Daniels: John Francis (Jack)

1933-1935 & WW2 Guest: 1941-1945 (Player Details) (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Prestwich, Manchester: 06-10-1914

Debut v Chelsea (a): 16-03-1935

5’10” 11st 10lb (1935)

Known as Jack, he joined Third Division North side Stockport County as an amateur and they blooded him as an eighteen year-old in their “A” team. He was released and joined Manchester North End, where he won a Championship Medal in 1932-33, and then Ashton National. First Division Leeds signed him in October 1933, on amateur forms and he turned professional the following April. Daniels made his only peace-time appearance for Leeds against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in March 1935. It was a debacle as Chelsea won 7-1. Within three months he rejoined Third Division North Stockport County but could not establish himself as first choice, making only nine League appearances in three seasons. He left for Third Division North Accrington Stanley in July 1938, when he and Centre-Forward Sammy Hunt were part of an exchange deal invoving Goalkeeper Jack Bowles. He injured his hand in one match against Gateshead, prompting him to come out and play on the wing. After ten games at Peel Park a move to Third Division North Tranmere Rovers followed in June 1939, but the Second World War came before he could make his debut. He did, in fact play in the three games of the aborted 1939-40 season, but those appearances were declared void by the F.A.. During the War Years he returned to Leeds and made one hundred and twenty-one appearances as a guest. He made his debut in the 1940-41 North Regional League in a 1-4 away defeat to Hull City on 18th January 1941 and after Gerry Henry, with one hundred and eighty-six, and Aubrey Powell, with one hundred and twenty-six, he was the third in United’s appearance list for Second World War-time guests and made his final appearance on 2nd April 1945 in a 0-2 home defeat by Chesterfield in the 1944-45 Football League Northern Section (Second Championship). Leeds were not the only club he appeared for as a World War Two guest, he played three times for Doncaster Rovers in 1941-42, and sixteen games for Bradford City and two for York City in the 1945-46 season. He joined Third Division North Bradford City after the war but did not play for them and moved to Third Division North Lincoln City in July 1946. He made his debut for the Imps on 31st August 1946 in a 0-0 draw at Hull City, and he made seventeen League appearances and twenty games in all before his final game with a visit to his former club, Stockport County, on 21st December 1946. He then joined New Brighton in March 1948, where he played a further three games in the 1948-49 season before retiring. An excellent cricketer, he was also an F.A. coach, gaining his qualifications at Loughborough College. In the 1950s he was games master at Boston Spa Special School. He died in 1970.