Jack Bradley (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Bradley was an English footballer who played as an inside forward
for various clubs in the 1930s and 1940s, including Swindon Town
, Southampton
and Bolton Wanderers
.
, West Yorkshire
and, after playing youth football with South Kirkby
Colliery, he joined Huddersfield Town
in November 1935. He did not make any first team appearances for Huddersfield, and in August 1936 he was transferred to Swindon Town
of the Third Division South
.
Bradley spent two seasons with Swindon, making 25 league appearances in which he scored six goals. In the FA Cup
he scored twice in a 6–0 victory over Dulwich Hamlet
in the First Round on 28 November 1936. The following season, he went one better scoring a hat trick
(including two penalties) in a 4–3 win over Gillingham
on 27 November 1937, his 21st birthday.
In June 1938, he moved to Chelsea
but again made no first team appearances before being transferred to Southampton
in May 1939.
, playing in the Football League South war leagues.
In 1940, Bradley joined the Royal Air Force
and his postings took him all over England. During the war he guested for several clubs, including Reading
, Luton Town
, Blackpool
, Millwall
, Aldershot
, Rotherham United
, Hereford United
and Rochdale
.
He returned to The Dell in 1945 and was soon scoring regularly in the League South
in 1945–46, with 14 goals from 25 league appearances, plus two in the FA Cup
. According to Holley & Chalk, Bradley was "big and strong, (with) a powerful left foot that he put to good use during his short spell with the Saints".
On the resumption of League football in 1946, Bradley became the established inside left, with either Doug McGibbon
or George Lewis
at centre-forward. The outside left position was filled in turn by Bobby Veck
, Wilf Grant
and Eric Day
as manager Bill Dodgin
was assembling a team to try to gain promotion from the Second Division
. Bradley finished his first League season with the "Saints" as joint top-scorer
(with George Lewis) on 15 goals, as Southampton finished a lowly 14th.
In June 1947, the Saints went to Germany where they played a "Liberation Day" match against a local side. During this tour, Bradley's drinking upset manager Dodgin; Bradley in turn complained that Dodgin's coaching methods, involving the use of a blackboard, were "too fussy". Although Bradley started the 1947–48 season in blistering form, scoring in each of the opening five matches with seven goals in all, Dodgin could not forgive what he saw as a serious flouting of club discipline and in October Bradley was transferred to Bolton Wanderers
for a fee of £8000, plus Billy Wrigglesworth
coming in the opposite direction.
he finally got his chance to play in the First Division
. He soon became established at inside left, alongside future international players such as Nat Lofthouse
, Malcolm Barrass
and Willie Moir
. Despite this array of talent, Bolton struggled in the First Division, finishing each of Bradley's three seasons in the lower half of the table.
Speaking in 1996, Lofthouse remembered his former team-mate: "By God! Jack Bradley had the best left foot I've ever seen in my life."
By November 1950, Bradley had lost his place to Harry Webster and was transferred to Norwich City
, where he made only six appearances over the next two seasons before dropping out of the Football League.
of the Eastern Counties League
. Whilst the "Bloaters" achieved little in the league under Bradley's management, finishing fifth in his first two seasons, they had some success in the FA Cup
.
In 1952–53, Great Yarmouth reached the Second Round proper for the first time ever, where they were defeated 2–1 by Wrexham. The following season
, Great Yarmouth pulled off a giant-killing act, by defeating Crystal Palace
of the Third Division South
1–0, with the goal being scored by Derrick Rackham in the sixth minute, before going out to Barrow in the Second Round.
, becoming the licencee of the Jolly Farmers pub in the village of Ormesby St Margaret near Great Yarmouth
where he remained for 27 years.
Following his death in 2002, his ashes were scattered on the Great Yarmouth pitch at The Wellesley Recreation Ground.
for Grimsby Town
, Sheffield Wednesday
and Bristol Rovers
between 1907 and 1914.
His uncle was James Bradley
(1881–1954), who was a member of Liverpool
's Championship winning side of 1905–06 and also played for Stoke in the 1890s.
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
for various clubs in the 1930s and 1940s, including Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and 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....
.
Playing career
Bradley was born in HemsworthHemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and, after playing youth football with South Kirkby
South Kirkby & Moorthorpe
South Kirkby and Moorthorpe is a town and civil parish located in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It was a coalmining village, with a large textile industry. Along with South Elmsall the villages have all but merged into one....
Colliery, he joined Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in November 1935. He did not make any first team appearances for Huddersfield, and in August 1936 he was transferred to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
of the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
.
Bradley spent two seasons with Swindon, making 25 league appearances in which he scored six goals. In the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
he scored twice in a 6–0 victory over Dulwich Hamlet
Dulwich Hamlet F.C.
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
in the First Round on 28 November 1936. The following season, he went one better scoring a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
(including two penalties) in a 4–3 win over Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
on 27 November 1937, his 21st birthday.
In June 1938, he moved to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
but again made no first team appearances before being transferred to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in May 1939.
Southampton
He joined Southampton in readiness for the 1939–40 season, but had not broken into the first team before League football was abandoned following the outbreak of the Second World War. At the start of the war, he joined the Police War Reserve and remained in SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, playing in the Football League South war leagues.
In 1940, Bradley joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and his postings took him all over England. During the war he guested for several clubs, including Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
, Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
, Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
and Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
.
