Early life

Jackson was born in 1861, living in the Midlands, where he had a playing career with several local clubs.

Managerial career

Jackson managed Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

's first professional football club, Brighton United. The club folded in 1900, and a replacement, Brighton & Hove Rangers was formed. Rangers were elected to the Southern League

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...

 in 1901, but disbanded. Jackson called a meeting in the Seven Stars Hotel in Brighton to form another replacement club. This club was originally to be called Brighton & Hove United, but was changed to Brighton & Hove Albion before a ball was kicked. The new club took the now vacant league place formerly occupied by Rangers.

Jackson had a row with club captain Frank McAvoy in December 1901 which failed to calm down. In February 1902, McAvoy assaulted him and knocked him to the ground, leading to the player being sacked from the club. The feud continued with McAvoy, and another former player, Clem Barker, looking for him at the Farm Tavern (which Jackson ran) in August. He was visiting Lewes

Lewes

Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...

 and the pair told his wife; "We are going to the station to meet your husband, and you must consider yourself lucky if he is brought home alive!". The pair were accused of threatening behaviour at Hove Court and bound to keep the peace for 6 months for £10.

In 1905, the Jackson Souvenir Cup was played as a testimonial between Brighton and Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 which resulted in a 3-3 draw. After the game it was announced the cup would be contested annually by schoolboy teams from the two clubs.

An FA

The Football Association

The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...

 inquiry into illegal payments eventually led to him being censured. As a result he was replaced in 1905 by Frank Scott-Walford

Frank Scott-Walford

Frank Scott-Walford was an English football manager.In his playing days, he had kept goal as an amateur with Tottenham Hotspur and played subsequently for Lincoln City, Small Heath and Aston Villa...

.

Later life

After leaving football management, Jackson stayed in Brighton and ran public houses, including the Camden Arms and the Running Horse. He died aged 70.