Jack Peart
Encyclopedia
John George "Jack" Peart (3 October 1888 – 3 September 1948) was an English footballer who played centre forward for 13 different teams, in a career which spanned the First World War
. After he retired he became a football manager until his death in 1948.
. He also played non-league football in the Southern
and Welsh
leagues, as well as guesting for other clubs during the First World War. Peart was known as the 'most injured man in football', which included a broken
leg in 1910 at Sheffield United
keeping him out of football for two seasons.
He left Adelaide South Shields to sign with First Division
Sheffield United
in 1907. Eight goals in 27 league appearances preceded a move to Stoke
in the Birmingham & District League two years later.
He left the Potteries
in 1912 to return to top-flight football with Newcastle United
, signing for a fee of £600. Peart made 17 competitive appearances for Newcastle, all in the Football League, comprising 9 in 1911–12 and 8 in 1912–13, and scored three goals in each of those seasons. His first appearance for the club came on 16 March 1912 against Middlesbrough
, and he scored his first goal the following week against Notts County
.
The next year he dropped down to the with Second Division
Notts County. His time at County spanned the Great War. In his six years with the club he scored 51 goals in 82 league appearances. During the war he also guested for Rochdale
and Barnsley
.
After a time with Leeds City, he joined Birmingham
in 1919, before moving on to Derby County
later in the year. In 1920 he joined Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Company as player-manager, though he resigned his post in January 1922, returning to the English Second Division with Port Vale
. Injury limited his contribution to the Vale's 1921–22 campaign
to just seven appearances and he was released upon its conclusion.
At 34 years old, Peart joined Norwich City
in the Third Division South
for the 1922–23 season. He was appointed player-manager of Rochdale in March 1923, retiring as a player in the 1923–24 season with a Rochdale tally of 10 goals in 22 senior games.
, taking over from the club's most successful manager, Peter O'Rourke
, in July 1930. During his five years at Valley Parade
he maintained the club's position in Division Two but he had offered to resign at the end of 1933–34 before agreeing to see out the final two years of his contract.
In 1935, he joined Fulham
as manager, where he remained until his death in September 1948, a month before his 60th birthday. The team he built went on to win the Division Two championship in the same season.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After he retired he became a football manager until his death in 1948.
Playing career
Peart was a centre forward who had a nomadic career. He played for eight league clubs in a career which spanned 19 years and every division of the Football LeagueThe 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...
. He also played non-league football in the Southern
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...
and Welsh
Welsh Football League
The Welsh Football League is a club football league in Wales. Division One of the Welsh Football League is at Level 2 of the Welsh football league system, immediately below the national Welsh Premier League.The Welsh Football League's history stretches back to 1904 when the competition was first...
leagues, as well as guesting for other clubs during the First World War. Peart was known as the 'most injured man in football', which included a broken
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
leg in 1910 at Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
keeping him out of football for two seasons.
He left Adelaide South Shields to sign with 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....
Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in 1907. Eight goals in 27 league appearances preceded a move to Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the Birmingham & District League two years later.
He left the Potteries
The Potteries Urban Area
The Potteries Urban Area is a conurbation in North Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England.It includes the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove....
in 1912 to return to top-flight football with 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...
, signing for a fee of £600. Peart made 17 competitive appearances for Newcastle, all in the Football League, comprising 9 in 1911–12 and 8 in 1912–13, and scored three goals in each of those seasons. His first appearance for the club came on 16 March 1912 against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, and he scored his first goal the following week against Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
The next year he dropped down to the with 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...
Notts County. His time at County spanned the Great War. In his six years with the club he scored 51 goals in 82 league appearances. During the war he also guested for 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...
and Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
.
After a time with Leeds City, he joined Birmingham
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...
in 1919, before moving on to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
later in the year. In 1920 he joined Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Company as player-manager, though he resigned his post in January 1922, returning to the English Second Division with 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...
. Injury limited his contribution to the Vale's 1921–22 campaign
1921–22 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1921–22 season was Port Vale's third consecutive season of football in the Football League. Another difficult season, both on and off the pitch, the club finished with 36 points for the second season in a row...
to just seven appearances and he was released upon its conclusion.
At 34 years old, Peart joined 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...
in 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....
for the 1922–23 season. He was appointed player-manager of Rochdale in March 1923, retiring as a player in the 1923–24 season with a Rochdale tally of 10 goals in 22 senior games.
Management career
Peart spent a short period as player-manager at Ebbw Vale before managing Rochdale from 1923 to 1930. He left Rochdale to become manager of Bradford CityBradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, taking over from the club's most successful manager, Peter O'Rourke
Peter O'Rourke
Peter O'Rourke was a Scottish footballer and manager.-Career:O'Rourke was a centre half who played for Celtic, Burnley, Lincoln City, Third Lanark and Chesterfield before his final playing days at Bradford City. He became player-manager in 1905 following the departure of Robert Campbell while he...
, in July 1930. During his five years at Valley Parade
Valley Parade
Valley Parade, also known as the Coral Windows Stadium through sponsorship rights, is an all-seater football stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1886, and was the home of Manningham Rugby Football Club until 1903, when they changed code from rugby football to association...
he maintained the club's position in Division Two but he had offered to resign at the end of 1933–34 before agreeing to see out the final two years of his contract.
In 1935, he joined Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
as manager, where he remained until his death in September 1948, a month before his 60th birthday. The team he built went on to win the Division Two championship in the same season.