Jeff Spencer
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jeff Spencer
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Jeffrey Spencer
| birth_date = {{birth date|1913|11|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = Shavington, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|7|8|1913|11|9|df=y}}
| death_place = Congleton, England
| position = Outside right
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 =
| clubs1 = Willaston White Star
| years2 =
| clubs2 = Whitchurch
| years3 = 1933–1934
| clubs3 = Nantwich
| years4 = 1934–1939
| clubs4 = West Bromwich Albion
| caps4 = 13
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 1939–194?
| clubs5 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| goals3 = 6
}}
Jeffrey Spencer (9 November 1913 – 8 July 1982), written as Geoff Spencer in some sources, was an English professional footballer who played as an outside right in the Football League for West Bromwich Albion.{{sfnp|Joyce|2004|p=246}} He appeared in all three of Brighton & Hove Albion's matches in September 1939 before the 1939–40 Football League season was abandoned because of the Second World War, and played non-league football for Willaston White Star, Whitchurch and Nantwich.
Life and career
Jeffrey Spencer was born on 9 November 1913 in Shavington, Cheshire,{{cite web |url=http://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Spencer, J (Jeffrey) |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=20 April 2022 |url-access=subscription}}{{sfnp|Carder|Harris|1997|p=304}} to Arthur Spencer, a railway worker, and his wife, Martha née Wareham.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/2352/images/rg14_21760_0161_03?pId=5151429 |title=1911 England Census for Arthur Spencer |at=RG14/21760 449 Crewe 08 |via=Ancestry.co.uk |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |url=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8913&h=30240589&tid=&pid=&queryId=2ec2aa67f7a4e68316264770eeb3241b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=hPO5&_phstart=successSource |title=Martha Wareham in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837–1915 |at=1903 q1 Nantwich vol. 8a p. 459 |via=Ancestry.co.uk |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 April 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61596/images/tna_r39_4091_4091b_023?pId=24845318 |title=1939 England and Wales Register for Geoffrey Spencer |at=RG 101/4091B Nantwich LGJG |via=Ancestry.co.uk |url-access=subscription}}
He played football for Willaston White Star and for Cheshire County League club Whitchurch, from where he had a trial with West Bromwich Albion in February 1933.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/806488509/ |title=To-night's talk |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=11 February 1933 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} Nothing came of it at that time, and he joined another Cheshire League club, Nantwich,{{Cite book |title=Ultimate Book of Nantwich Town FC |publisher=Empire |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-9563068-2-1}} later that season.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/796802242/ |title=Ashton National |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |date=7 October 1933 |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} In July 1934, amid reported interest from several Football League clubs, Spencer signed for West Bromwich Albion.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/797605079/ |title=Nantwich to Albion |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |date=13 July 1934 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} By the 1937–38 season, when he underwent surgery on a cartilage problem, he had still made no appearances for Albion's first team.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/806372976/ |title=Short passes. Paragraphs about men and matters |author=Jingle |newspaper=Sports Argus |location=Birmingham |date=8 December 1937 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}
He finally made his senior debut on 17 September 1938, coming into the side at outside right for the visit to Burnley in the Second Division. He set up the first goal and scored the third in a 3–0 win, and according to the Birmingham Gazette{{'s}} 'Hawthorn', "made it clear he is the best outside-right Albion have."{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/783608226/ |title=Have Albion found the right combination? |author=Hawthorn |newspaper=Birmingham Gazette |date=19 September 1938 |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} The Midland Daily Telegraph described him as "a fast, speedy winger who does not neglect opportunities to cut in" and suggested that "in the opinion of many [he] should have been given a first team chance earlier."{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/788514238/ |title=The City's dismal League record. The Albion next week |author=Nemo |newspaper=Midland Daily Telegraph |location=Coventry |date=1 October 1938 |page=19 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} He kept his place for ten matches, during which he scored once more, but did not appear again until late in the season.
His services were not retained, and he signed for Third Division South club Brighton & Hove Albion on 28 June 1939.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/783609465/ |title=West Bromwich winger goes to Brighton |newspaper=Birmingham Gazette |date=29 June 1939 |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} Reported to be "blessed with excellent control and a fine crosser of the ball", he played in all three of Brighton's matches before the Football League was suspended for the duration of the Second World War.{{sfnp|Carder|Harris|1997|p=304}}
Spencer returned to Cheshire, where he worked in the millwright department of the LMS Railway based at Crewe.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/790653973/ |title=Footballer married at Wistaston |newspaper=Crewe Chronicle |date=18 May 1940 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} He later served in Normandy, and in 1944 was reported to have returned wounded to England.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/791977524/ |title=Broome, injured, misses season's start |newspaper=Evening Despatch |location=Birmingham |date=24 August 1944 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} He married Lettice Margaret (Lettie) Stenson, a clerical secretary, in Wistaston, Cheshire, in 1940.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/61596/images/tna_r39_4093_4093e_010?pId=24860568 |title=1939 England and Wales Register for Lettie M Stenson |at=RG 101/4093E Nantwich LGKQ |via=Ancestry.co.uk |url-access=subscription}} The couple settled in Willaston and had at least two children.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/790625857/ |title=Births |newspaper=Crewe Chronicle |date=9 June 1951 |page=9 |quote=to Lettie Margaret, wife of Jeffrey Spencer–the most precious gift of a daughter (Gail). A little sister for John. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} In 1956, Spencer was working for the local water board in Crewe.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/800905006/ |title=Ten men share pool £7,535 |newspaper=Nantwich Chronicle |date=17 March 1956 |page=20 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}} He also served on the Committee of Willaston White Star FC and served as club chairman. Lettie Spencer became a long-serving member of Willaston parish council. She was instrumental in a lengthy campaign to secure playing fields for the village, which were opened in 1954 and eventually named in her memory.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/800836883/ |title=Optimism and a little faith... |newspaper=Nantwich Chronicle |date=5 June 1954 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/village-pays-tribute-to-lettie-5302616 |title=Village pays tribute to Lettie |website=Cheshire Live |date=28 January 2004 |access-date=20 April 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.willastonparishcouncil.org.uk/lettiespencer.html |title=Lettie Spencer Playing Field |publisher=Willaston Parish Council |access-date=20 April 2022}}
Spencer died on 8 July 1982 at the age of 68; his death was registered in Congleton, Cheshire.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/8718609:70845 |title=Jeffrey Spencer |website=Web: UK, Burial and Cremation Index, 1576–2014 |via=Ancestry.co.uk |access-date=20 April 2022 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=AJleEMEvni1uVzRVgWXtSA&scan=1 |title=Index entry |website=FreeBMD |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=20 April 2022}}
Sources
- {{cite book |last1=Carder |first1=Tim |last2=Harris |first2=Roger |title=Seagulls! The Story of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |publisher=Goldstone Books |location=Hove |date=1993 |isbn=0-9521337-0-9}}
- {{cite book |last1=Carder |first1=Tim |last2=Harris |first2=Roger |title=Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |publisher=Goldstone Books |location=Hove |date=1997 |isbn=0-9521337-1-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Joyce |first=Michael |title=Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 |publisher=SoccerData |location=Nottingham |date=2004 |isbn=978-1-899468-67-6}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer, Jeff}}
Category:People from the Borough of Cheshire East
Category:Footballers from Cheshire
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Whitchurch F.C. players
Category:Nantwich Town F.C. players
Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:British military personnel of World War II