Oakes Jack Image 1 Southend United 1931

Description

Winsford, Cheshire born centre half Jack Oakes began his football career with Chilton Colliery Recreation Athletic in 1926 and played for Cargo Fleet & Cochrane Works in 1927 before joining Second Division Nottingham Forest in May 1928, making his Football League debut in a 2-2 draw at Millwall in September 1929. He played only once more for Forest in a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur the following month, before a move to non league Newark Town in 1930, playing for Crook Town later the same year. He returned to Football League action joining Southend United in May 1931, but only managed 2 appearances for The Shrimpers during 1931-32, before returning to non league football, re-joining Crook Town in 1932.

Later the same year he played for Spennymoor United before joining Workington in 1933, and played for Middlesbrough Police later in 1933, before he returned to Football League action, signing for Aldershot in May 1934. Already 29, he had two seasons as a first team regular for The Shots, and in 1934-35 he played as a centre forward, scoring 16 goals during the campaign including all 3 goals in a 3-0 win over Swindon Town in January 1935, finishing as The Shots’ top goalscorer. He returned to the centre half position the following season before being signed by Second Division Charlton Athletic in March 1936 after 19 goals in 66 appearances for Aldershot.

He scored once in 8 appearances for The Addicks as they sealed promotion to the First Division as Second Division runners up, and became a regular performer as they then took the First Division (somewhat) by storm, finishing as runners up in the League Championship in 1936-37, and then fourth and third in 1937-38 and 1938-39. Despite being in his mid 30’s by the time the Second World War forced the abandonment of peacetime football in September 1939, he returned to play for Charlton in the 1946 FA Cup and ended up playing for them in the first post war FA Cup Final at Wembley, where they were beaten by Derby County after extra time by 4 goals to 1. Despite being well over 40, he was younger than Newcastle United’s Billy Hampson in 1924, who is the oldest ever player in a Cup Final.

He then managed 8 further first team appearances in 1946-47, aged 41, before joining Plymouth Argyle in July 1947 after 3 goals in 147 appearances for Charlton Athletic either side of the War, before making 37 appearances for The Pilgrims in 1947-48. He finally played for non league Snowdown Colliery Welfare in 1948 before his eventual retirement.