Crawford Jackie Image 2 Chelsea 1924

Description

Diminutive Jarrow born winger Jackie Crawford started playing junior football prior to World War One with Palmer’s of Jarrow in 1914, joining Jarrow Town in 1919 once the conflict had ended, during which he served with The Royal Navy. Second Division Hull City signed him in March 1920 and he made his Football League debut the same month at Huddersfield Town. He was a mainstay of Hull’s attacking threat over the next 3 seasons and scored 13 goals in 134 appearances for The Tigers before Chelsea signed him for a £3000 transfer fee in May 1923. Although they were relegated to the Second Division in his first season, Crawford continued to play for Chelsea for another 9 seasons, helping them win promotion back to the First Division in 1929-30 when they finished Second Division runners up. This form led him to be selected by England winning a single cap in March 1931 in a 2-0 defeat to Scotland at Hampden Park. Along with Fanny Walden, both players around 5 foot 2 and a half inches, he was probably the smallest player to play for England. He joined Queen`s Park Rangers in May 1934 after 26 goals in 308 appearances for The Pensioners, and played another 3 seasons at Loftus Road scoring 18 goals in 59 appearances, before he retired aged 41 in 1937.