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Page Last Updated
17 March 2024
 
 
Jack Hunter Heeley FC, Providence FC, Wednesday Club,
Sheffield Albion FC


7 appearances, 0 goals

P 7 W 1 D 0 L 6 F 14: A 31
13% successful

1878-82

captain: one
minutes played:
630
Jack Hunter

Timeline

Pic courtesy of SFA museum John Hunter
  According to the 1851 census, Philip and Sarah (née Stokes) are at home with two daughters, Sarah Ann and Fanny, in Crookes, Sheffield. Philip is a table knife cutler journeyman.
Birth Wednesday, 13 August 1851 in Crookes, Nether Hallam, West Riding of Yorkshire
  registered in Ecclesall Bierlow July-September 1851
  According to the 1861 census, John is the third of six children (although Sarah Ann is not on this census return). His father is still a table knife cutter and they live at 46 Pearl Street in Highfield area of Sheffield.
  According to the 1871 census, another sibling and John is the eldest of the five children still at home with their parents at 55 Well Road in Heeley. Both John and his father are table knife cutlers.
Marriage to Mary Jane Tyas, on 21 July 1872, at Sheffield Parish Church
  registered in Sheffield July-September 1872
Children Jack and Mary Hunter had four children together. James W. (b.1874), John T. (b.1876), Charles P. (b.1878) and Mary/Polly J. (b.1880).
  According to the 1881 census, John is now married to Mary J., with four children, James W., John T., Charles P. and Polly J. They live at the back of Well Road in Heeley. John remains a table knife cutler.
  According to the 1891 census John is still married, still with four children, and is now a licensed victualler, at The Masons Arms, 90 Town Hall Street in Blackburn.
  According to the 1901 census, John is now a professional football trainer, still married and has one daughter living with him at 12 Lower Hollin Bank Street in Blackburn.  He also has two Blackburn footballers boarding with then, James Moir and Willie Bryant.
  "There are hosts of football players and followers of the game throughout the country who will hear with regret that Jack Hunter, the groundsman of the Blackburn Rovers, has taken ill?." - Nottingham Evening Post/Athletic News, Monday, 26 January 1903.
Death Thursday night, 9 April 1903, in Blackburn, Lancashire
aged 51 years 239 days registered in Blackburn April-June 1903

Obituary

"DEATH OF JACK HUNTER.―A Famous Sheffield International.
"News came through last evening from our Blackburn correspondent, stating that 'Jack' Hunter had passed away in his fifty-second year. He has been ill for some months from consumption, and as recently been stated in our columns, there has been little prospect of his recovery for some time past. Very much sympathy will be aroused by the news now published, and much will be tendered to his mother who is still resident in Sheffield living in Well Road, Heeley."

- The Sheffield Daily/Evening Telegraph
, Saturday, 11 April 1903.

