of Watford in March 1947, as the "Hornets" finished the 1946–47 season in 16th place in the Third Division South. The Vicarage Road outfit won only 11 of his 40 games in charge, and Bray departed in January 1948; his replacement, Eddie Hapgood, led the club to a 15th-place finish in 1947–48. Bray later became a coach at non-league club Nelson.

Statistics

Playing statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 1929–30 First Division 200020
1930–31 First Division 21010220
1931–32 First Division 20100201
1932–33 First Division 30070370
1933–34 First Division 16230192
1934–35 First Division 39110401
1935–36 First Division 38130411
1936–37 First Division 40240442
1937–38 First Division 28210292
1938–39 Second Division 23100231
Career total 2571020027710

Managerial statistics
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
Watford 1 March 1947 31 January 1948 40 11 10 19 027.5
Total[6] 40 11 10 19 027.5

Honours
Manchester City

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 40. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Joyce, Michael. Football League Players' Records 1888–1939. Soccerdata. p. 35. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  3. Simpson, Ray (1996). The Clarets Collection 1946–1996. Burnley FC. p. 33. ISBN 0-9521799-0-3.
  4. "Profile". englandstats.com. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  5. Jackie Bray at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  6. Jackie Bray management career statistics at Soccerbase
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