Bob Jack
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Jack was a Scottish
footballer and manager
. An Outside-left
by trade, Jack played in Scotland for Alloa Athletic
, and in England for Bolton Wanderers
, Preston North End
, Glossop
, Plymouth Argyle
and Southend United
in a career spanning almost twenty-years. He managed Southend United for four years before enjoying a twenty-eight year spell with Plymouth Argyle, leading them into the Football League in 1920. Jack is regarded as one of the Devon
clubs greatest managers.
, making his debut at the age of 15 and turning professional in 1893. He moved to Bolton Wanderers
in 1895. He was Bolton's leading scorer in the 1896–97 season. He left Bolton in August 1901, joining local rivals Preston North End
after scoring 29 goals in 110 league games for Bolton. He spent just one season with Preston, scoring 6 goals in 22 league games, before joining Glossop
the following summer. After a further 6 goals in 30 appearances he moved to Burslem Port Vale
before becoming Plymouth Argyle
's first professional in 1903. He made his Argyle debut in September 1903 against West Ham United
in the Western League
and would represent the club as a player for the next three years.
. In his first two seasons with Southend they won the Southern League
Second Division title, gaining election to the Southern League First Division in 1908.
He retired as a player at the end of the 1909–10 season and re-joined Plymouth Argyle as manager, remaining in charge at Home Park until April 1938 when he retired. During his 28 seasons in charge, Jack had guided Argyle to the Southern League title in 1913 and into the Football League
in 1920. In their first season in the league they finished 11th in the Third Division, but finished runners-up in all of the next six seasons. They finally clinched the title and promotion in the 1929–30 season.
during his retirement, occasionally working as a scout
for his son David
while he was manager at Southend. In addition to David, two of his other sons, (Rollo
and Donald), also played professionally for Bolton Wanderers
. Despite being Scottish, Jack represented England at bowls
.
His ashes
were scattered over the pitch at Home Park
, Plymouth
.
Plymouth Argyle
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
footballer and manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
. An Outside-left
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
by trade, Jack played in Scotland for Alloa Athletic
Alloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
, and in England for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Glossop
Glossop North End A.F.C.
Glossop North End A.F.C. are an English football club based in Glossop, Derbyshire. Former members of the Football League, they are currently in the North West Counties League and are members of the Derbyshire County Football Association. They play their home matches at Surrey Street, which has a...
, Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
and Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in a career spanning almost twenty-years. He managed Southend United for four years before enjoying a twenty-eight year spell with Plymouth Argyle, leading them into the Football League in 1920. Jack is regarded as one of the Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
clubs greatest managers.
Playing career
Jack began his career with Alloa AthleticAlloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
, making his debut at the age of 15 and turning professional in 1893. He moved to Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in 1895. He was Bolton's leading scorer in the 1896–97 season. He left Bolton in August 1901, joining local rivals Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
after scoring 29 goals in 110 league games for Bolton. He spent just one season with Preston, scoring 6 goals in 22 league games, before joining Glossop
Glossop North End A.F.C.
Glossop North End A.F.C. are an English football club based in Glossop, Derbyshire. Former members of the Football League, they are currently in the North West Counties League and are members of the Derbyshire County Football Association. They play their home matches at Surrey Street, which has a...
the following summer. After a further 6 goals in 30 appearances he moved to Burslem Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
before becoming Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
's first professional in 1903. He made his Argyle debut in September 1903 against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in the Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
and would represent the club as a player for the next three years.
Managerial career
Jack became player-manager of Plymouth Argyle in 1905, but remained at Home Park for only one more season before becoming player-manager of Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
. In his first two seasons with Southend they won the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
Second Division title, gaining election to the Southern League First Division in 1908.
He retired as a player at the end of the 1909–10 season and re-joined Plymouth Argyle as manager, remaining in charge at Home Park until April 1938 when he retired. During his 28 seasons in charge, Jack had guided Argyle to the Southern League title in 1913 and into the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1920. In their first season in the league they finished 11th in the Third Division, but finished runners-up in all of the next six seasons. They finally clinched the title and promotion in the 1929–30 season.
Later life
Jack lived in SouthendSouthend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
during his retirement, occasionally working as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for his son David
David Jack
David Bone Nightingale Jack was an English footballer, the first player ever to score at Wembley, and the first footballer in the world to be transferred for more than £10,000...
while he was manager at Southend. In addition to David, two of his other sons, (Rollo
Rollo Jack
Robert Rollo Jack was a footballer who played primarily as an inside right in the Football League in the 1920s and 1930s. He was the brother of David, the England international footballer, whilst his father Bob was also a professional footballer and manager.Rollo started as a trainee with Plymouth...
and Donald), also played professionally for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. Despite being Scottish, Jack represented England at bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
.
His ashes
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
were scattered over the pitch at Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
Managerial honours
Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
- Southern League Second DivisionSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
- Winner (2): 1906–07, 1907–08
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
- Southern League First DivisionSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
- Winner (1):1912–13
- Runner-up (1): 1911–12
- Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
- Winner (1): 1929–30
- Runner-up (6): 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27