Hughes Jack Image 1 Blackburn Rovers 1935

Description

Rhosllannerchrugog, near Wrexham, born goalkeeper Jack Hughes had a varied amateur career, playing for Plas Bennion in 1928, Llanerch Celts and Aberystwyth Town in 1929, Afongoch and Druids United in 1930, returning to Llanerch Celts in 1931, before playing for Rhos and Dick Kerr’s XI in 1932. He then joined First Division club Blackburn Rovers and made his Football League debut against Birmingham in February 1933 but spent four seasons as understudy to Bill Gormlie and Cliff Binns, until their relegation in 1936. While with Blackburn Rovers he played for Wales in their match at Wrexham on 27th March 1935 against Ireland, which Wales won 3-1, which would prove his only international cap.

In the Second Division Hughes got his chance for Rovers and played 25 times before joining Mansfield Town in the 1937 close season after exactly 50 appearances for Rovers. He made 81 appearances over the next two seasons for The Stags, but joined Nelson in the 1939 close season shortly before the Second World War intervened to cause a seven year interruption to his career. After the War he played in the Lancashire leagues, representing Bacup Borough in 1946, Rossendale United in 1947 and Darwen in 1948, before moving north to play for Scottish League club Third Lanark in 1949, where he finished his career.