Jack Fairbrother
Encyclopedia
John 'Jack' Fairbrother was an English
professional football
goalkeeper, best known for his time at Newcastle United
shortly after the Second World War. His uncle George Harrison
played for Everton
and England
.
and joined his local side Burton Town
. He moved to Preston North End
in 1937, but had failed to break into the first team by the outbreak of World War II
. During the war, he became Preston's first choice goalkeeper, helping them do the wartime double in 1941, winning the Football League North and the Football League War Cup
. In October 1941, he played for the Football League against the Scottish Football League
and went on to represent the Army and the Police in further wartime matches. He also guested for Blackburn Rovers
, Burnley
and Chester
during the war.
With the war at an end, the Football League resumed in the 1946–47 season, Fairbrother finally making his league debut for Preston at the age of 29. He missed only one game that season and moved to Newcastle United
in July 1947 for a fee of £6,500.
His Newcastle debut came in a 6–1 home win against Plymouth Argyle
on the opening day of the 1947–48 season and he was a regular as Newcastle won the 2nd Division Championship that season. He was first choice for four seasons making 132 League and 12 FA Cup
appearances, including the 1951 FA Cup final victory over Blackpool
at Wembley.
Early in the 1951-52 season, he broke a collar-bone and lost his place to Ronnie Simpson
. At the end of the season he moved to then non-league Peterborough United
as player-manager. In his two seasons with Peterborough they knocked League sides Torquay United
and Aldershot
out of the FA Cup.
. However, shortly after getting his break in league management his wife died following a fall, leaving him with two young children. Fairbrother managed to combine his professional and family duties, but resigned when Coventry sold star striker, Eddy Brown
to Birmingham City
for £9,000 in the 1954–55 season.
He became the coach of the Israel
national side in 1955 and in June 1962 he returned to English football as manager of Consett and then Gateshead F.C.
before returning to Peterborough United
, now a Football League team, as manager in December 1962. He remained at Peterborough until February 1964, at which point he retired from football.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper, best known for his time at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
shortly after the Second World War. His uncle George Harrison
George Harrison (footballer)
George Harrison was an English international footballer, who played as an outside left.-Career:Born in Church Gresley, Harrison played professionally for Everton, and earned two caps for England in 1921....
played for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Footballer
Jack Fairbrother was born in Burton upon TrentBurton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
and joined his local side Burton Town
Burton Town F.C.
Burton Town F.C. was an English association football club based in Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire. Originally known as Burton All Saints, the club competed in the Birmingham & District League, one of the country's strongest semi-professional leagues, between 1924 and 1935, winning the...
. He moved to 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...
in 1937, but had failed to break into the first team by the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war, he became Preston's first choice goalkeeper, helping them do the wartime double in 1941, winning the Football League North and the Football League War Cup
Football League War Cup
The Football League War Cup was an association football tournament held between 1939 and 1945 which aimed to fill the gaping hole left in English Football by the cancellation of the FA Cup.- Background:...
. In October 1941, he played for the Football League against the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
and went on to represent the Army and the Police in further wartime matches. He also guested for Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
during the war.
With the war at an end, the Football League resumed in the 1946–47 season, Fairbrother finally making his league debut for Preston at the age of 29. He missed only one game that season and moved to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in July 1947 for a fee of £6,500.
His Newcastle debut came in a 6–1 home win against 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...
on the opening day of the 1947–48 season and he was a regular as Newcastle won the 2nd Division Championship that season. He was first choice for four seasons making 132 League and 12 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...
appearances, including the 1951 FA Cup final victory over 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...
at Wembley.
Early in the 1951-52 season, he broke a collar-bone and lost his place to Ronnie Simpson
Ronnie Simpson
Ronald "Ronnie" Campbell Simpson was a Scottish football goalkeeper. He is mainly remembered for his time with Celtic, where he was one of the Lisbon Lions, the first British team to win the European Cup in 1967....
. At the end of the season he moved to then non-league Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
as player-manager. In his two seasons with Peterborough they knocked League sides Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
and 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...
out of the FA Cup.
Manager and coach
In December 1953 he became manager of 3rd Division South club Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
. However, shortly after getting his break in league management his wife died following a fall, leaving him with two young children. Fairbrother managed to combine his professional and family duties, but resigned when Coventry sold star striker, Eddy Brown
Eddy Brown
Edwin "Eddy" Brown is an English former footballer who played as a centre forward. He played professionally for a number of clubs, but the peak of his career was spent with Birmingham City during their most successful period in the 1950s...
to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for £9,000 in the 1954–55 season.
He became the coach of the Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
national side in 1955 and in June 1962 he returned to English football as manager of Consett and then Gateshead F.C.
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
before returning to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, now a Football League team, as manager in December 1962. He remained at Peterborough until February 1964, at which point he retired from football.