Johnny / Jack Ball
Normal Position: Centre Forward
Height: 5' 9 1/4
Weight: 11st 8lbs
Born: 13/09/1907 (Banks, Southport)
Died: 02/02/1976 (Luton)
One of the truly great characters Southport produced, Ball's career did not develop until after he left Haig Avenue. Yet as a teenager he scored a hat-trick v. Wigan Borough and he proved his adaptability in his last match for the club by playing at full-back, having also appeared in goal in a Mid-week League match. It was when he went to Chorley where he scored goals galore (including 58 in one season) and collected two Lancashire Combination Championship medals that he was spotted by Louis Rocca for Manchester United. He was a marvellous header of the ball and a hard man — once returning to head a goal with 5 stitches in a cut over his eye! He scored twice at Hillsborough and impressed Wednesday. When he joined them he scored in 12 of his first 14 games including 4 v. Wolves; altogether he scored 90 goals in 132 League games for the Owls, including 33 goals in 1932-33. His run of 1 i successful spot-kicks that season was only eclipsed some 3o years later by Franny Lee. He was badly kicked about playing in France which virtually ended his career. He worked at Vauxhall (Luton) for many years and later divided his time between working at a manufacturing chemists and working privately as a masseur. He was found dead at home one lunchtime by his wife. (N.B. After leaving Southport he was always known as Jack Ball.)Player Profile reproduced with Permission from:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9
If you can provide any further information please contact me
Player Match Stats
Cambrian Cup, Conference League Cup, English Jubilee Fund, FA Cup , FA Trophy , Football League Cup, Lancashire Floodlit Trophy, Lancashire Junior Cup, Lancashire League Medal Competition, Lancashire Senior Cup, League, Liverpool Challenge Cup, Liverpool Senior Cup, Northern Premier League Cup, Northern Premier League Shield, PLAY OFFS , President's Cup, President's Inter League, Third Division (North) Cup, Welsh Cup,
| Season | Apps | Subs | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925/1926 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| 1926/1927 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 25 | 0 | 7 |
Appearances & Goals
Games where player was named on the team sheet
| Date | Competition | Venue | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/05/1927 | League | H | DURHAM CITY | 4 - 5 |
| 25/04/1927 | League | A | WALSALL | 1 - 1 |
| 12/02/1927 | League | H | ROCHDALE | 1 - 1 |
| 05/02/1927 | League | A | TRANMERE ROVERS | 0 - 3 |
| 06/11/1926 | League | H | STOKE CITY | 0 - 3 |
| 30/10/1926 | League | A | DONCASTER ROVERS | 1 - 3 |
| 23/10/1926 | League | H | WREXHAM | 6 - 0 |
| 02/10/1926 | League | H | WIGAN BOROUGH | 2 - 2 |
| 25/09/1926 | League | A | ROCHDALE | 0 - 1 |
| 01/05/1926 | League | A | ACCRINGTON STANLEY | 3 - 4 |
| 24/04/1926 | League | H | HALIFAX TOWN | 3 - 1 |
| 21/04/1926 | League | A | CREWE ALEXANDRA | 1 - 0 |
| 17/04/1926 | League | A | TRANMERE ROVERS | 0 - 1 |
| 10/04/1926 | League | H | ROCHDALE | 1 - 7 |
| 06/04/1926 | League | A | BRADFORD PA | 1 - 6 |
| 03/04/1926 | League | A | HARTLEPOOL | 0 - 5 |
| 02/04/1926 | League | H | BRADFORD PA | 2 - 1 |
| 27/03/1926 | League | H | DURHAM CITY | 6 - 1 |
| 20/03/1926 | League | A | CHESTERFIELD | 0 - 3 |
| 13/02/1926 | League | A | WIGAN BOROUGH | 1 - 3 |
| 07/11/1925 | League | H | CHESTERFIELD | 1 - 3 |
| 10/10/1925 | League | A | NEW BRIGHTON | 0 - 1 |
| 03/10/1925 | League | H | WIGAN BOROUGH | 3 - 1 |
| 26/09/1925 | League | A | ASHINGTON | 1 - 1 |
| 29/08/1925 | League | A | WREXHAM | 2 - 3 |
Games where player has scored
| Date | Competition | Venue | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/04/1926 | League | H | ROCHDALE | 1 - 7 |
| 02/04/1926 | League | H | BRADFORD PA | 2 - 1 |
| 27/03/1926 | League | H | DURHAM CITY | 6 - 1 |
| 03/10/1925 | League | H | WIGAN BOROUGH | 3 - 1 |
