Jerry Mackie
Encyclopedia
James "Jerry" Mackie was a Scottish footballer who played at inside forward
for south coast rivals, Portsmouth
and then Southampton
in the 1920s and 1930s.
and, after playing in Scotland with Motherwell F.C.
and junior
club Blantyre Celtic
, moved to the south coast of England to join Portsmouth
in May 1920.
for the 1920–21 season and Mackie was one of new manager, John McCartney
's first signings. McCartney had boldly predicted that promotion to the Second Division
would be secured in three years. Mackie soon became a regular in Portsmouth's team, taking over the inside-right position from Frank Stringfellow.
In the 1922–23 season, Mackie was a virtual ever-present missing only three games and his ten league goals made him Portsmouth's top-scorer
for the season, as the club finished seventh in the table. For the next season, Mackie was part of a settled forward line containing Willie Haines
up front with Mackie and Angus Meikle on the right and David Watson and William Beedie on the left. Portsmouth finished the season as champions of the Football League Third Division South
with a four point advantage over Plymouth Argyle
.
In Portsmouth's first season in the Second Division
, Haines shared the goal-scoring with Willie Haines with both players scoring 17 goals as Pompey finished in a creditable fourth place in the table. Mackie continued to score regularly in the next two seasons with 19 goals in 1925–26 when Portsmouth finished in mid-table, and 12 in 1926–27 as Pompey gained promotion to the First Division
as runners-up, squeezing out Manchester City
on goal average, by a margin of just 0.006. Mackie's goal tally included a pair scored in a 9–1 victory over Notts County
on 9 April 1927 — this remains Portsmouth's record margin of victory.
For Portsmouth's first season in the top flight, Haines was out of favour with new manager Jack Tinn
who was building a team for the future, with Welsh
international Fred Cook taking over the position of inside-right. In March 1928, Mackie moved up the Solent
to join local rivals Southampton
for a fee of £1000. In his eight seasons at Fratton Park
, Mackie scored 82 goals from 263 appearances in all competitions.
who had just moved to join Manchester United
. Mackie made his debut for the "Saints" in a 2–1 defeat at South Shields
on 17 March 1928, with his home debut coming a week later, when he scored a hat-trick
in a 6–1 victory over Barnsley
. By the end of the season, he had scored six goals from seven appearances, before he was injured bringing his season to a premature end.
For the 1928–29 season, Mackie was re-united with his former strike partner, Willie Haines
and the pair scored 26 goals between as the Saints finished fourth in the Second Division table. Mackie continued to create chances for Haines and his fellow forward, Dick Rowley
, but injury kept him out of the team for long periods in the first half of next season and it was not until March 1930 that he had a sustained run of games. Mackie had been sent off in the opening match of the season, a 3–1 defeat away to Barnsley
and he was the first Saints player to be dismissed since Jimmy Moore in December 1920.
A similar pattern followed in 1930–31, only appearing in the opening game (a 5–0 defeat at Preston
), until, after several players had been tried at inside-right, including Laurie Cumming
and Bill Fraser
, he was recalled to the side in January 1931. On 14 March 1931, he scored his 100th league goal against Bristol City
at The Dell.
At the end of the season he retired after making 84 appearances for the Saints, scoring 24 goals.
, remaining a publican for 24 years. He later settled in Bognor Regis
, where he died in 1959, a few days after his 65th birthday.
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
for south coast rivals, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and then Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the 1920s and 1930s.
Football career
Mackie was born in MotherwellMotherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...
and, after playing in Scotland with Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
and junior
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
club Blantyre Celtic
Blantyre Celtic F.C.
Blantyre Celtic F.C. were a Scottish football club that played under the auspices of the Scottish Junior Football Association. Formed in 1914 as Blantyre United, they changed their name to Blantyre Celtic two years later. Their home ground was near Springwell in Blantyre and they had as local...
, moved to the south coast of England to join Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in May 1920.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth became one of the founder members of the Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
for the 1920–21 season and Mackie was one of new manager, John McCartney
John McCartney (footballer born 1866)
William John McCartney, known as John McCartney was a Scottish footballer and football manager whose career lasted from 1884 to 1929.-Playing career:...
's first signings. McCartney had boldly predicted that promotion to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
would be secured in three years. Mackie soon became a regular in Portsmouth's team, taking over the inside-right position from Frank Stringfellow.
