One of my early memories of playing senior football was at Smith’s Dock in the Teesside League. We played Billingham Synthonia Reserves and lost 7-0! Despite the defeat I got a decent write-up in the local press and at the end of the season the ‘Synners’ approached me to play for them and in 1952/53 I played in their Teesside League team. Whilst still a teenager I was called up to play in their 1st XI in their last Northern League match of that season. A certain Brian Clough was in the Billingham team (one of only four games he played for the club) but we lost 1-3 (not surprisingly Brian scored our goal). After the game Brian said to me “You must think I’m rubbish Jack” to which I replied, “I think we all were”! ‘Cloughie’ was only a teenager himself at the time and no one could have imagined then what he would go on to achieve in the game.

I joined Whitby Town in 1954/55 from Trimdon Grange in the Wearside League. My last match for them saw us win a cup final and I was pleased to go out on a high note! I cannot actually remember who from Whitby Town had seen me play … but the rest, as they say, is history!

In advance of my debut for Whitby (a 4-1 victory over South Bank at the Turnbull Ground on 18th December 1954), I had a feeling of nervous excitement. It was a big step up for me to play regularly at Northern League level. My first impressions were what a lovely compact stadium it was with a good playing surface that suited my style of football. The size of the crowd and the atmosphere they generated also stick in mind from my debut.

Surprisingly, I do not remember much about my first few goals for the club which I’m reliably informed included a hat-trick in a high scoring 7-5 victory over Ferryhill Athletic on 5th March 1955.

During my first season at Whitby Town I also represented South Bank St. Peters (based near Middlesbrough) in the 1954/55 Ellis Cup. The competition rules meant that smaller clubs could sign up to three ‘Permit Players’ from higher Leagues like the Northern League and it was always competitively fought. St. Peters reached the final that season, but we lost 4-0 to I.C.I. Wilton.

My first spell playing for Whitby Town coincided with my National Service with the R.A.F. when I was based at Stafford. During that period, Plymouth Argyle asked me to sign ‘Amateur Forms’ which meant I could play at Craven Cottage in a trial match for Plymouth Argyle Reserves against Fulham Reserves. Although that came to nothing it was great to have played at such a well-known stadium. Subsequently I represented the R.A.F. Maintenance Command at Walsall’s former stadium - Fellows Park - against another military representative team. Our team had ten professional footballers including some from big clubs, then myself! It was an honour for me to be selected and hopefully it helped raise the profile of Whitby Town as well.

With being stationed at Stafford during the week, my weekend routine to play for Whitby Town was like a military exercise in itself!

Every Friday night during the football season I would get the 10.10.p.m. train from Stafford to Crewe. I then got the overnight train that left Crewe at 12.30 a.m. on the Saturday morning and got me to Stockton Railway Station at around 6.00 a.m. I knew a lad who worked as a newspaper delivery driver for The Northern Echo and he always gave me a lift from Stockton to his destination in Middlesbrough and dropped me off at the Town Hall. I only lived half a mile away from there near the town centre so walked home and went to bed at around 6.30 a.m.! I got up around 12.30 p.m. then got washed and changed and then headed back to the Town Hall. There were a number of players from the Teesside area playing for Whitby at the time and the club put on a coach to pick up the players and their close family members who were going to the game from outside the Town Hall (the same arrangement applied for away matches). We then went straight to the Turnbull Ground, arriving around 2.00 p.m.

After the match, the squad and club officials occasionally went for a meal at what is now The White House Inn close to the Turnbull Ground. After that it was back on the coach for the trip back to Middlesbrough.

I stayed at home on the Sunday before leaving Middlesbrough around 7.30 p.m. and arriving back at R.A.F. Stafford at around 1.15 a.m. on Monday morning.

Although it was a big commitment it was worth it to see my family and play for Whitby.

I was very happy at Whitby Town and having just been de-mobbed and finishing my National Service this meant my weekly routine of the previous two years involving travelling from Stafford and back to play for the club every weekend was going to be replaced by a somewhat easier journey from Middlesbrough!

However, I then experienced my biggest disappointment at Whitby Town. Before the start of the 1957/58 season, there were problems within the North Eastern League and talk of it disbanding. One of the teams in that league was Stockton Town and with the potential downfall of the league their Manager, Stan Lacey was appointed Whitby Town Manager and he brought the vast majority of the Stockton players with him.

Players including myself, John Kelly and Peter Scott were considered not to be required by the new management team. As a result, we all signed for Redcar Albion who at that time played in the Teesside League.

There was an interesting twist during that 1957/58 season when Redcar Albion were drawn at home to Whitby Town in the F.A. Amateur Cup! At that time, the Amateur Cup was the pinnacle of amateur football. You can imagine the intensity of that fixture!

The match ended in a 1-1 draw at the Trunk Road Ground in Redcar. We went to the Turnbull Ground for the replay with Northern League Whitby Town obviously firm favourites to win. However, Redcar Albion upset the odds and pulled off a remarkable 4-2 victory. I can vividly remember as we were coming off the field at the end of the match, the Whitby Captain Jackie May (who must have been very disappointed to have lost), saying to me “well done Jack, you were the best team”. You always find a good sport when you lose, not when you win.