Came across this little piece about a former player, Jack Swindells. Any memories of this player from the old Peel Park faithful? It's a great story.
Jack's wage demand rejected
Jack's wage demand rejected
Jack Swindells
- Thread starter shakermaker
- Start date
how the heck did you find that?
Can't comment about his Accy days, but I had the pleasure of watching him when he played for Altrincham in the Cheshire County League between 65 and 68. He was a stirker (a centre forward, they were then) and the most prolific goalscorer you'd ever see - 28 in 65 games for the Stanley, but 195 in 229 games for Altrincham (this was the time when they used to giant-kill in the FA Cup on a regular basis) including 6 hat-tricks, 5 in a game twice, and 7 on one occasion in an 8-1 win.
In those days an average home win was soemthing like 5-1; they won the League in 65/6 (P 42 W 33 GF 132 Pts 73 - this was 2 for a win) and again in 66/7 (P 42 W 31 GF 123 Pts 67); the next year they came 2nd (won 28 of 42, scored 108 but 'only' got 63 points - 1.5 per game!).
When the opposition had a corner, or were pressing hard, Jackie would stand just inside his own half, usually with the centre half down his neck; the invariable tactic was to hammer the ball at Jackie as hard as possible, and he'd flick it either way with either foot round the defender and he'd go the other way; he was like an electric eel - I don't remember any defender keeping up with him. In his first full season (65/6) he scored 82 goals in 63 games (yes, that does say 82). I've never forgotten him - he was the sharpest goalscorer I think I ever saw in the flesh. Sad to hear that he passed away on 23rd June; he was a legend at Altrincham, and the stats tell you why .............
In those days an average home win was soemthing like 5-1; they won the League in 65/6 (P 42 W 33 GF 132 Pts 73 - this was 2 for a win) and again in 66/7 (P 42 W 31 GF 123 Pts 67); the next year they came 2nd (won 28 of 42, scored 108 but 'only' got 63 points - 1.5 per game!).
When the opposition had a corner, or were pressing hard, Jackie would stand just inside his own half, usually with the centre half down his neck; the invariable tactic was to hammer the ball at Jackie as hard as possible, and he'd flick it either way with either foot round the defender and he'd go the other way; he was like an electric eel - I don't remember any defender keeping up with him. In his first full season (65/6) he scored 82 goals in 63 games (yes, that does say 82). I've never forgotten him - he was the sharpest goalscorer I think I ever saw in the flesh. Sad to hear that he passed away on 23rd June; he was a legend at Altrincham, and the stats tell you why .............
Great stuff Div3North.
Somehow I can't imagine in decades to come someone describing Lee McEvilly so romantically
Thanks.
Somehow I can't imagine in decades to come someone describing Lee McEvilly so romantically
Thanks.
A fine player, and a very unassuming man. I think I'm correct in saying that he merited a short obituary in The Times when he died.
thanks fer that link MikeA, never knew his name was John? always Jackie to us.
so assumed Jack.