Jackie Bray Explained

Jackie Bray
Fullname:John Bray
Birth Date:22 April 1909
Birth Place:Oswaldtwistle, England[1]
Death Date:20 November 1982 (aged 73)
Death Place:Blackburn, England
Position:Left-half
Youthclubs1:Clayton Olympia
Years1:1928–1929
Clubs1:Manchester Central
Years2:1929–1938
Caps2:257
Goals2:10
Nationalyears1:1935–1937
Nationalteam1:England
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalteam2:The Football League XI
Nationalcaps2:5
Nationalgoals2:0
Manageryears1:1947–1948
Managerclubs1:Watford
Manageryears2:1948
Managerclubs2:Nelson

John Bray (22 April 1909 – 20 November 1982) was an English footballer who played as a left-half. He won six caps for England between 1934 and 1937. His younger brother, George, was also a professional footballer and spent his entire career with Burnley.

He played for Manchester Central before spending 1929 to 1938 with Manchester City, winning an FA Cup runner-up medal in 1933 and a winners medal in 1934, before helping the club to the First Division title in 1936–37. He guested for numerous clubs during World War II, and briefly managed Watford in the 1947–48 season. After leaving Watford, he served Nelson as player-manager from February to September 1948.

Early and personal life

John Bray was born on 22 April 1909 in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire; his father was a coal miner, and his mother worked as a cotton weaver.[2] His younger brother, George, also became a professional footballer and spent his entire career with Burnley.[3] Bray married Bertha Chadwick in a private ceremony at Huncoat Village Church, Accrington in April 1936. Bray was also an accomplished cricket player, attached to Accrington Cricket Club.[2] He ran a sports business in Nelson on Pendle Street after his footballing career ended.[2] John Bray died on 20 November 1982, at the age of 72, in Blackburn.[2]

Club career

Bray represented East Lancashire and played for Clayton Olympia before joining Manchester Central by 1928.[2] He signed with Manchester City the following year.[2] He made his debut against Manchester derby rivals Manchester United at Maine Road on 8 February 1930.[4] He helped the "Citizens" to finish third in the First Division in 1929–30. They dropped to eighth place in 1930–31 and then 14th in 1931–32. City reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1932, where they lost 1–0 to Arsenal at Villa Park. Though they could only manage a 16th-place finish in the league in 1932–33, City reached the FA Cup final, losing 3–0 to Everton at Wembley.[5] They then rose up to fifth place in 1933–34, and won the FA Cup with a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth; Bray played in the final after passing a late fitness test.[6] City finished fourth in 1934–35 and ninth in 1935–36. In 1936–37, Bray was a virtual ever-present as Manchester City took the Football League title. The Maine Road club then dropped to 21st place in 1937–38, and were relegated into the Second Division.

His career was then interrupted by World War II, during which time he served in the Royal Air Force.[2] During the war he guested for Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest, Bolton Wanderers, Crewe Alexandra, Birmingham and Port Vale.[7]

International career

Bray won his first England cap on 29 September 1934 in a 4–0 win over Wales at Ninian Park. He won further caps in games against Ireland at Windsor Park, Germany at White Hart Lane, Wales at Molineux, and Scotland at Wembley. His final appearance was on 17 April 1937, in a 3–1 defeat to Scotland in front of a crowd of 149,407 at Hampden Park. He also played five matches for The Football League XI.[2]

Management career

Bray was appointed as Bill Findlay's successor as manager of Watford on 26 February 1947, as the "Hornets" finished the 1946–47 season in 16th place in the Third Division South.[2] The Vicarage Road club won only 11 of his 40 games in charge, and Bray departed on 20 January 1948, citing "family reasons"; his replacement, Eddie Hapgood, led the club to a 15th-place finish in 1947–48.[2] Bray signed with Lancashire Combination side Nelson as player-coach on 19 February 1948.[2] He led the team to a second-place finish at the end of the 1947–48 season, but tendered his resignation on 13 September 1948.[2]

Statistics

Playing statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City1929–30First Division200020
1930–31First Division21010220
1931–32First Division20100201
1932–33First Division30070370
1933–34First Division16230192
1934–35First Division39110401
1935–36First Division38130411
1936–37First Division40240442
1937–38First Division28210292
1938–39Second Division23100231
Career total2571020027710

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamFromToRecord
Watford1 March 194731 January 1948
Nelson19 February 194813 September 1948

Honours

Manchester City

1934; runner-up: 1933[2]

1936–37[2]

England

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce, Michael. Football League Players' Records 1888–1939. October 2004 . Soccerdata. 35. 1-899468-67-6.
  2. Web site: England Players – Jackie Bray . englandfootballonline.com . 16 July 2022.
  3. Book: Simpson, Ray. The Clarets Collection 1946–1996. 1996. Burnley FC. 0-9521799-0-3. 33.
  4. Web site: Jackie Bray – MCFC Players – Manchester City, Man City History – Bluemoon-MCFC . bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk . 16 July 2022.
  5. Web site: FA Cup final 1933 . 16 July 2022 . 29 October 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071029212158/http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1933.htm . 29 October 2007 . dead.
  6. News: Volant . Manchester Evening Chronicle . 1934-04-26 . 1 . McLuckie and Bray are Sound.
  7. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 40. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.