A Halftime Report

In mid-October I wrote a piece on unsung Hull City and English footballing hero John ‘Jackie’ Smith, which can be found here. Since then, the family of the Hull City legend have been kind enough to get in touch and send us some fascinating images. With that, I am delighted to say we have AHTR exclusive featuring previously unpublished photograph’s taken whilst Jackie Smith played for the club, making them some of the oldest in the club’s history. We would like to thank Jackie’s great-grandson for getting in touch and congratulate him on his marvellous family history.

Photograph 1 – Paragon Station

Date – Unknown. Jackie Smith is fifth from the left on the front row. This picture was taken at Paragon Station as the Hull City team boarded a train heading to an away fixture.

Photograph 2 – Queens Hotel

As you can see at the foot of the photograph, this shot was taken in February 1908. Here the Hull City players are gathered outside the Queens Hotel in Withernsea, known to be a regular haunt of the team during this era. This particular photograph was taken as the players prepared for a big game against Leeds City, who dissolved in 1919 paving the way for Leeds United to be created and join the Football League.

Photograph 3 – Hull Daily Mail Cartoon

A cartoon published in the Hull Daily Mail during the 1909/10 season, Smith’s finest campaign in which he scored 32 goals and was the top scorer in Europe. The text reads:

Oh, Jack, you are a handy man, a man we all adore,

You’ve scored eleven goals to date, you’re going to score some more:

Goalkeepers, backs, and half backs, too,

Collapse when they set eyes on you.

A flash, a whizz, the ball is through;

“Excelsior.”

Photograph 4 – Hull City vs Glossop North End

Date – 1907. The only known/surviving photograph of Jackie Smith in action, the prolific forward can be seen chasing the ball in the foreground of the photograph. Taken during a 1907 Second Division game between Hull City and Glossop North End, it is unknown whether the image is from the 1906/07 tie or the 1907/08 tie.

Photograph 5 – Jackie Smith Skipping

Date – Unknown. A rather blurry photograph of Smith training with a skipping rope. It is the only individual photo of Jackie that we have.

Photograph 6 – Hull City Team Photo

A rare and very early team photo, this shot was taken ahead of the 1907/08 season, only Hull City’s third campaign as a member of the Football League. The Tigers went on to finish in eighth place that season.

Once again we would like to thank Jackie Smith’s family and his great-grandson in particular for sending us the photographs and their kind words on our article. If anyone has any additional information on Jackie, Hull City’s early years or any other interesting aspects of any other clubs pasts then do not hesitate to get in touch. For those of you who are yet to read our article on Jackie Smith, you can do so below:

Jackie Smith: From Hebburn Argyle to Europe’s Top Scorer