0 - 1 v Scarborough Athletic (H) 22/03/2025 Jack Grainger
Full Name: Jack Grainger
Normal Position: Left Back
Born: 17/07/1912 (Royston, Barnsley)
Died: 18/01/1976 (Southport)
Heritage Number: 628
Debut Match*: 18/11/1933 v Crewe Alexandra (Football League)
Last Match*: 26/10/1946 v Bradford City (Football League)
* Qualifying Games
He was widely regarded as one of the finest full-backs in the Northern Section during the 19305. Full of Yorkshire grit and tenacity he was hard to beat and was famous for going down on one knee to make spectacular sliding tackles. Originally a miner, he joined Southport on a two month trial after making only one League appearance for Bamsley. By December 1933 his strong, convincing work had established him as a regular at left-back and he went on to make over 300 League appearances for the club including war-time matches, being an ever-present in 1934-35 and 1938-39. On 30 April 1939 he was granted a benefit and received £242,vincluding donations from well-known footballers of the day such as Matt Busby. His career at Haig Avenue spanned thirteen years, during the latter part of which he was joined by his brother Dennis who was transferred to Leeds United in 1945 for a sizable fee. His career ended when he fractured an ankle playing for Bangor City. In later years he acted as a ‘gateman’ at Haig Avenue after coaching Birkdale Central and Fleetwood Hesketh. He attended the ‘mini reunion’ at Southport in April 1975 but only nine months later died of a heart attack in Southport Infirmary, aged 63.
Southport Playing Stats
First Team
| Heritage Qualifying | League Only | Cup Only | Other Only | All | ||||||||||||||||
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| 1933/1934 | 31 | (0) | 31 | 0 | 27 | (0) | 27 | 0 | 4 | (0) | 4 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 31 | (0) | 31 | 0 |
| 1934/1935 | 48 | (0) | 48 | 0 | 42 | (0) | 42 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 50 | (0) | 50 | 0 |
| 1935/1936 | 41 | (0) | 41 | 0 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 44 | (0) | 44 | 0 |
| 1936/1937 | 35 | (0) | 35 | 0 | 29 | (0) | 29 | 0 | 7 | (0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 36 | (0) | 36 | 0 |
| 1937/1938 | 47 | (0) | 47 | 0 | 38 | (0) | 38 | 0 | 16 | (0) | 16 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 54 | (0) | 54 | 0 |
| 1938/1939 | 47 | (0) | 47 | 0 | 42 | (0) | 42 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 50 | (0) | 50 | 0 |
| 1945/1946 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 12 | (0) | 12 | 0 | 12 | (0) | 12 | 0 |
| 1946/1947 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 8 | (0) | 8 | 0 | 3 | (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 11 | (0) | 11 | 0 |
| 1939/1940 | 2 | (0) | 2 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 6 | (0) | 6 | 0 | 34 | (0) | 34 | 0 | 40 | (0) | 40 | 0 |
| 1940/1941 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 22 | (0) | 22 | 0 | 22 | (0) | 22 | 0 |
| 1943/1944 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (0) | 0 | 0 | 2 | (0) | 2 | 0 | 2 | (0) | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 259 | (0) | 259 | 0 | 222 | (0) | 222 | 0 | 60 | (0) | 60 | 0 | 70 | (0) | 70 | 0 | 352 | (0) | 352 | 0 |
