On November 6th 1954, Albion’s goal-scoring number ten, England international, Johnny Nicholls was injured, and Albion manager Vick Buckingham, still in hospital recovering from an accident, elected a young Tiptonian, who had been snapped up from the local factory shelves, to make his first team debut at The Valley against Charlton Athletic, the 17 year old local boy Alec Jackson scored in Albion’s 3-1 victory and became a legend in the making. It is with great sadness, that the FPA announced that the great heart of a truly wonderful footballer and gentleman stopped beating on the 10th August, following a long and brave battle with dementia, at 86 years of age.

Alec, born on the 29th May 1937, a wonderful exponent of the ‘beautiful game,’ went on to make over 200 first team appearances for the ‘Throstles’ scoring 52 goals, and actually became the first ‘pin-up boy’ of our wonderful football club, adorning the bedroom walls of so many young boyhood fans, along with the likes of Derek Kevan, Ray Barlow, Bobby Robson and so many more.

To watch the little maestro, dribbling through defences with the ball, seemingly glued to those ‘twinktoed feet’ was indeed a ‘wonderment’ something his friends and colleagues laughed about often when in conversation, and such was his great humility, he never considered himself the football star that he indeed was, and was in awe of his team-mates and colleagues Kevan, Barlow, Robson and Allen.

Jacko truly played with a smile, his heart on his sleeve, and quite rightly became an Albion legend, playing alongside another legend Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown, when Tony made his debut 1n September 1963, Bomber eulogising, “It’s very sad news, Jacko was a great lad, and was very helpful to me in my early days, especially with his advice.

He had a heart of gold, his nature was superb, he would be so helpful to us young players”.


Once his full time career came to an end he turned out for the Albion All Stars Charity Team, most Sunday’s Alec would be ready and willing to pull on that blue and white shirt all in the aid of charity. Equally he was pleased to catch up with some of his mates, most notably Derek Kevan and a few pints consumed in the after match joviality. 

Until his dementia stopped curtailed his journeys, he was a regular at our AGM’s and often a guest in the Regis Suite, always the happy and chatty Alec, popular with his colleagues.

Our sincere condolences go to his wife June, sons Andrew and Neil and grandchildren. 

Funeral details will follow.

We have all lost a friend.

RIP JACKO