James Brown responds to David Marples' article about groundhopping with his own football odyssey. He greatly enjoyed David Marples' account of completing 'the 92' – watching a match at every football club in the top four English leagues (Doing the 92: how football changed during my groundhopping odyssey, 9 April). While he is not in the same league of groundhopping as David, at Wimbledon v Plymouth last weekend he completed his own football odyssey of watching all the teams his great-grandad (Jack Jobson) and great-uncle (Norman Smith) played for.
From Pitmen to Professionals
Destined to be pitmen, after being scouted playing for their respective Tyneside colliery teams in 1922, they became professionals in the old third division. Norman would make more than 400 appearances for Charlton Athletic, later playing for QPR and joining Chelsea as a coach, where he scouted Ron Greenwood. Jack began at Plymouth (joining the same squad as Jack Leslie, whose chance to become the first black England player was blocked by the FA) but quickly moved on to captain Hartlepool and Stockport, ending his career with stints at QPR and Gateshead.
Following in Their Footsteps
Following in their footsteps, Brown has travelled to some varied corners of the English football landscape, visiting the Valley, Edgeley Park, and even Wembley (to see Gateshead win the 2024 FA Trophy). Jack and Norman were by no means remarkably successful, winning little silverware, but as a historian he was always fascinated by their stories. He regrets that he was too young to ever ask them before they died the questions he has for them now.
What would Norman and Jack, who played during the maximum-wage era and continued to work in their football afterlives running a newsagent and a pub respectively, think of the excessive salaries paid to their modern-day successors? How well did his great-grandad know Jack Leslie and what was his reaction when his former teammate was prevented from representing England because of his race? Brown is gathering materials to write a book on their lives; perhaps in doing so he can get close to some answers.
