Jackson's family emigrated from Scotland to Australia where he was raised and where he began his senior football career while still in his early teens. Australian football was still forming and Jackson played for teams from mining areas such as South New Lambton, before being recorded as playing for both Hamilton and Adamstown Rosebud. He returned to Scotland in 1893, appearing in Junior football and briefly for Rangers before moving to England to join Newcastle United. Two years later he signed for Woolwich Arsenal where he spent six seasons, captaining the club in its inaugural season in the Football League First Division. After a short spell as player-manager of Leyton and five months with West Ham United of the Southern League, he rejoined Rangers for two seasons. He ended his career with spells at four more Scottish League clubs: Port Glasgow Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Morton and Abercorn.
Life and career
Jackson was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was two.[2] The young Jackson grew up in New South Wales and played football as a youth. He is believed to be the youngest player to have appeared in senior football in that country, having played for Hamilton Athletic in 1889 at the age of 13 years 7 months.[3] He remained with Hamilton for the 1890 season,[4] then in 1891 he moved on to Adamstown Rosebud.[5][6]
In 1899 he joined Woolwich Arsenal, attracted by the club's willingness to help him open a sports shop.[11][12] He made his debut against Leicester Fosse on 2 September 1899, and for the next six seasons he was a regular at the club, playing either at left back or wing half. He was a virtual ever-present in the Gunners' 1903–04 promotion-winning season, and captained the club in its inaugural First Division campaign. In all he played 204 League and FA Cup matches for Arsenal, scoring one goal.[12][13] He came closest to international recognition while with Arsenal, playing in the March 1905 edition of the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots annual trial match.[9][14]
He played in 30 League matches over two seasons at Rangers,[b] before signing for another First Division club, Port Glasgow Athletic, at the start of the 1908–09 season.[20] In January 1910, Jackson refused to play in a Scottish Cup tie because he was claimed he was owed considerable arrears of wages, of some £21; the club duly fined him £20 and suspended him to the end of the season. The Scottish Football Association ruled in Jackson's favour as to wages due up until his refusal to play, but confirmed the club fine.[21] He joined Hamilton Academical for what remained of the season.[9][22]
In May 1910, he signed for Greenock Morton,[23] for whom he played in 22 of their 34 First Division matches. Early in the following season, he signed for Division Two club Abercorn, and remained with the Paisley club until 1914–15.[9][24]
^The Fitbastats website mistakenly attributes to Jackson two Scottish League appearances at outside left for Rangers after he left the club.[17] On the dates of the matches concerned, the same site correctly shows Jackson playing for Port Glasgow Athletic.[18] Those matches were played by another James Jackson, an outside left who signed for Rangers on amateur forms from Dundee in May 1908.[19]
^ abcdeHarris, Jeff (1995). Hogg, Tony (ed.). Arsenal Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports. p. 30. ISBN978-1-899429-03-5.
^"Partick Thistle v. Rangers". Edinburgh Evening News. 12 May 1896. p. 5. The Rangers played another recruit at centre half—Jackson, of Newton Thistle.
^ abcdJohn Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^"Football". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 4 May 1897. p. 3. James Jackson, at present playing half-back for Glasgow Rangers, was signed on yesterday for Newcastle United, while on Saturday R. Allan, Dundee, late Preston North End, attached his signature for the United for next season.
^"Dundee footballer for Ibrox". The Courier. Dundee. 22 May 1908. p. 6. James Jackson, the Dundee left winger, who played several occasions for the League team, has consented to play as an amateur for Rangers next season.
^"Port-Glasgow captures". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 21 August 1908. p. 5. Port-Glasgow are bent on getting up a good side and doing better than against Rangers in subsequent matches, and have secured the transfer of James Jackson, the Rangers' stalwart back. He is equally at home at right or left back or centre-half.
^"Scottish Football Association. Committee minutes". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 23 February 1910. p. 12.
^"Scotland's chances". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 25 February 1910. p. 5. Hamilton Academicals have secured the transfer of Jackson, the Port-Glasgow Athletic back, and Spiers, the outside right forward of the club, is likely to follow suit.
^"Dundee obtain three names". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 4 May 1910. p. 5. Greenock Morton have signed James Jackson, the right back of Hamilton who was engaged by the Lanarkshire club from Port-Glasgow during last season. Jackson was at one time with the Rangers, and had considerable experience in England.
^"Fixing up football teams". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 13 May 1914. p. 5. James Jackson, one of the oldest players in League football, has once again signed for Abercorn, with which club he has already served three seasons.
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