He returned to The Dell in 1945 and was soon scoring regularly in the League South
Football League North and South
The Football League North and Football League South divisions of the Football League were created for the League to continue while limiting the amount of movement that was required by teams. The Leagues started in 1941; however, the leagues only had one full season, in 1945-46...
in 1945–46, with 14 goals from 25 league appearances, plus two in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. According to Holley & Chalk, Bradley was "big and strong, (with) a powerful left foot that he put to good use during his short spell with the Saints".
On the resumption of League football in 1946, Bradley became the established inside left, with either Doug McGibbon
Doug McGibbon
Douglas "Doug" McGibbon was an English footballer who played at centre forward for Southampton, Fulham and Bournemouth in the years just after the Second World War...
or George Lewis
George Lewis (footballer)
Thomas George Lewis was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre-forward for Watford in the late 1930s, before joining Southampton for a brief period after World War II.-Watford:...
at centre-forward. The outside left position was filled in turn by Bobby Veck
Bobby Veck
Robert "Bobby" Veck was an English footballer who played, mainly at outside left, for Southampton and Gillingham in the years after the Second World War.-Southampton:...
, Wilf Grant
Wilf Grant
Wilfred Grant was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Southampton, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town.-Early career:...
and Eric Day
Eric Day
Eric Charles Day is an English former footballer who played his entire career of nearly 400 Football League games for Southampton. He was born in Dartford, Kent. During his career with the club, which lasted 11 years from 1945 to 1957, he scored 145 league goals, which placed him seventh on the...
as manager Bill Dodgin
Bill Dodgin, Sr.
William "Bill" Dodgin was an English football player.Born in Gateshead, Dodgin played for Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City, Charlton Athletic, Bristol Rovers, Clapton Orient and Southampton, although his career was curtailed by the Second World War.After retiring as a player, he became coach and...
was assembling a team to try to gain promotion from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. Bradley finished his first League season with the "Saints" as joint top-scorer
Southampton F.C. seasons
This is a list of seasons played by Southampton Football Club in English and European football, from 1892 to the most recent completed season. The first six seasons are Southampton St. Mary's....
(with George Lewis) on 15 goals, as Southampton finished a lowly 14th.
In June 1947, the Saints went to Germany where they played a "Liberation Day" match against a local side. During this tour, Bradley's drinking upset manager Dodgin; Bradley in turn complained that Dodgin's coaching methods, involving the use of a blackboard, were "too fussy". Although Bradley started the 1947–48 season in blistering form, scoring in each of the opening five matches with seven goals in all, Dodgin could not forgive what he saw as a serious flouting of club discipline and in October Bradley was transferred 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....
for a fee of £8000, plus Billy Wrigglesworth
Billy Wrigglesworth
William Herbert "Billy" Wrigglesworth was an English footballer who played as a forward. He played for Chesterfield and Wolverhampton Wanderers before joining Manchester United in 1937. In 1947, he was transferred to Bolton Wanderers...
coming in the opposite direction.
Bolton Wanderers
At Burnden ParkBurnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
he finally got his chance to play in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. He soon became established at inside left, alongside future international players such as Nat Lofthouse
Nat Lofthouse
Nathaniel "Nat" Lofthouse, OBE was an English professional footballer who played for Bolton Wanderers for his whole career...
, Malcolm Barrass
Malcolm Barrass
Malcolm Williamson Barrass is an English former professional footballer.His father, Matthew, was also a professional footballer...
and Willie Moir
Willie Moir
William Moir, , better known as Willie Moir, was a Scottish footballer who played for the majority of his career at Bolton Wanderers. He played mostly as an inside-right....
. Despite this array of talent, Bolton struggled in the First Division, finishing each of Bradley's three seasons in the lower half of the table.
Speaking in 1996, Lofthouse remembered his former team-mate: "By God! Jack Bradley had the best left foot I've ever seen in my life."
By November 1950, Bradley had lost his place to Harry Webster and was transferred to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, where he made only six appearances over the next two seasons before dropping out of the Football League.
Coaching with Great Yarmouth Town
In July 1952, Bradley took up the post of player-manager of Great Yarmouth TownGreat Yarmouth Town F.C.
Great Yarmouth Town F.C. is an English football club based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at the Wellesley Recreation Ground, whose grandstand is believed to be the world's oldest football stand still in regular...
of the Eastern Counties League
Eastern Counties Football League
The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...
. Whilst the "Bloaters" achieved little in the league under Bradley's management, finishing fifth in his first two seasons, they had some success in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
In 1952–53, Great Yarmouth reached the Second Round proper for the first time ever, where they were defeated 2–1 by Wrexham. The following season
FA Cup 1953–54
The FA Cup 1953–54 was the 73rd staging of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup...
, Great Yarmouth pulled off a giant-killing act, by defeating Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
of the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
1–0, with the goal being scored by Derrick Rackham in the sixth minute, before going out to Barrow in the Second Round.
After football
Bradley resigned from the managerial post at Great Yarmouth in 1955, but remained in NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, becoming the licencee of the Jolly Farmers pub in the village of Ormesby St Margaret near Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
where he remained for 27 years.
Following his death in 2002, his ashes were scattered on the Great Yarmouth pitch at The Wellesley Recreation Ground.
Family
Jack's father, Martin (1886–1958) played at inside forwardInside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
for Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
between 1907 and 1914.
His uncle was James Bradley
James Bradley (footballer)
James Bradley was a footballer who played for Liverpool Football Club in the early 20th century, helping them to the Football League Championship in 1905.-Life and playing career:...
(1881–1954), who was a member of Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
's Championship winning side of 1905–06 and also played for Stoke in the 1890s.