Morton Jackie Image 7 West Ham United 1937

Description

Sheffield born left winger Jackie Morton began his football career with Sheffield Albion in 1929, playing for Woodhouse Alliance in 1930 before joining Midland League Gainsborough Trinity later the same year. He made his “senior” debut (i.e. a first class match) in an FA Cup first round tie for Gainsborough at Crewe Alexandra in November 1931. Gainsborough won in a replay before losing to Watford the next month in the second round, but he had been spotted. He signed for West Ham United from Gainsborough for £600 in December 1931, making his Football League debut against Arsenal in March 1932 playing 5 times in the run in to a season which ended in relegation for The Hammers, who wouldn’t regain their First Division status until after the Second World War. He soon established himself as a rising star in the following season, scoring 13 goals in the campaign, he was in the West Ham team that were beaten 2-1 by eventual Cup winners Everton in the 1933 FA Cup semi final at Molineux, and the following season, 1933-34, he was an ever present for West Ham.

In 1935, Morton had the honour of being chosen in two ‘unofficial matches’ for England as part of the King George V Jubilee Trust Fund – the first an Anglo-Scots game at Highbury Stadium and the second against Scotland at Hampden Park. He also played once for The Football League. He was awarded a solitary England cap  when he played in a remarkable 5-4 victory over Czechslovakia at White Hart Lane in December 1937, scoring a 19th minute international debut goal, a match in which team mate Len Goulden also played. The Three Lions’ players were subsequently awarded a special commemorative medal to go with their international cap by the Football Association.

His best goalscoring season came in 1936-37, as he bagged 14 goals, all in League games, but although they finished 3rd in 1934-35 and 4th in 1935-36, he couldn’t help West Ham back to promotion. He went on to play 275 games for West Ham through, scoring 57 goals, before retiring during the Second World War.