*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Jack Yeomanson
Appearances: 193 Goals: 4
Date / Year of birth: 3rd March 1920
Position: Right-back / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1939/40
Season of last appearance: 1955/56
Also played for: Aldershot (0), Norwich City (0), Leeds United (0) and West Ham United (111,1)
Margate-born player who started his career at Hartsdown Park just before World War II and made his debut aged 19 in a 4-1 home win over Erith & Belvedere on 26.8.39. Jack made over 20 appearances in midfield and attack for Margate during 1939/40 and top scored with 12 goals. He then played for Aldershot, Norwich and Leeds during the conflict.
Leeds offered Jack professional terms after the war but he turned them down. He'd made 20 appearances for the club in the Football League (Northern Section) between 1943 and 1945, although those games were not counted as 'official' Football League appearances. Jack scored once during that time, in a 3-3 draw with Bradford Park Avenue at Elland Road on 2.9.44.
In September 1946 he rejoined Margate and turned in a string of impressive performances at the start of the 1946/47 campaign. Jack scored from 40 yards in a 6-2 win over Sittingbourne at Hartsdown on 5.10.46 and later in the month West Ham came in for him.
Initially Jack signed amateur forms for the Hammers and carried on playing for Margate whilst turning out occasionally for West Ham's reserves. In November 1946 he played for Kent in a game against Essex at Sittingbourne.
Jack had made a total of 12 appearances for Margate during 1946/47 when he was signed as a professional by West Ham in February 1947. The London club paid Margate £100 for his services, even though they were not obliged to do so.
Jack went on to spend four years at Upton Park and made 111 senior appearances for the Hammers between 1947/48 and 1950/51 before rejoining Margate in August 1951. The way in which he was approached was somewhat unusual - Margate manager Almer Hall went to a Margate building site where Jack was working, put some cement in a hod and then climbed a ladder to talk to him.
Jack was a virtual ever-present during the 1951/52 season and made 37 appearances. He formed a formidable full-back partnership with Terry Joyce.
He began the 1952/53 campaign as first-choice right-back too but suffered a cartilage injury in an FA Cup tie against Gravesend in September and didn't play for the first team again until March. However Jack still managed a total of 18 appearances.
During the 1953/54 season he was virtually ever-present and made a total of 40 appearances to go past 100 for the club. Jack also scored his first goal for the club in over seven years - a free-kick in a 4-0 win at Tunbridge Wells on 27.2.54. He spent most of the campaign as club captain but stepped down in March as he felt he couldn't do the job properly from his full-back position, Vic Pilcher then took on the role. On 6.5.54 Jack was part of the side that beat Canterbury 5-0 at Hartsdown Park to win the Kent League Cup.
He continued to be a fixture in the first team during 1954/55 and made 45 appearances. Jack also scored twice, both from direct free-kicks. They were something he'd been having 'special' training for during the campaign.
The 1955/56 season saw Jack maintain his position as first-choice right-back once again and he added a further 40 appearances to his career tally but didn't manage a goal during the campaign. On 19.11.55 he was in the Margate side that drew 2-2 with Walsall at Hartsdown Park in the FA Cup 1st Round and Jack also played in the replay at Walsall on 24.11.55 that the home side won 6-1.
However the following season was a bad one for Jack, who was now firmly in the 'veteran' category. He struggled with injuries throughout the 1956/57 campaign and didn't make a single first team appearance. In fact he only managed a handful of reserve team games and they were very sporadic.
During the summer of 1957 Jack decided to retire.
His real first name was John and his son Mark played for Margate's Reserve side during the 1973/74 season.
Jack died in September 1997 aged 77.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1946/47 (MFC) |
12 (38) |
N/A |
1 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 16) |
PR |
2R |
N/A |
SF |
|
Margate
won Kent League title. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1951/52 (MFC) |
38 (38) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (4TH OF 17) |
1QR |
2R |
1R |
N/A |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1952/53 (MFC) |
18 (43) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (11TH OF 17) |
PR |
2R |
RU |
JW |
|
Played in Kent
League Cup Final (06.05.53 - lost 2-0 to Tunbridge Wells). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1953/54 (MFC) |
40 (40) |
N/A |
1 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 16) |
2QR |
1R |
W |
1R |
|
Played in Kent
League Cup Final (01.05.54 - drew 3-3 with Canterbury
City). Played in Kent League Cup Final replay (06.05.54 - beat Canterbury City 5-0). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1954/55 (MFC) |
45 (46) |
N/A |
2 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (5TH OF 17) |
2QR |
2R |
RU |
RU |
|
Played in Kent
League Cup Final (30.04.55 - lost 3-2 to Tunbridge
Wells). Played in Kent Senior Shield Final (14.05.55 - lost 2-1 to Tunbridge Wells). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1955/56 (MFC) |
40 (45) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 17) |
1R |
1R |
RU |
1R |
|
Played in FA Cup
1st Round (19.11.55 - drew 2-2 with Walsall at
home). Played in FA Cup 1st Round replay (24.11.55 - lost 6-1 at Walsall). | |||||||||