Jackie Smith (footballer)

John Smith (September 1883 – 4 September 1916) was an English footballer and one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the history of Hull City, notching 102 goals from only 168 outings for the club. His 32 goals in 1909–10 made him the top goal-scorer in Europe that season.

John Smith
Personal information
Full name John Smith[1]
Date of birth 15 September 1886[1]
Place of birth Wardley, Gateshead, England[1]
Date of death 1916 (aged 29–30)[1]
Position(s) Inside Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1903–1904 Hebburn Argyle
1904–1905 West Stanley
1905–1910 Hull City 156 (98)
1910–1911 Sheffield United 12 (6)
1911–1912 Nottingham Forest 3 (1)
1911–1912 Nelson
1912 York City
1912–1913 Hebburn Argyle
1914 Heckmondwike
Total 171 (105)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Family

John was married in Sculcoates, Kingston upon Hull to Annie Bosworth in 1907.[2]

Career

John "Jacky" Smith was born September 1883 in the Tyneside pit village of Wardley. After establishing himself as a rare goal-scoring talent at Hebburn Argyle, Smith was signed by Second Division Hull City whilst still a teenager in June 1905 and, following a prolific spell in the reserves, quickly established himself in the first team under player manager Ambrose Langley.

Equally accomplished as an inside right or a centre-forward, Smith consolidated his position as a fans favourite during the 1906–07 season with 19 goals in 34 League appearances before setting a new club record of 31 goals from 37 games in 1907–08. Such was Smith's form around this time, that he belied his Second Division status by becoming Hull City's first representative player when called up to play for the Football League against the Scottish League.

Despite being the subject of attention from bigger First Division Clubs, Smith stayed loyal to the Hull City cause and, though a series of injuries restricted him to just 10 goals in 23 appearances during 1908–09, he bounced back to spearhead his club's promotion challenge in 1909–10, notching no fewer than four hat-tricks in a haul of 32 goals from only 35 outings, making him the top scorer in Europe that season. Despite Smith's efforts, Hull City agonisingly missed out on promotion to the First Division on goal difference to Oldham Athletic.

Smith desperately wanted to prove himself in the First Division and, though he began the 1910–11 season as a Hull City player, he was soon enticed to Sheffield United for a transfer fee of £500 where he was to score seven times in only 12 league games for the Blades, before Nottingham Forest signed him to spearhead an ultimately futile bid to avoid relegation.

Back in the Second Division with Forest, Smith quickly became disillusioned with the professional game and went on to spend time at non-league Nelson FC and York City before seeing out his career as a full-back for Heckmondwike in the Yorkshire League.

Playing style

Jacky Smith was only 5 ft 7ilonm tall but, what he lacked in height, he more than made up for in heart. According to a report in the Hull Daily Mail he was described as:

"Although only a small man, he is endowed with any amount of trickery, yet prefers to bustle his opponents and seems to take glory in charging a six-foot back."[3]

Death

Following the outbreak of World War I, Smith was enlisted in the York & Lancaster Regiment and was just 29 years old when killed in action during the early days of September 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, leaving a widow and six children. Two of his sons Jack Smith and Jim Smith went on to play professional Rugby league for Hull Kingston Rovers.[4]

References
  1. Jackie Smith at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. "FreeBMD District Info".
  3. Tiger Tales: A Who's Who of Hull City AFC 1904–2000 by Mike Peterson
  4. A Century of City: The Official History of Hull City 1904-2004 - Mike Peterson
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