Denaby Utd – “Jack” Lavery (picture)

March 1906

Sheffield Telegraph, March 10, 1906

A Denaby Scorer
“Jack” Lavery

month-1906-april

“Jack” Lavery, the popular and clever Denaby inside left forward is the idol of local football crowds, and he has worked his way into such high favourites by reason of the dashing and successful game he plays. There is something electric about Lavery’s solo runs which irresistibly appeal to the eye and raises the enthusiasm of the spectators to the best of hearty cheering.

Like a big hitter at cricket, the man who can snap up the pass and weave round the back, or dash between a pair, or leave the goalkeeper helpless with a lovely goal, this man heightens the most ragged of games with scintillating gems of brilliance.

And so with “Jack” Lavery, a dark-haired, nimble fellow, just turned 21 years of age, who seldom turns out for a gruelling 90 minutes without banging one or more of “the best” right home. What he lacks in inches and weight he makes up with heart, a heart that never quails when things are going against his side, and one that often turns probable defeat into hard-won victory.

A replica from his cradle days, which were spent at Hebburn on Tyne, when he first saw the light, Laverly in his school team, the Jarrow Hibernians, was early course on the shoot,” notching over 100 goals himself in each of the two season he was identified with that club, at that time only the finest school teams in England.

With Jack’s help the sprightly “Hibs” won the Sambotteo Cup twice, the first one without a point against them. Going ahead, “a little way, Laverly has,” to misquote Mark Twain, he was next identify with Hebburn Excelsior for a season and a half, securing five medals himself in the full season he played with them.

His next “pass” was to Hebburn Argyle (Northern Alliance) where he stayed the season they worked their way to the final of the Durham Senior Cup.

Two months at Jarrow found him migrating to Barnsley, where, in the season 1903 – 4 he helped them win the Sheffield Challenge Cup and figure frequently with the first team in matches against Woolwich Arsenal and all of the best second Division teams.

This is his second season with Denaby United, and with effective and consistent performances he is a big factor in the sunshine of success now smiling on the club.

Several times has done the “hat-trick” in Midland League matches; against Lincoln City he put his signature to for good goals; having in the current campaign notched over 30, while last year in both the Midland and Wharncliffe Leagues he got half a century.

Naturally his play has attracted the attention of the outer football world, and more than one big club have made approaches for his transfer.

Laverly’s gold medals won at his favourite game number well over double figures, and just at present he his hopefully anticipating the acquisition of another after Denaby’s coming fight with Wednesday Reserve in the Sheffield Challenge Cup final.

A well conducted young fellow, both on and off the field, is whose admirers hope to see him in the chocolate and blue for many a season to come, and may good luck attend him.