G.O.A.T. - Grimsby Town

Jackie Bestall

John Gilbert 'Jackie' Bestall, was the youngest of three children, born in Beighton, Sheffield on the 24th of June 1900 and is regarded as "perhaps the greatest name on Grimsby Town's roll-call – a diminutive craftsman full of guile and possessed of outstanding constructive qualities". He started his career playing schoolboy football in Sheffield,  playing with Beighton Miners' Welfare FC before joining Rotherham United FC in 1924-25. After 61 league appearances and sixteen goals he joined Grimsby Town FC on the 25th of November 1926 for £700.

He captained Grimsby to the 1933–34 Second Division title and back in to the First Division after two seasons in the Second Division helping him to earn his only England cap. This small (5 feet 5 inches), skilful inside forward, when aged 34, won his England cap against Northern Ireland at Goodison Park on the 6th of February 1935. He is the sixth oldest player to make his England debut and was the first Grimsby player to be capped by England.

Jackie Bestall, Ernest 'Pat' Glover and Charlie Craven

           

He played in Grimsby's first FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal but was injured early in the game, which Arsenal won 1–0. Grimsby Town fans believed that Bestall was targeted by the Arsenal defenders in the hope of deliberately injuring him. He remained with the club, as club captain, until he was allowed to leave on a 'free transfer' in April 1938 after making a record 427 league appearances, a figure only ever beaten by Keith Jobling and John McDermott, and scored 76 goals. He joined Birmingham FC and was appointed as their first official coach on the 8th of June 1938. He became the club's assistant manager during the war years, until 14 July 1944, when he became an assistant trainer-coach at Doncaster Rovers FC before being appointed their manager on the 12th of March 1946 until 14 April 1949. He then he took up a similar position at Blackburn Rovers FC on the 23rd of June 1949, and resigned on the 5th of May 1953. He was then appointed manager at Nelson FC on the 3rd of January 1954, until his resignation again, this time on 25 November 1954. He applied, unssuccessfully, for the vacant managerial role at Grimsby Town FC in March 1955 and returned to Doncaster Rovers on the 1st of August 1958, initially as chief scout, stepping up to team manager from 6 March 1959

He has a lounge at Blundell Park and the smallest road in Grimsby and Cleethorpes named after him as well as a fishing boat in Selby.

The Famous Cup Tie:- Everton 5 -3 Grimsby Town
F.A. Cup Fifth round: Saturday February 14th 1931 at Goodison Park. Attendance: 65,000
Teams:
Everton: 1:Billy Coggins, 2:Ben Williams, 3:Warney Cresswell, 4:Joe McClure, 5:Charlie Gee, 6:Jock Thompson, 7:Ted Critchley, 8:Jimmy Dunn, 9:Dixie Dean, 10:Tommy Johnson, 11:Jimmy Stein

Grimsby: 1:Tommy Read, 2:?, 3:Hughie Jacobson, 4:Alec Hall, 5:?, 6:Teddy Buck, 7:Jack Prior, 8:Jackie Bestall,9:Tim Coleman, 10:?, 11:Billy Marshall