John Black (footballer born 1900)
Encyclopedia
John Ross Black was a Scottish professional footballer who usually played as an outside forward
or wing half
.
, Stirlingshire
on 26 May 1900. His elder brother Adam
played for Leicester City
, and holds the record for the most first-team appearances for the club. He served in the Gordon Highlanders Army regiment in the late 1910s, before starting his football career. After his retirement from football, Black continued to live in England, and he died in Scunthorpe
, Lincolnshire
, in December 1993 at the age of 93.
side Denny Hibernian in the early 1920s. In April 1921, he was signed as an amateur by Football League First Division
club Sunderland
. He was awarded a professional contract at the start of the 1921–22 season, but did not become a first-team regular and made only two first-team appearances for the team during the campaign. In the summer of 1922, Black signed for Football League Third Division North
outfit Nelson
on a free transfer. He was not inserted straight into the team, but made his debut for the club in the sixth league game of the season, a 2–0 win over Southport
on 23 September 1922. He continued to play at outside-right for the next nine matches, scoring his first Nelson goal in the 1–0 win against Tranmere Rovers
on 28 October, before his place in the side was taken by Sid Hoad
.
In January 1923, Black was moved to inside left for two games before a spell at centre forward in which he scored three goals in four matches, including a brace against Chesterfield
on 10 March. Towards the end of the campaign he was moved into the defense, and played several games at right wing-half and right fullback. He ended the season with five goals in 23 appearances as Nelson finished as champions of the Third Division North, gaining promotion to the Football League Second Division
for the first time in their history. In a higher division, Black found his first-team opportunities limited, playing six games at the start of the season, including one match in the unfamiliar position of inside-right. His final league appearance for Nelson came on 15 September 1923 in the 1–1 home draw with Hull City
.
Black transferred to Third Division North side Accrington Stanley
in February 1924. He impressed during his spell at Peel Park, netting five goals in 14 league games. His performances earned him a move to Chesterfield in the summer of 1925, for a fee of £25. In his first season with the Spireites, he made 19 league appearances but failed to get on the scoresheet. Black suffered a broken leg at the start of the 1925–26 season, restricting him to only two more league games for the club before leaving to join Third Division South
side Luton Town
at the start of the following campaign. After almost 100 league appearances in four seasons with the Bedfordshire outfit, Black joined Bristol Rovers
, where he played 49 games and scored two goals before retiring from football at the end of the 1931–32 season.
Outside forward
Outside forward is a position in association football which refers to a footballer who plays as an advanced forward on the right or left wing - as an outside right or outside left. Typically as part of a 2-3-5 formation or one of its variants...
or wing half
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
.
Biography
John Ross Black was born in DunipaceDunipace
Dunipace is a village in the west of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The village is south of Stirling and north-west of Falkirk. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Carron and adjoins the town of Denny to the south of the river....
, Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
on 26 May 1900. His elder brother Adam
Adam Black (footballer born 1898)
Adam Black was a Scottish-born footballer who played for Leicester City in the Football League in the 1920s and 1930s....
played for Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, and holds the record for the most first-team appearances for the club. He served in the Gordon Highlanders Army regiment in the late 1910s, before starting his football career. After his retirement from football, Black continued to live in England, and he died in Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe is a town within North Lincolnshire, England. It is the administrative centre of the North Lincolnshire unitary authority, and had an estimated total resident population of 72,514 in 2010. A predominantly industrial town, Scunthorpe, the United Kingdom's largest steel processing centre,...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, in December 1993 at the age of 93.
Career
Black started his football career with Scottish non-leagueNon-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
side Denny Hibernian in the early 1920s. In April 1921, he was signed as an amateur by Football League 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....
club Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. He was awarded a professional contract at the start of the 1921–22 season, but did not become a first-team regular and made only two first-team appearances for the team during the campaign. In the summer of 1922, Black signed for Football League Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
outfit Nelson
Nelson F.C.
Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, who played their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-Early years:...
on a free transfer. He was not inserted straight into the team, but made his debut for the club in the sixth league game of the season, a 2–0 win over Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
on 23 September 1922. He continued to play at outside-right for the next nine matches, scoring his first Nelson goal in the 1–0 win against Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
on 28 October, before his place in the side was taken by Sid Hoad
Sid Hoad
Sidney James "Sid" Hoad was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He played over 250 matches in the Football League, for a total of four different clubs.-Blackpool:...
.
In January 1923, Black was moved to inside left for two games before a spell at centre forward in which he scored three goals in four matches, including a brace against Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
on 10 March. Towards the end of the campaign he was moved into the defense, and played several games at right wing-half and right fullback. He ended the season with five goals in 23 appearances as Nelson finished as champions of the Third Division North, gaining promotion to the Football League 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...
for the first time in their history. In a higher division, Black found his first-team opportunities limited, playing six games at the start of the season, including one match in the unfamiliar position of inside-right. His final league appearance for Nelson came on 15 September 1923 in the 1–1 home draw with Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Black transferred to Third Division North side Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)
Accrington Stanley was an English football club based in Accrington, Lancashire. Established in 1891, the club played in the Football League between 1921 and 1962, when the club became only the second ever to resign from the League mid-season. The club went into liquidation in 1966...
in February 1924. He impressed during his spell at Peel Park, netting five goals in 14 league games. His performances earned him a move to Chesterfield in the summer of 1925, for a fee of £25. In his first season with the Spireites, he made 19 league appearances but failed to get on the scoresheet. Black suffered a broken leg at the start of the 1925–26 season, restricting him to only two more league games for the club before leaving to join 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....
side 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...
at the start of the following campaign. After almost 100 league appearances in four seasons with the Bedfordshire outfit, Black joined 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....
, where he played 49 games and scored two goals before retiring from football at the end of the 1931–32 season.