Henderson: John Swinton Pryde (Jock)

1955-1956 (Player Details)

Inside Forward

Born: Glasgow: 13-10-1923

Debut: v Plymouth Argyle (a): 19-03-1955

5’6” 11st 4lb (1956)

John Swinton Pryde Henderson was known as "Jackie" when he played in Scotland and "Jock" when he played in England. He began his football career with Ashfield before moving to Falkirk in 1940. He served in the Armed Forces but managed to score four goals in twenty-six games in the 1945-46 Scottish League Southern Division, and make six appearances in the Scottish Southern League Cup, score once in three Scottish Victory Cup ties and one game in the Dewar Shield for a total of five goals in thirty-six games. He also scored a hat-trick against the Polish Army, who Falkirk beat 3-2 at Brockville, after being 1-2 down at half-time, it was almost a hat-trick of penalties, but in the end two came from the spot and one from open play. On the resumption of the Scottish League after World War Two he scored seven goals in eighteen League appearances, one goal in six League Cup games and three games in the Dewar Shield in the 1946-47 season. 1947-48 saw him score five goals in twenty-seven League appearances and he played eight League Cup matches without finding the net, but scored twice in two Scottish Cup ties and once in three Stirlingshire Cup ties. He was part of the Falkirk team that reached the Final of the Scottish League Cup that season, which saw the Bairns draw 0-0 with East Fife on 25th October 1947 at Hampden Park only for East Fife to triumph 4-1 in the replay on 1st November 1947 at the same venue, with Henderson playing at Inside-Left in both games. He only played four League games in the next season of 1948-49, but he managed three goals and also played three Scottish League Cup games before leaving for Third Lanark in September 1948. He had scored twenty-four goals in one hundred and eleven games in all fixtures during his first spell with Falkirk, of which fifteen goals had come in forty-nine League appearances. He stayed with them until he moved south of the border to join Rotherham United in November 1953. At Millmoor he quickly proved to be a valuable acquisition with his all action style at inside right. He helped the team to finish in fifth spot in Division Two in his first season of 1953-54, when he scored twice in twenty-two League games. His second season was even better as the Millers missed out on promotion to the top bracket on goal average. He played in twenty-five of the opening twenty-eight games before he moved to Leeds United, who finished fourth to Rotherham's third. Possibly the Millers might have gone up had he stayed. He scored five goals in those twenty-five League games in the 1954-55 season and also made two F.A. Cup appearances. He scored seven goals and played forty-nine times in the sixteen months he served the Millmoor club. After giving such good service to clubs both north and south of the border he wrapped up his League career with Leeds United, who he joined just before the transfer dead-line in March 1955. He added his considerable experience to the club’s promotion drive. They did not achieve their objective that season, but Henderson was there for the start of their promotion-winning season of 1955-56 and contributed several winning starts to the early season, but gave way to Bobby Forrest and John Charles who was pushed up into the forwards soon after. The public had got used to seeing his distinctive tattooed forearms, but he left for Non-League Weymouth at the end of the season, where he spent three seasons with them in the Southern League. This was followed by three years with Trowbridge Town and another two at Frome Town. In 1972 he was manager at Devizes Town and later coached Calne Town in Wiltshire for a short while, when working for the South West Gas Board as a distribution fitter in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. At seventy-eight he was still fit and working for Claremont Automatics Ltd., in Melksham. He remained an avid football fan.