White John “Jock” Image 2 Heart of Midlothian 1924

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Coatbridge, Lanarkshire born inside right John “Jock” White began his football career with Bedlay Juniors in 1913 before joining Clyde in 1914, spending the War years with them before a move to Albion Rovers in 1919. He was a member of Albion Rovers’ 1920 Scottish Cup team which arguably enjoyed the club’s finest hour, when, having beaten mighty Gladgow Rangers in a replay 2-0 at Celtic Park, reached the club’s only ever Scottish Cup Final, only to lose 3-2 to Kilmarnock in the Final on 17th April 1920 in front of 95,000 spectators, at the time a record attendance for a club match in Scotland.

He won his first Scotland cap in February 1922 in a 2-1 defeat to Wales in Wrexham. In 1921 he had a spell in England with Maidstone United before joining Heart of Midlothian in 1922, making his Jambos debut in August 1922 against St Bernard’s, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory.

He first played for The Scottish League in February 1923 scoring in a 2-1 defeat to The Football League at St James’ Park. His second and last full international cap came a month later when he played in a 1-0 victory over Ireland at Windsor Park, Belfast. He also won 4 Scottish League representative caps in total, scoring 5 times. He made 193 appearances and became the only British forward to score 4 goals in 3 successive matches, achieving the feat an incredible 7 times for The Jambos.

He joined Leeds United in January 1927 making his debut in an FA Cup 4th round tie at holders Bolton Wanderers, but he couldn’t prevent them being relegated at the end of the season. The following season White scored 21 goals in his first full season at Leeds in 1927-28, a haul which left him as the club’s joint top League scorer with Tommy Jennings and helped propel Leeds back into the First Division finishing as Second Division runners up, and in October 1928 he scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Manchester City. But he lost his place in January 1930 and returned to Heart of Midlothian before returning south to join non league Margate in 1934 after 134 more Jambos appearances, boosting his total goals scored for Hearts to 180. He then returned to Scotland to join Leith Athletic in 1935 before retirement.

Jock White was one of four brothers who played top class football – Willie was a goalkeeper with Hamilton Academical, Heart of Midlothian and Southampton, Thomas played for Motherwell and James for Alloa Athletic.