James Jackson (footballer, born 1900)


James Jackson was a footballer who played for Liverpool. Between 1925 and 1933, he made 224 appearances, scoring twice.

Early life and playing career

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England to Scottish parents, Jackson played in the Scottish Football League for Queen's Park, Motherwell and Aberdeen before being signed for Liverpool by manager Matt McQueen in May 1925.
He made his debut on 14 November 1925 in a Division 1 match against W.B.A at Anfield in a 2–0 win, and scored the first of his two goals for the club in a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Spurs at White Hart Lane on 17 December 1927.
Predominantly a defender, although he appeared in every outfield position for Liverpool, Jackson became a fixture of the side in the 1928–29 and only missed a couple of games over the next two seasons, racking up 124 appearances in doing so. He became club captain for the Reds and led them with great dignity. He was involved in some physical Merseyside derby matches coming up against the lethal Everton striker Dixie Dean.
Although Jackson was never selected by England, he represented both the Scottish League and English League representative sides.

Later and personal life

After playing for Liverpool until 1933, he decided to have a complete change of career, becoming a minister in the Presbyterian church; during his spell at Anfield he was nicknamed 'The Parson' because of his religious connections. Before he was ordained as a minister, Jackson found time to attend Cambridge where he read both Philosophy and Greek.
His father Jimmy and his younger brother Archie were also footballers; Jimmy played for several football clubs in both England and Scotland, most notably for Newcastle United and Woolwich Arsenal, while Archie played for Sunderland and Tranmere Rovers. His cousin, also named Archie, was a leading Australian Test cricketer, playing in the same side as the great Don Bradman. In his time at Aberdeen there were four Jacksons in the team for a short period but none were related to James.