Hebden Jack Image 2 West Ham United 1922

Description

Castleford, Yorkshire born right back Jack Hebden joined First Division Bradford City in 1919 from hometown Midland League club Castleford Town, whom he had joined during the First World War, and made his Football League debut for The Bantams at Sheffield United in September 1920. However, he had only played 3 matches for their first eleven when he was transferred to Second Division club West Ham United in May 1921, making his Irons debut in the last match of the season at South Shields the same month.

In part due to injury, it took him four seasons to establish himself as a first team regular at West Ham, playing only 9 times as they won promotion in 1922-23 and not playing at all in their run to the FA Cup Final that season, but by 1926 he was an automatic choice in their starting eleven, however in December 1927, after 116 appearances for The Hammers, he was transferred to Second Division club Fulham. He made 24 appearances for The Cottagers over the next 18 months but after their relegation in 1928 he lost his place in their starting eleven, playing only once more and transferred to Southern League Eastern Division club Thames Association in 1929, before moving on to Hereford United in 1930, then playing in the Birmingham & District League.

Three and a half years after his last Football League outing for Fulham in March 1929 he joined Clapton Orient in the summer of 1932, playing in their first 4 League fixtures in August and September 1932, before then moving to Halifax Town, for whom he played once in November. He then had a brief spell at Chesterfield but didn’t make their first eleven, before returning to non league football with Kent League club Sheppey United in 1933, his final club before his eventual retirement.

NB in the photograph he stands on the right of West Ham team mate Billy Henderson.