Jack Leslie (English footballer)

John Francis Leslie (17 August 1901 – 1988) was an English professional footballer who played as an Inside left.

Jack Leslie
Personal information
Full name John Francis Leslie[1]
Date of birth (1901-08-17)17 August 1901
Place of birth Canning Town, England
Date of death 1988 (aged 86–87)
Playing position(s) Inside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Barking Town
1921–1935 Plymouth Argyle 384 (133)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Leslie was the only professional black player in England during his time with Plymouth Argyle. Leslie enjoyed a 14-season spell with Argyle, having joined the club from Barking Town in 1921. A creator and scorer of goals, his partnership with outside left Sammy Black has gone down in history as one of their very best.[2] Leslie played alongside Black 327 times, with the duo scoring 319 goals between them in all competitions, with Leslie contributing 137 of them. In 1930, The Plymouth Herald described him as "known throughout England for his skill and complexion."

Life and career

Leslie was born in Canning Town, London to a Jamaican father.

He played for local team, Barking Town, before joining Plymouth Argyle in 1921. Predominantly a centre-forward or an inside-left, Leslie was described as being versatile and able to provide cover wherever needed.[3]

It took until his eleventh appearance for Argyle for him to get his first goal, in a 2–0 win against Gillingham in 1923.[4]

Across a total of fourteen seasons at Argyle he scored 133 league goals in 384 games, making him Argyle's ninth record highest appearance maker, and fourth highest goal scorer.

England call-up

A call-up to the national team in 1925 was cancelled when officials realised he was "a man of colour"; his manager, Bob Jack, told him he had been selected to play for England. However, the invitation to play for his country was withdrawn. Later in life, Leslie told the journalist Brian Woolnough: "They must have forgot I was a coloured boy."[5]

As a consequence, it was not until 1978 that Viv Anderson became the first black player to appear in an England shirt.

Retirement

He retired from professional football in 1935, playing his last game, and scoring his last goal, on 29 December 1934 in a 3–1 win against Fulham.[6]

He later worked as a member of the backroom staff of his local club, West Ham United, as the boot-boy.[7] He died in 1988.

Legacy

In December 2019, the boardroom at the newly-redeveloped Mayflower Grandstand at Plymouth Argyle's Home Park was named in Leslie's honour.[8][9]

In early 2020 The Jack Leslie Campaign was set up, with the aim of building a statue of Leslie outside Home Park.[10][11]

On 18 June 2020, following the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom and a petition signed by over 500 people, it was reported that Plymouth City Council had proposed to rename Sir John Hawkins Square in the City Centre to the 'Jack Leslie Square'.[12][13]

Honours
Plymouth Argyle

Career statistics
Club Division Season League FA Cup Club Total International Total Games
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Plymouth Argyle Third 1921–22 9 0 - - 9 0 - - 9 0
Third 1922–23 6 3 1 0 7 3 - - 7 3
Third 1923–24 17 5 - - 17 5 - - 17 5
Third 1924–25 40 14 1 0 41 14 - - 41 14
Third 1925–26 40 17 1 0 41 17 - - 41 17
Third 1926–27 33 14 1 0 34 14 - - 34 14
Third 1927–28 41 15 1 0 42 15 - - 42 15
Third 1928–29 41 21 4 1 45 22 - - 45 22
Third 1929–30 32 8 4 1 36 9 - - 36 9
Second 1930–31 39 9 1 0 40 9 - - 40 9
Second 1931–32 41 20 2 1 43 21 - - 43 21
Second 1932–33 33 4 1 1 34 5 - - 34 5
Second 1933–34 11 2 - - 11 2 - - 11 2
Second 1934–35 1 1 - - 1 1 - - 1 1
Total38413317440113700401137
Career Totals 384 133 17 4 401 137 0 0 401 137

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 156. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  2. Danes (2009), Complete Record, p. 104.
  3. "JACK LESLIE". Greens On Screen. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  4. "18 April 1923, Argyle 2–0 Gillingham". Greens On Screen. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. "England's Black Players". England Football Online. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  6. "29 December 1934, Argyle 3–1 Fulham". Greens On Screen. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  7. Knight, Brian (1989). Plymouth Argyle A Complete Record 1903–1989. p. 88. ISBN 0-907969-40-2.
  8. "Finding Jack's Family". PAFC.co.uk. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  9. "Plymouth Argyle honour black pioneer Jack Leslie by naming boardroom after the Pilgrims legend". The Herald (Plymouth). 19 December 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  10. "The Jack Leslie Campaign, Newsletter April 2020". 2 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  11. "Jack Leslie Campaign: "Time for supporters to know his name"". The Football Supporters' Association. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  12. "Plymouth square named after slave trader to be renamed". BBC News. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  13. "Plymouth square to be renamed after black footballer Jack Leslie". BBC News. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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