JACK ACQUROFF

Full Name: John Acquroff

Position: Forward

Date of Birth: 9th September 1911
Birthplace: Chelsea, London

Died: 14th November 1987 at the age of 76
Place of Death: Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Nationality: English

Joined Albion: 1944 from Norwich City as a 'Wartime Guest Player'
Competitive Albion Debut: 01/04/1944 v Walsall (A) Midland Cup, drew 2-2
First Goal: 01/04/1944 v Walsall (A) Midland Cup, drew 2-2

Last Competitive Albion Appearance: 06/05/1944 v Nottingham Forest (A) Midland Cup, won 4-3
Last Goal: 06/05/1944 v Nottingham Forest (A) Midland Cup, won 4-3
Left Albion: May 1944

BIOGRAPHY

London-born, but with Scottish and Russian ancestry, John 'Jack' Acquroff started his career playing for Willesden Polytechnic before being snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur. He signed professional terms with the North London club but failed to make the first team during his time there. After leaving White Hart Lane he continued his career back on the non-league circuit, first with Northfleet, who at the time acted as a nursery club for Spurs, and then Folkestone, with whom he was spotted by Second Division Hull City playing in an FA Cup tie against Margate at Highbury.

Jack joined the Tigers in November 1934 for a fee of £250 and spent just under two years at Anlaby Road, scoring a respectable 25 goals in 72 first team appearances. He joined fellow Second Division side Bury in October 1936 and again his record was good, hitting 16 goals in 58 appearances during a two year stay at Gigg Lane. February 1939 saw him join Norwich City for whom he quickly impressed, but six months later the outbreak of the Second World War would basically end his playing career. Jack signed up with the Royal Air Force as a PE instructor in September 1940, eventually progressing to the rank of sergeant. He would play in a number of representative games for the RAF during hostilities.

During the war, Jack remained contracted to Norwich but like numerous players he 'guested' for a number of other clubs, amongst them the Baggies. His time at The Hawthorns was short, playing just five games towards the end of the 1943/44 season, but his contribution was an important one, scoring twice in the second leg of the Wartime Midland Cup Final against Nottingham Forest to help Albion to a 6-5 aggregate win.

Along with his wife and two young daughters, Jack emigrated to Australia in November 1949 to start a new life but his involvement in football would continue - he played for Tasmanian clubs Metro and Caledonians as well as representing the state in a number of games before finally retiring at the age of 49. In later years he became involved in coaching youngsters as well as continuing to play in the occasional friendly game, remarkably playing his last match at the age of 71.

CLUB CAREER

WILLESDEN POLYTECHNIC (c.1930, statistics unknown)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (1931, 0 appearances)
NORTHFLEET (c.1932, statistics unknown)
FOLKESTONE (c.1933, statistics unknown)
HULL CITY (20/11/1934 - 27/10/1936, 72 appearances, 25 goals, joined for £250)
BURY (27/10/1936 - 11/1938, 58 appearances, 16 goals)
NORWICH CITY (11/1938 - 1945, 22 appearances, 7 goals)
BIRMINGHAM CITY (1942 - 1944 wartime guest, 44 appearances, 10 goals)
ALBION (1944 wartime guest, 5 appearances, 5 goals)
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (1944 - 1945 wartime guest, 24 appearances, 18 goals)
WALSALL (1945  wartime guest, 1 appearance)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (1945 wartime guest, 2 appearances, 2 goals)
METRO (AUSTRALIA) (1950s, statistics unknown)
CALEDONIANS (AUSTRALIA) (1950s, statistics unknown)

REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS

R.A.F. XI (wartime, statistics unknown)
SOUTH TASMANIA (AUSTRALIA) (dates unknown, statistics unknown)
TASMANIA STATE (AUSTRALIA) (dates unknown, statistics unknown)

ALBION STATISTICS

(click on a season for overview of games played and goals scored)

COMPETITIVE FIRST TEAM APPEARANCES:

GOALS: