Jimmy Jackson (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jimmy Jackson


fullname = James Jackson
dateofbirth = September 15, 1875
cityofbirth = Cambuslang, Lanarkshire
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = "Unknown"
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Wing half, left back
youthyears = "?" "?" 1893-1894 "?"
youthclubs = Hamilton Academicals Adamstown Rosebuds Australia Newton Thistle Cambuslang
years = 1894-1897 1897-1899 1899-1905 1905 1905-1906 1906-"?" 1911
clubs = Rangers Newcastle United Woolwich Arsenal Leyton West Ham United Rangers Morton
caps(goals) = 58 (0) 183 (0)

James "Jimmy" Jackson (September 15, 1875 – "?") was a Scottish-Australian football (soccer) player.

Jackson was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was two. The young Jackson grew up in Australia and played football as a youth, before returning to Scotland in 1893. He first played for junior side Newton Thistle, and then signed for Rangers in 1894, although he was only a fringe player at the club.

He was sold to Newcastle United in August 1897, and played for the Magpies for two seasons, helping them to promotion to the First Division in 1897-98. In 1899 he joined Woolwich Arsenal. He made his debut against Leicester Fosse on September 2, 1899, and for the next six seasons he was a regular at the club, playing either at left back or wing half (i.e. on one side of midfield). He was a virtual ever-present in the Gunners' 1903-04 promotion-winning season, and was captain of the club in its inaugural First Division season. In all he played 204 matches for Arsenal, scoring one goal.

Jackson left Arsenal in 1905 to become player-manager at Leyton (who had just been promoted to the Southern League), but his spell was short-lived and later that year he signed for West Ham United, before rejoining his old club Rangers in 1906. He retired to become a blacksmith, although he briefly came out of retirement to play for Morton in 1911.

Jimmy Jackson was not the only sporting member of his family. Two of his sons were footballers; the elder, James played over 200 games for Liverpool, and later became an ordained priest after retiring from football; the younger, Archie played for Sunderland and Tranmere Rovers. His nephew, also called Archie Jackson, was an Australian test cricketer.

References

*cite book
author=Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed.)
title=Arsenal Who's Who
publisher=Independent UK Sports
year=1995
id=ISBN 1-899429-03-4