"DEATH OF FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLER.
"Among the sporting section of the public deep regret will be felt at the news that there passed away on Thursday night, 'Jack' Hunter, a celebrated Rover. He joined the Olympic during 1882, from Sheffield, another player from that town―George Wilson―coming at the same time. Previously Hunter had had trouble with the Sheffield Association in connection with some matches played by an organisation known as the Sheffield Zulus, through which it was said he transferred hi services to Blackburn. He was a grand half-back, and was vice-captain of the Olympic team which first brought the English Cup to the provinces, in 1882-83, when they defeated the Etonians 2―1, after an extra half hour. He assisted his country in nearly half a score Internationals. His football career began in Sheffield, and he was for two seasons captain of the Association team, in connection with which he played over 40 matches. He was a good shot at goal, had few equals in kicking from the corner flag, and fed his forwards remarkably well. The Rovers' players at Bury yesterday afternoon all wore stripes of crape out of respect for their old comrade."
 - Lancashire Evening Post, Saturday, 11 April 1903.
Funeral
Wednesday, 15 April 1903
Blackburn cemetery
"THE LAST OF JACK HUNTER
"The ex-Blackburn Rovers' groundsman, Jack Hunter has been laid to his last resting-place at the Blackburn Cemetery. The bearers were four players of world-wide fame, men who have appeared in Internationals and English Cup finals. They were Billy Mosforth, of Sheffield; Fergie Suter, of pre-League Rover days, and who is now at Darwen; Jack Barton, whose career was cut short when he was in brilliant form; and Geordie Anderson, who is still playing at Blackpool. From Mosforth to Anderson you have almost the connecting links of Association football as it is now known, for Mosforth first played for England in 1877, and was in three teams against Scotland along with Hunter." - The Athletic News, Monday, 20 April 1903.
  His mother died on 29 June 1904 and his father died in early 1910
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], Alan Alcott, Andy Barker &
Playing Career
Club(s) With Heeley FC from 1870, assisting other Sheffield teams from time to time including Providence FC, and Sheffield Albion FC, playing with the Clegg brothers. After which he joined the Wednesday club. Before 1880, Hunter had spent a few months playing with Glasgow side, Third Lanark Volunteers. He turned down Blackburn Rovers FC to join rivals Blackburn Olympic FC in 1882 as a player-coach and then he did finally join Blackburn Rovers FC in 1887 for a short spell, remaining as assistant trainer and groundsman. Was found to be helping New Brighton Tower FC in September 1897.
Club honours FA Cup winner 1882-83 as player-coach and captain;
Individual honours Sheffield FA (captain) and The Zulus (a touring side raising money for Zulu families ravaged by the war)
Height/Weight not known
Source Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].
England Career
Player number One of seven who became the fiftieth players (51) to appear for England.
Position(s) Half-back; right-back
First match No. 7, 2 March 1878, Scotland 7 England 2, a friendly match at Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow, aged 26 years 201 days.
Last match No. 16, 13 March 1882, Wales 5 England 3, a friendly match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 30 years 212 day.
Individual honours The Improbables (one appearance, 1877);
The North
(three appearances, March 1880, February 1881 ͨ & January 1882 ͨ  (plus postponed appearance in January 1879))

most appearanced Englishman at Heeley FC, as well as at Sheffield Albion.
Beyond England
Hunter was a licensee in Blackburn.  Although in Sheffield, he was first employed as a butcher and later as a silver cutler. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.142.


The Numbers
parties Appearances minutes captain
6 6 630 0 one
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
7 1 0 6 14 31 -17 1 0 2.00 4.429 14.3 -5
All of his matches were friendly matches

Match Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 2 0 0 2 1 7 -6 1 0 0.50 3.50 0.00 -2
Away 5 1 0 4 13 24 -11 0 0 2.60 4.80 20.0 -3

Captain Record

 Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 1 0 0.00 1.00 0.00 -1
1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 1 0 0 1 0 -1

Match History
 
 Clubs: Heeley F.C., Providence F.C., Wednesday F.C. & Sheffield Albion F.C. - seven full appearances (630 min)  
  F.A. Committee - seven full appearances (630 min)x

Age 26 trial  
one appearance - The Improbables vs. The Probables, 20 February 1878

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

1 7 2 March 1878 - Scotland 7 England 2
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Fr AL   hb
    

one of seven who became the fiftieth (51) players to appear for England
the first player from Heeley FC to represent England
the only player from Providence FC to represent England
the fourth player from the Wednesday club to represent England
one of two (one) to become the first player from Sheffield Albion FC to represent England

Age 27 trial  
postponed - The North vs. The South, January 1879

Age 28    
one appearance - The South vs. The North, 6 March 1880

2 10 13 March 1880 - Scotland 5 England 4
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Fr AL   hb
3 11 15 March 1880 - Wales 2 England 3
The Racecourse, Wrexham
Fr AW   hb

Age 29 trial  
one appearance - The Northc vs. The South, 19 February 1881

4 12 26 February 1881 - England 0 Wales 1
East Lancashire Cricket Club, Blackburn
Fr HL   ͨ hb

the tenth player to captain England

5 13 12 March 1881 - England 1 Scotland 6
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington
Fr HL   hb
    

Age 30 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The Northc, January 1882

6 15 11 March 1882 - Scotland 5 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Fr
AL   hb
7 16 13 March 1882 - Wales 5 England 3
The Racecourse, Wrexham
AL   rb
    

one of two players who became the second player to make seven England appearances
the first player to captain England in three matches

  

 
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