George: John Spencer (John)

1906-1907 (Leeds City Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Irchester, Northamptonshire: 04-02-1884

Debut: v Gainsborough Trinity (h): 07-04-1906

5’10 1/2” 12st 0lb (1906)

George began his career with Rushton Town in July 1902 before moving to Kettering Town, then of the Southern League, in 1903. He scored once for them in nineteen appearances in the 1903-04 season before joining Tottenham Hotspur, also of the Southern League in April 1904. He had two seasons at White Hart Lane scoring once in four games in the Southern League and one appearance in their Western League reserve team in the 1904-05 season and had just one game, in the Southern League and four games in the reserves in the Western League in the following 1905-06 season. He played mostly as a right-half and he did score the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Bristol Rovers on 29th April 1905 in front of a crowd of ten thousand. He joined Second Division Leeds City in April 1906, as a Right Half who was able to play at centre half should the need arise. However, he went straight into the first team at Centre Half and played five of the six games remaining in that season which included one game at Right Half. He was appointed Captain at the start of the new 1906-07 season. On the opening day of the season, in a 1-1 draw at home to Bradford City, George was selected at centre-half. The club captain then had a nightmare of a game the following week at West Bromwich Albion. Jack Morris had started the opening game as the incumbent right half, and, as he was ruled out of the trip to the Hawthorns by injury. George was moved to the right position with Fred Walker being recalled as centre half. City were hammered 5-0. It was reported by Nimrod in the Leeds Mercury: "The great weakness in the half-back line was again emphasised. George, Walker and Kennedy certainly tried hard, but they absolutely failed to hold the nippy, clever and speedy forwards of the Albion team. Shinton was always boring his way through the backs or sending out beautiful passes to the wings. Haywood and Dilly were extremely smart on the left, and George had a rare gruelling." George was immediately dropped and Walker retained the position with Fred Hargraves took over at right-half. He then had to wait until 1st December 1906 and played well enough at right half, as City beat Clapton Orient 3-2. However, it proved to be his final game. He was dropped the following week to make way for Fred Hargraves. He joined Croydon Common at the end of the season. He had one season,1908-09, there playing ten games in the Southern League and scored once in twenty other games and was captain in their first game. He moved down to the south coast to join Hastings and St Leonards in 1908. He died in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, on 29th October1931.