Jackie Bolton

Jack Bolton
Position: Forward
1954 – 1959

Once described in one of Whitby’s programmes as ‘The diminutive bundle of energy’ Jack Bolton began his football career with Smith’s Dock in the 1950/1951 season in the Teesside league. Jackie spent a season with the Middlesbrough based club before moving to Northern League side Billingham Synthonia. Whilst with the Synners, Jackie played in their Teesside league team, but did make one appearance in th Northern League. Jackie moved to Wearside League club Trimdon Grange for the 1952/1953 and then onto South Bank St. Peter’s for season 1953/1954. At the end of the season South Bank St. Peter’s made it to the final of the Ellis Cup, St. Peter’s lost to ICI Wilton in the final..

Then Jack moved to Whitby Town and on December 18th, 1954 he made his debut against South Bank at the Turnbull. Whitby ran out as 4-1 winners on the day. It didn’t take Jack long to open his goal scoring account. Against Ferryhill Athletic on March 5th, 1955 he scored his first goal for the club and to top it off it was part of a hat-trick on that day. Whitby dominated and comfortably won 7-5. Jack remembers these two matches as two of his favourite times at Whitby and adds ‘also playing at a lovely ground [The Turnbull] with decent crowds. They were happy days at Whitby’.

Jack’s career at Whitby was interrupted by his National Service. Many players in the 40s and 50s had their football careers with local side put on hold, in that they were often posted to another part of the country and were unable to get to their first choice of club. But Jack and Whitby remained loyal to one another. Initially Jack was trained for eight weeks at RAF Padgate, but was then transferred to Staffordshire. When he received leave, Jack would catch a train in Staffordshire, where he was based in RAF Stafford, at 22:10 on a Friday night and arrive in Middlesbrough at 05:30 Saturday morning. Once back in the North East he would sleep until midday, eat and then go into town to catch the team bus to the game. Whilst serving in the forces he was selected to play for the RAF Maintenance Command Team, ‘I was the only amateur picked. The team included five 1st Division players (the then top division in English football).’ He must have impressed them as he played in two further fixtures alongside them. By the end of his first Whitby season Jack had netted 4 goals in his 16 appearances. The 1955/1956 season saw jack continuing to make his long trip from Staffordshire as often as he could. Jackie played alongside many good players but names Peter Scott as his favourite player at the club. ‘He [Peter] was two footed, good in the air and very quick with a football brain John Kelly always had tremendous energy and Benny Edwards the former Bishop Auckland players was very experienced and always cool and calm. Really there were too many to mention.’ The Whitby Gazette reported that Jack had a trial at Plymouth Argyle whilst on his National Service and was offered to sign amateur forms with the club. Jack made his debut against Fulham at Craven Cottage in London for the Devonian club.

In the 1956/1957 season Jack made more of an impact at the club as after he was netting 8 goals in his 22 appearances. For the 1957/58 season Jack moved to Redcar Albion. Jack explains “Stockton had resigned from the North Eastern League and nearly all their team moved to Whitby along with their manager Stan Lacey. Players including myself, Peter Scott and John Kelly were considered not to be required by the new management team. As a result, we all moved to Redcar Albion. It subsequently turned out to be a very poor season for Whitby and Stan Lacey left the club. At the end of the season Alan Brown wrote to me and asked if I would go back and play for Whitby the following season which I was pleased to do” But it was the 1958/59 season that he shone. Jack scored 17 goals alongside Peter Scott and Barrie Geldart. Jack finished the season as the top appearance maker with 40 games under his belt. In this season Jack remembers one of his worst moments as a Whitby player. ‘When we lost to Brigg Sports (Dagenham) in the F.A. Amateur Cup. We were a top class side and were really unlucky to lose.’

On September 16th, 1959 at the Turnbull Ground Whitby entertained South Bank, the side Jack made his debut against, only this time it was his 100th game for Whitby Town, again Whitby won the game by 2-1 after 90 minutes. Just a few weeks later, Jack scored his last Whitby goal. Against his former club Billingham Synthonia in the league. On November 21st, 1959 in the FA Amateur Cup Whitby played against Durham City and won a thrilling game 3-1. Strangely the committee dropped him. ‘I left Whitby after being dropped after the FA Amateur Cup game against Durham. I got good press reports after the game and having just got back into the team I was bitterly disappointed. Redcar Albion asked me to join them in the North Eastern League which I did.’ So after 108 appearances and 36 goals Jack sadly left Whitby. He goes on to say, ‘but my happiest moments in football were at Whitby. The supporters were excellent and the ground was a pleasure to play on.’

In his first season with Redcar they stormed to the top of the league and won it. They also won the league cup at Roker Park. The score was 0-0 until he scored with a header (‘despite being only 5 foot 3 inches’ he adds). It was back to Northern League football in season 1960/61 when Stanley United offered him a place with them. This was followed with a season with South Bank and then back to Redcar Albion.

Jack still lives locally in Marton near Middlesbrough and fondly remembers his time with Whitby Town.