Jesse Pye
Encyclopedia
Jesse Pye was an English
footballer
. He played in the Football League for , and and scored twice in the 1949 FA Cup Final
for the former.
Pye's first professional club was whom he joined in 1938. However, the outbreak of World War II
and suspension of league football halted his hopes of a league career with the Blades. After war service in North Africa and in Italy, he signed to in 1945 and played in the transitional league season of 1945-46
. At the end of the season, as the Football League prepared to relaunch, he joined First Division for £10,000.
The forward made an instant impact at Molineux
, scoring a hattrick on his league debut on 31 August 1946 as Wolves thrashed 6-1, and finished the campaign with 21 goals. He continued with his goalscoring exploits the following season, being joint top goalscorer for the club. The next year brought Pye his first taste of silverware as he scored twice in the 1949 FA Cup Final
, to help Wolves beat 3-1.
His prowess in front of goal won him a call-up to the England team
. He had already played in a Victory International on 19 January 1946, scoring in a 2-0 win over Belgium, but eventually made his full debut on 21 September 1949 in a 2-0
defeat against Ireland at Goodison Park
. This game, England's first defeat on home soil to a non-Home Nation opponent, would prove to be his only cap.
He suffered a string of injuries during 1950-51, which sidelined him for half the league games, but he recovered to finish as top goalscorer once again the next season. Despite this feat, he was allowed to leave the club at the end of the season, joining for £5,000. In total, he played 209 times for Wolves, scoring 95 goals.
Pye settled well at the Second Division club and netted 24 goals in his first season (1952–53) as the club finished 3rd, just missing promotion. He added a further 37 goals before stunning the club by moving to fellow second tier side in October 1954.
Despite Pye's firepower, Derby suffered the drop to the Third Division (North). He played one more season at the Baseball Ground
, as the team finished 2nd, narrowly missing out on an immediate return to the Second Division.
He left the club in 1957 and became a landlord in Wisbech
, also opening several sweet shops. He was signed up to the local non-league football club , playing in the Midland League. Pye scored the goal that beat to put Wisbech Town into the second round proper of the FA Cup
for the first time in their history in November 1957. He became player/manager of the club in March 1960 and held the post until resigning in April 1967. The following year he sold his shops in the town and moved to Blackpool
to become a hotelier.
He died in Blackpool
on 19 February 1984 aged 64.
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...
footballer
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...
. He played in the Football League for , and and scored twice in the 1949 FA Cup Final
1949 FA Cup Final
The 1949 FA Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium. Wolves finished 6th in the First Division during that season, and boasted several England internationals among their ranks, while Leicester City had struggled to avoid relegation in the Second...
for the former.
Pye's first professional club was whom he joined in 1938. However, 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...
and suspension of league football halted his hopes of a league career with the Blades. After war service in North Africa and in Italy, he signed to in 1945 and played in the transitional league season of 1945-46
1945-46 in English football
The 1945–1946 season was the 66th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:1945–1946 was the first football season since the 1939–1940 season was cut short due to World War II. The FA Cup was the main competition to be played this season along with the Football League North and Football...
. At the end of the season, as the Football League prepared to relaunch, he joined First Division for £10,000.
The forward made an instant impact at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
, scoring a hattrick on his league debut on 31 August 1946 as Wolves thrashed 6-1, and finished the campaign with 21 goals. He continued with his goalscoring exploits the following season, being joint top goalscorer for the club. The next year brought Pye his first taste of silverware as he scored twice in the 1949 FA Cup Final
1949 FA Cup Final
The 1949 FA Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium. Wolves finished 6th in the First Division during that season, and boasted several England internationals among their ranks, while Leicester City had struggled to avoid relegation in the Second...
, to help Wolves beat 3-1.
His prowess in front of goal won him a call-up to the England team
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...
. He had already played in a Victory International on 19 January 1946, scoring in a 2-0 win over Belgium, but eventually made his full debut on 21 September 1949 in a 2-0
England v Ireland (1949)
England v Ireland. On 21 September 1949 at Goodison Park, Liverpool, the home of Everton, England were defeated 2-0 by Ireland in a friendly international...
defeat against Ireland at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. This game, England's first defeat on home soil to a non-Home Nation opponent, would prove to be his only cap.
He suffered a string of injuries during 1950-51, which sidelined him for half the league games, but he recovered to finish as top goalscorer once again the next season. Despite this feat, he was allowed to leave the club at the end of the season, joining for £5,000. In total, he played 209 times for Wolves, scoring 95 goals.
Pye settled well at the Second Division club and netted 24 goals in his first season (1952–53) as the club finished 3rd, just missing promotion. He added a further 37 goals before stunning the club by moving to fellow second tier side in October 1954.
Despite Pye's firepower, Derby suffered the drop to the Third Division (North). He played one more season at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
, as the team finished 2nd, narrowly missing out on an immediate return to the Second Division.
He left the club in 1957 and became a landlord in Wisbech
Wisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
, also opening several sweet shops. He was signed up to the local non-league football club , playing in the Midland League. Pye scored the goal that beat to put Wisbech Town into the second round proper of 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...
for the first time in their history in November 1957. He became player/manager of the club in March 1960 and held the post until resigning in April 1967. The following year he sold his shops in the town and moved to Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
to become a hotelier.
He died in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
on 19 February 1984 aged 64.
External links
- Jesse Pye, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database