Poxon: John (Jack)

WW2 Guest: 1942-1943 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Wing Half

Born: Unknown: Unknown

Debut: v Doncaster Rovers (a): 17-10-1942

Height & Weight: Unknown

“Either side of the Second World War, Jack Poxon made a significant mark on local football. A versatile player, who could play at inside-forward, centre-forward and wing-half, he had started with the highly successful, but short-lived Park Royal team, which effectively merged into the even more successful Southall side, which reached the F.A. Cup Third Round in 1935. He first came to the attention of Hayes supporters in February 1936, when he was sent off while playing for Southall against Hayes, along with Leslie Smith, after being involved in a fight which had been building throughout the match. Both players received a caution from the Middlesex FA. At the time he was a serving member of the RAF and regularly played for them in representative matches. He joined Hayes for the 1936-7 season and was selected as reserve for the England Amateur team against Northern Ireland in Belfast, thus missing Hayes’ London Senior Cup semi-final match, but he never gained a cap. Early in the following season he returned to Southall, but was back again, via Romford, in February 1939. His appearances were limited to one in 1939-40 because of his Air Force duties, which saw him posted to the Midlands and North, where he guested for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United. But he was back at Church Road (home of Hayes F.C.) for the first post-war season, before departing to Southall once again for the 1946-47 season. He played his final games for Hayes during the 1948-9 season and over a period spanning thirteen years he made a total of eighty-five appearances and scored forty goals. After a spell managing Uxbridge Reserves, he was appointed to the Hayes selection committee for the 1955-6 season.” (Information kindly supplied by Neil Roche). He was playing with Isthmian League side Dulwich Hamlet, when he played four games for Leeds United in the 1942-43 Football League Northern Section (First Championship). He made his debut at Right Half on 17th October 1942 in a 2-2 draw with Doncaster Rovers at Belle Vue. Three weeks later he was at Right Half again in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road with Bradford Park Avenue and was at Inside Left in the reverse fixture the following week as United went down 0-1 in the away game. He played his last game for Leeds in the final fixture of the campaign on Xmas Day 1942 as United drew 3-3 with Huddersfield Town at Elland Road. It is not thought that Poxon played professionally in the Football League.