JACK LESLIE’S FAMILY TO PRESENT HIS HONORARY CAP TO ARGYLE!
One year ago, Jack Leslie’s bronze statue was unveiled, and this incredible occasion was marked by a historic pledge. Debbie Hewitt, FA chair, announced that Jack was to be awarded a posthumous honorary cap in recognition of the adversity he faced due to the colour of his skin. He was the first black footballer to be selected for England in 1925 but never got the chance to represent his country. The cap was presented to Jack’s family in March this year ahead of England’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine.
Celebrating the Unveiling Anniversary: A Special Event at Home Park
Ahead of the Swansea City match on 7th October, the anniversary of the unveiling, Jack’s family, the campaign team and Argyle legend, Ronnie Mauge, will be at the statue to show off the cap and talk to fans at 11:30-45. Appropriately, the game is Argyle’s designated Kick it Out fixture. Jack’s cap will be presented to Ronnie by Jack’s granddaughters on the pitch at half-time.
The cap means a huge amount to Jack’s family, and they have loved having it. But they too made a pledge. To bring the cap home… to Home Park. It’s here that Jack made his name, was told he’d been picked for England and bounced back after his cruel deselection. He went on to score 137 goals in 400 appearances for Plymouth Argyle between 1921 and 1934 and captained the club to its highest league position, something that has only been equaled once in the decades that followed.
Jack’s granddaughters, Lesley, Lyn and Gill feel this the right place for the cap,
‘The campaign to recognise our grandad has meant so much to the whole family and to have the support of so many people after so long is mind-blowing. When granddad returned to Plymouth Argyle as a guest of honour in 1965, he got a standing ovation from the thousands of fans who remembered and loved him. He welled-up when he shared those special memories. So, the three of us knew that the cap had to come here. Jack Leslie embraced Plymouth just as it embraced him. We are proud to present his cap to be displayed at Home Park where our grandad became a hero.‘
A Historical Injustice: Jack Leslie’s Journey in Football
When Jack’s name was in the papers 98 years ago as part of the England team to travel to Ireland there was a huge buzz in Plymouth. ‘Everyone in the town was full of it,‘ said Jack. Then everything went quiet, and this young talent was cruelly dropped before the game due to the colour of his skin. He was frequently tipped as an England player in the years that followed but the FA had already made its decision.
Jack Leslie Campaign co-founders Greg Foxsmith and Matt Tiller said,
‘For the FA to accept that Jack was the first black player to be selected for England and to recognise that it was the colour of his skin that put an end to his chances was a massive step. And for Jack’s family who have carried that injustice with them all these years to now bring the cap here to Plymouth is a wonderful gesture. We are proud of them, the club, the Green Army and Jack.‘
Preserving Jack Leslie’s Legacy at Home Park
The cap will be displayed in the Jack Leslie Boardroom alongside a unique maquette. Jack’s granddaughters have donated it on permanent loan to the club with a view to making it available to fans as much as possible through stadium tours, events and exhibitions.
The Jack Leslie Campaign co-founders Matt Tiller and Greg Foxsmith continue to tell the story in schools and organisations including football clubs. Read more about the campaign at jackleslie.co.uk
Matt’s biography of Jack Leslie, The Lion Who Never Roared: The Star Robbed of England Glory is out on 23 October and will be available in the Argyle Store.
Please contact the Campaign for more information: jacklesliecampaign@gmail.com
Individual contributions are welcome via the Crowdfunder site: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/jack-leslie-campaign
Notes and Additional Campaign Details
Jack Leslie signed for Plymouth Argyle from Barking in 1921 and scored 137 goals in his 13 years with The Pilgrims. The pinnacle of his career should have been in 1925 when Jack was selected to represent England in a game versus Ireland, but his name was removed from the team sheet when officials discovered that he was black. (See Jack’s story)
The Jack Leslie Campaign was set up in in 2019 by a couple of Argyle fans (Matt and Greg) who had learned of the story, and they were soon joined by a diverse team of volunteers .
In July 2020 the Campaign launched a crowd-funded appeal, and smashed it’s £100,000 target in six weeks. One year later Andy Edwards was commissioned to create the Jack Leslie Statue.
LINKS:
The Jack Leslie Campaign: https://jackleslie.co.uk/
Crowdfunder page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/jack-leslie-campaign
