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Jackie Milburn

Jackie Milburn was born in the coalmining town of Ashington located 15 miles north of Newcastle Upon Tyne. In 1943 Jackie wrote to Newcastle United in response to the clubs newspaper advert for trialists. When he arrived at St. James' Park all he had was a pair of borrowed football, boots and his lunch - a pie and a bottle of pop. MIlburn made a big impression in his trial and was invited back to the club for a trial game, the stripes v the blues. Milburn was playing for the stripes and they were 3-0 down at half time when Milburn was moved to a centre forward position and scored six times as the stripes won 9-3. Jackie Milburn was quickly signed up to the first team by Stan Seymour.

When League Football resumed following the end of the the second world war Milburn quickly became a hero. Following the departure of Charlie Wayman to Southampton Milburn was moved to centre forward and given the number nine shirt. MIlburn soon became the central figure of Newcastle United and a key player as the team won three FA Cups in the 1950's (1951, 1952 and 1955).

Milburn left Newcastle in 1957 to joining Northern Irish side Linfield FC as player/manager, by the time he had left Newcastle he had become the clubs highest ever goalscorer with 200 goals, a record that he held until 2006 when Alan Shearer scored his 201st in a league game against Portsmouth. However, it is argued that including games played during world war II, Milburn has actually scored 238 for Newcastle making him still the clubs current top goalscorer.

IN 1967 Jackie Milburn was given a belated testimonial, he feared that after ten years he had been forgotten, this was not the case as 50,000 turned up at St.James' Park for a match featuring a host of stars including Farenc Puskas and also Jackie Mlburns nephews, the world cup winners, Bobby and Jack Charlton.

Milburns legacy lives on long after he left the club. On 9th October 1998, Jackie Milburn died of lung cancer in his home in Ashington, he was 64 years old. His funeral was held at St.Nicholas Cathedral and 30,000 turned up to pay their respects. Also in that year Newcastle opened their new west stand at St.James' Park, which was name the 'Milburn Stand'. In addition two statues were commissioned, one on Station Road (the main street of his birthplace in Ashington) and the other on Northumberland Street, now standing at Milburn Junction where St. James' Boulevard meets Barrack Road, just a one minute walk from St.James' Park.

Jackie Milburn was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Info

Full name: John Edward Thompson Milburn
DOB: 11th May 1924
Death: 9th October 1988
Place of Birth: Ashington, England
Position: Striker

Facts

Jackie Milburn is the 2nd highest goalscorer in the history of Newcastle United.

Jackie helped Newcastle to win three FA Cups in 1951, 1952 and 1955.

Jackie's cousins are Bobby and Jack Charlton.