Alex Jackson

Club

Jackson was born and raised in Renton. A highly talented outside right, known as the Gay Cavalier, he was particularly adept at dribbling and free kicks. He initially played for Renton Victoria but was transferred to Dumbarton in 1922 for the pre-inflation price of a football. In 1923, he left Scotland to play in the American Soccer League with Bethlehem Steel alongside his elder brother Wattie, before both returned to Scotland to play for Aberdeen. After an impressive debut season for the Dons he joined Huddersfield Town, then the reigning League Champions, for a record £5000. Jackson helped Huddersfield retain their league title in 1925–26 and the runners-up spot in the following two years. He also led them to two FA Cup Finals: he scored in the 1928 final against Blackburn Rovers, but Huddersfield lost 3–1. In 1930 he was again on the losing side, this time against Arsenal. Jackson signed for David Calderhead's big-spending Chelsea in September 1930 for £8,500, joining international teammates Hughie Gallacher, Tommy Law and Alec Cheyne. His time at Chelsea was hampered by injuries, though he linked up well with the prolific Gallacher and scored 31 goals from 78 games for the club. Jackson's first-class career ended prematurely during the 1932–33 season. Having already fallen foul of the Chelsea hierarchy for activities relating to the public house he operated, he and several other star players at the club were approached by the French side Nîmes with a…

International

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.

Jackson was the landlord of a public house in London's Covent Garden while playing with Chelsea, and also had a weekly newspaper column. After retiring from international football he owned greyhounds at Wandsworth Stadium. He was enthusiastic about the stadium after it was built in 1933 and his first greyhound was called Jovial Honey. He also urged the management to consider the possibility of using the stadium as a football field inside the greyhound track. He was killed in a traffic collision whilst serving with the army, as a major in the Pioneer Corps in Egypt in 1946 aged 40. He is buried at the Fayid War Cemetery.

Huddersfield Town

FA Cup runner-up: 1927–28, 1929–30