Jack Needham

Jack Needham
Personal information
Full name John Needham
Date of birth 4 March 1887(1887-03-04)
Place of birth Newstead, England
Date of death 1961 (aged 73–74)
Playing position Inside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
– Langwith Rovers ? (?)
– Mansfield Invicta ? (?)
190x–1909 Mansfield Wesley ? (?)
1909–1910 Birmingham 20 (5)
1910–1920 Wolverhampton Wanderers 187 (57)
1920–192x Hull City 18 (1)
– Scunthorpe & Lindsey United ? (?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

John "Jack" Needham (4 March 1887–1961) was an English professional footballer who scored 63 goals in 225 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Hull City.[1]

Needham was born in Newstead, Nottinghamshire. He began his football career with local clubs before attracting attention with his goalscoring exploits for Mansfield Wesley of the Notts & District League. His 46 goals in 35 games, including four goals in a match on four occasions and three more hat-tricks, in the 1908–09 season earned him a move to Birmingham of the Football League Second Division.[2][3] He made his debut for the club on 2 October 1909 in a 2–1 home defeat to Leeds City, and played in about half of that season's games, scoring five goals in a poor side which finished bottom of the League.[4]

Despite a good start to his Birmingham career,[2] Needham was allowed to leave for fellow Second Division club Wolverhampton Wanderers in time to score on his debut in the last game of the 1909–10 season, the winning goal in a 3–2 defeat of Manchester City on 30 April 1910.[5] He and Sammy Brooks formed an excellent partnership on the left side of Wolves' attack,[2] and in all competitions Needham scored 61 goals in more than 200 appearances.[6]

During the war he guested for Port Vale, becoming the club's top scorer during the 1916–17 season with 12 goals. He showed his 'true regard for the game' by playing a match after working the previous night until 6am. After being conscripted in the army in the summer of 1917 he returned to Wolverhampton upon his demobilization.[7] He left in March 1920 to join Hull City,[2] and later played in the Midland League for Scunthorpe & Lindsey United.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 194. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6. 
  2. ^ a b c d Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9. 
  3. ^ "1897". Mansfield Town F.C.. 15 August 2003. http://www.mansfieldtown.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MTFCHistory/0,,10325~411652,00.html. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
  4. ^ Matthews, p. 156.
  5. ^ "1909–1910". Wolves Stats. Stuart Heathcote. http://wolves-stats.webs.com/19091910.htm. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
  6. ^ "Players: M–O". Wolves Stats. Stuart Heathcote. http://wolves-stats.webs.com/mo.htm. Retrieved 18 March 2009. 
  7. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 212. ISBN 0952915200. http://www.amazon.ca/Port-Vale-Personalities-Jeff-Kent/dp/0952915200.