In the 1922–23 season, Mackie was a virtual ever-present missing only three games and his ten league goals made him Portsmouth's top-scorer
Portsmouth F.C. seasons
This is a list of seasons played by Portsmouth Football Club in English and European football, from 1899 to the most recent completed season. Football was played in Portsmouth from the 1850s and was popular for sailors and dockers to play in the city...
for the season, as the club finished seventh in the table. For the next season, Mackie was part of a settled forward line containing Willie Haines
Willie Haines
Wyndham William Pretoria "Willie" Haines was an English footballer who played at centre-forward for south coast rivals, Portsmouth and then Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Football career:...
up front with Mackie and Angus Meikle on the right and David Watson and William Beedie on the left. Portsmouth finished the season as champions of the Football League Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
with a four point advantage over Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
.
In Portsmouth's first season in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, Haines shared the goal-scoring with Willie Haines with both players scoring 17 goals as Pompey finished in a creditable fourth place in the table. Mackie continued to score regularly in the next two seasons with 19 goals in 1925–26 when Portsmouth finished in mid-table, and 12 in 1926–27 as Pompey gained promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
as runners-up, squeezing out Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on goal average, by a margin of just 0.006. Mackie's goal tally included a pair scored in a 9–1 victory over Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
on 9 April 1927 — this remains Portsmouth's record margin of victory.
For Portsmouth's first season in the top flight, Haines was out of favour with new manager Jack Tinn
Jack Tinn
Jack Tinn was the manager of the English football club Portsmouth F.C. from 1927-1947. Under Tinn's stewardship Portsmouth won the FA Cup for the first time in their history when they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 at Wembley in 1939. The FA Cup was kept safe under his bed throughout the war...
who was building a team for the future, with Welsh
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international Fred Cook taking over the position of inside-right. In March 1928, Mackie moved up the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
to join local rivals Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for a fee of £1000. In his eight seasons at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
, Mackie scored 82 goals from 263 appearances in all competitions.
Southampton
At Southampton, Mackie was seen as the replacement for Bill RawlingsBill Rawlings
William Ernest "Bill" Rawlings was an English footballer.-Playing career:Rawlings' career started in 1918 with Southampton, he stayed ten years with the club, from 1918 to 1928. His 193 goals places him third on the club's list of all-time goalscorers, behind Mick Channon and Matthew Le Tissier...
who had just moved to join Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. Mackie made his debut for the "Saints" in a 2–1 defeat at South Shields
South Shields F.C.
South Shields F.C. are a football club based in South Shields, England. They have a long and complicated history, with three distinct incarnations taking the name...
on 17 March 1928, with his home debut coming a week later, when he scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a 6–1 victory over Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. By the end of the season, he had scored six goals from seven appearances, before he was injured bringing his season to a premature end.
For the 1928–29 season, Mackie was re-united with his former strike partner, Willie Haines
Willie Haines
Wyndham William Pretoria "Willie" Haines was an English footballer who played at centre-forward for south coast rivals, Portsmouth and then Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Football career:...
and the pair scored 26 goals between as the Saints finished fourth in the Second Division table. Mackie continued to create chances for Haines and his fellow forward, Dick Rowley
Dick Rowley
Richard William Morris "Dick" Rowley was an Irish football Inside right who played for Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Preston North End, as well as representing the Irish national team.- Biography :...
, but injury kept him out of the team for long periods in the first half of next season and it was not until March 1930 that he had a sustained run of games. Mackie had been sent off in the opening match of the season, a 3–1 defeat away to Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
and he was the first Saints player to be dismissed since Jimmy Moore in December 1920.
A similar pattern followed in 1930–31, only appearing in the opening game (a 5–0 defeat at Preston
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
), until, after several players had been tried at inside-right, including Laurie Cumming
Laurie Cumming
Laurence Stanley Slater "Laurie" Cumming was a former professional footballer and journalist, born in Derry, Ireland. Cumming played for Alloa Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic, Southampton, Queen of the South and St Mirren...
and Bill Fraser
Bill Fraser (footballer)
William Cuthbert Fraser was an English professional footballer who played at inside forward for Northampton Town and Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Early career:...
, he was recalled to the side in January 1931. On 14 March 1931, he scored his 100th league goal against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
at The Dell.
At the end of the season he retired after making 84 appearances for the Saints, scoring 24 goals.
Later life
After his retirement from football, he became the licensee of the Regents Park Hotel in ShirleyShirley, Southampton
Shirley is a district on the Western side of Southampton, England. Shirley's main roles are retailing and residential. It is the most important suburban shopping area in the west of the city. Housing is a mixture of council houses in the centre of the district surrounded by private housing, with...
, remaining a publican for 24 years. He later settled in Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
, where he died in 1959, a few days after his 65th birthday.
Honours
PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
- Football League Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
championship: 1923-24 - Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
runners-up: 1926–27