Jack Gregory (footballer, born 1925)

John Leslie Gregory (25 January 1925 – March 2008) was an English professional footballer who played as a full back for Southampton and Leyton Orient during the 1940s and 1950s.

For the West Ham and Scunthorpe inside forward, see Jack Gregory (footballer, born 1926).

Jack Gregory
Personal information
Full name John Leslie Gregory
Date of birth (1925-01-25)25 January 1925
Place of birth Southampton, England
Date of death March 2008 (aged 83)
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1944–1955 Southampton 66 (0)
1955–1959 Leyton Orient 91 (0)
1959–1960 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 17 (0)
1960–1962 Ashford Town
1962–1963 Hastings United
Teams managed
1963–1965 Cowes Sports
1965–1966 Sholing Sports
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Southampton

Gregory was born in Southampton and after playing youth football with Woolston Youth Club, he was signed by Southampton as a professional in December 1944.[1] He made his first team debut as a replacement for Bill Rochford in a 3–1 defeat to Luton Town at a snow-covered Dell on 22 February 1947.[2]

Gregory spent most of his Southampton career in the reserves and his next first team appearance came on 23 September 1950. After another spell in the reserves, he replaced Norman Kirkman for the final five games of the season. He retained his place in the first team for the start of the following season, before giving way to Kirkman after four matches. He made the occasional appearance over the next few months, with a run of eight games from January to March as replacement for Peter Sillett, who had taken over at fullback from Kirkman.[3]

Gregory's best season for the Saints came in 1953–54 after they had been relegated to the Third Division South. He was appointed team captain and only missed four league matches during the season as Saints failed to make the expected return to Division Two. He then lost his place to Tommy Traynor and after another season in the reserves, he was given a free transfer to Leyton Orient in July 1955. In his ten years at the Dell, he made 68 appearances in all competitions, without scoring.[1]

In his final season at The Dell, Gregory was an ever-present member of the Southampton reserve team which won the Combination Cup under the management of Ted Bates.[1]

Leyton Orient

At Orient, he joined another club playing in the Third Division South, and helped them to take the Division title in his first season with his new club. The following season, now back in the Second Division, Gregory only missed two league matches as Orient consolidated their position in mid-table.

Gregory spent two more years at Brisbane Road before returning to the South coast in July 1959 to join Bournemouth, where he spent one season before retiring from professional football.

Later career

He then dropped down to non-league football, spending two years with Ashford Town, followed by a year with Hastings United. He then returned to Southampton where he managed Isle of Wight team Cowes Sports and then Southampton based Sholing Sports.[1]

He was employed in Southampton Docks as a boilermaker.[1] He was married to Pauline and had four children. On 20 March 2008, it was reported that he had died.

Honours

Leyton Orient

References
  1. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. p. 520. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
  2. In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. p. 4.
  3. In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. pp. 20–21.
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