Newcastle-Online comment: 16th June 2004
Born a star, lived a hero, died a legend
Newcastle
over the years have discovered some truly amazing footballers such
as Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle and many more Geordie
heroes that have went on to make a great name in the game but with
one Newcastle great it was the other way round. For it was the great
Jackie Milburn, perhaps the greatest name in United's history, that
actually discovered the Toon as he liked to call the famous Magpies.
In 1943 with the World still at War finances were tight amongst Britain's
football clubs who had lost a lot of it's footballers to combat and
service. Most clubs had to resort to good old fashioned scouting as
the British game went back to basics in an attempt to rebuild the
game back to the standards that had been cruelly interrupted by Hitler
3 games into the 1939-40 season and it was Newcastle United, calling
on a huge catchment area that lead the way by placing adverts in local
papers asking the North East's young talent to request Trials at St.
James' Park.
Most clubs throughout England were envious of United's huge catchment
area and the passion for the game that emanated from the North East.
Every lad wanted to be a professional footballer, every household
contained a baal so Geordie fatha and his laddie could have a kick
aboot and one household in Ashington was no different.
Reading the local paper a tall, lithe, handsome 19 year old local
lad born John Edward Thompson Milburn came across United's ad and
was immediately excited by the prospect of going to St. James' Park
to train alongside his heroes. Jackie was a big Toon supporter and
his hero was the great Albert Stubbins, the number 9 centre-forward.
Filled with excitement the Ashington Pit Engineer asked a friend,
who was good at writing, to fill out the form and off he did, sending
in two for the both of them.
The club, eager to assess the local talent responded and asked Jackie
to come along to St. James' Park for a midweek trial. Jackie arrived
at the home of his boyhood heroes and after scoring a brace in the
first round of trials the shy and nervous teenager was asked to come
back for the Final public trial the following Saturday - which he
did.
Full of nerves and wanting to make an impression Jackie turned up
a good few hours before the 2.00pm K.O. With his boots packed away
in a brown paper parcel and a couple of pies made by his mother for
his lunch he sat on the steps of St. James' Park letting his thoughts
wander to what might happen as the minutes ticked away to the moment
where his dreams of playing for Newcastle United could come true or
forever stay locked away in fantasy land.
With many of United's big name players away fighting the War the Magpies
could still field a pretty strong team with the likes of Stubbins,
Scottish International Jimmy Gordon and Duggie Wright who was on leave
from the Army.
Jackie would have to face these seasoned professionals, all top-class
players as the trialists were pitted against the first-team in a game
billed as the The Stripes Vs The Blues...with the first-team wearing
the Blue. United officials had decided to allow the trialists to wear
the famous Black & White kit in the hope that wearing the shirt would
make them more determined to win a professional contract.
It was the first time Jackie had worn the Black & White shirt and
his eagerness to impress and nerves showed in his and the trialists
first half showing as the Blue team lead 3-0 at half time with Jackie's
big hero Albert Stubbins grabbing a brace.
Joe Richardson a member of the coaching staff and coach of the trialists
pulled no punches with Jackie; "You'd better buck your ideas up son,
if you want to come here.", he told the pacey forward. Jackie nodded
and listened, he had half a game to convince the coaches that he was
up to it and boy did he prove it.
Milburn with his close control, electric pace and powerful shooting
upstaged Stubbins by knocking in a double hat-trick against the first-team
as the trialists plundered in 9 goals in total to beat the Blue side.
The coaches stood in awe and realised they had found a gem in the
making, yet it was Jackie who found United.
Two days later on the Monday Jackie was summoned back to St. James'
Park to have a chat with the boss Stan Seymour. Milburn brung his
dad, Alec, along for support and all kinds of thoughts were racing
through his head as the idea of rejection played on his mind. Seymour
invited Jackie and his dad into his office and poured Alec a drink
as the pair talked about Jackie who was sat a few feet away behind
Seymour's desk twiddling his thumbs and gazing at the floor like a
naughty school kid on detention. After a few drinks Seymour stood
up and walked over to Jackie where he handed the wide eyed youngster
two crisp five pound notes.
Jackie didn't need to ask what they were for, it was his signing on
fee, Jackie was being asked to sign for his beloved Newcastle United.
He signed the contract in the manner in which he ran at defences -
as quick as a flash. He had made it, his dreams had become reality.
Wor Jackie was born and the rest as they say is history.
The man with the initials J.E.T in his name went on to play 494 games
for Newcastle in all competitions and scoring a total of 239 goals,
200 of them coming in professional football and won 3 FA Cup medals
having scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Blackpool at Wembley
in 1951 and the opening goal in the 3-1 win over Manchester city in
the 55 Final. Jackie Milburn also played 13 times for England scoring
10 goals.
Wor Jackie, a Toon great. |
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