Jack Astley Explained

Jack Astley
Fullname:John Astley[1]
Birth Date:3 December 1909
Birth Place:Warrington, England
Death Place:Whitley, England
Height:5 ft 9+1/2 in[2]
Position:Right back
Youthclubs1:St. Elfin's Parish Church
Youthclubs2:Chadwick Recreation
Youthclubs3:Warrington Bedouins
Youthclubs4:Elmwood Avenue Methodists
Years1:1930–1933
Clubs1:Southport
Caps1:2
Goals1:0
Years2:1932–1933
Clubs2:Shelbourne (loan)
Years3:1933–1936
Clubs3:Brentford
Caps3:49
Goals3:0
Years4:1936–1942
Clubs4:Coventry City
Caps4:140
Goals4:0
Nationalteam1:League of Ireland XI

John Astley (3 December 1909 – 8 November 1984) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Southport, Brentford and Coventry City as a right back.

Club career

Early years

A right back, Astley began his career in his native north west,[3] playing for a number of amateur clubs before joining Third Division North club Southport in 1930.[4] He made just two appearances for the club before joining League of Ireland club Shelbourne on loan for the 1932–33 season. He left Southport at the end of the 1932–33 season.

Brentford

Astley transferred to Second Division club Brentford in May 1933.[5] He went straight into the team and made 41 appearances during the 1933–34 season, in which the Bees finished fourth in the Second Division.[6] The arrival of full backs Arthur Bateman and George Poyser during the 1934 off-season and an injury saw Astley lose his place in the team and he made just one appearance during the 1934–35 season, in which Brentford secured promotion to the First Division as champions. He instead played for the reserves and won the 1935 London Challenge Cup with the team. Astley managed to make eight appearances in the First Division during the first half of the 1935–36 season, before departing Griffin Park in February 1936. Astley made 50 appearances for Brentford.

Coventry City

Astley joined Third Division South high-flyers Coventry City in February 1936. He made 14 appearances in what remained of the 1935–36 season and helped the Sky Blues to the Third Division South title.[7] Astley displaced Vic Brown from the team and with former Brentford teammate Walter Metcalf on the other flank at full back, he was an ever-present until professional football was suspended in 1939 upon to the outbreak of the Second World War. He made 148 appearances for the Sky Blues and guested for Nottingham Forest during the war.[8]

Representative career

While with Shelbourne, Astley played for the League of Ireland representative team against their Welsh League counterparts.

Personal life

Astley served in the British Army during and after the Second World War and rose to the rank of captain. He married his wife, an Estonian, during -years stationed in Germany. Astley settled in Coventry in 1950 and began working for the General Electric Company, retiring in 1974. He died of a heart attack in Whitley Hospital in November 1984.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Southport1931–32Third Division North200020
Brentford1933–34Second Division40010410
1934–35Second Division100010
1935–36First Division8080
Total49010500
Coventry City1935–36Third Division South14030170
1936–37Second Division42030450
1937–38Second Division42010430
1938–39Second Division42010430
Total1400801480
Career total1910902000

Honours

Brentford Reserves

Coventry City

1935–36

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . Tony Brown . 2012 . 978-1905891610 . Nottingham . 12.
  2. News: 23 August 1936 . Coventry City. Good halves but a weakness in defence . vi . Sunday Dispatch Football Guide . London . Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: Astley Jack Coventry City 1937 . 23 December 2018 . Vintage Footballers . en-GB.
  4. Web site: Jack Astley (Player Profile) . 5 January 2017 . Southport Central.
  5. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914 . Harefield . 13.
  6. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 372–373.
  7. Web site: Jack Astley . 14 June 2015 . 11v11.com.
  8. Web site: Jack Astley . 17 July 2019 . The City Ground.
  9. Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1-874427-57-7 . 82.