Former Town striker John O’Rourke died in hospital in Dorset on Thursday aged 71 after battling liver cancer.

O’Rourke joined the Blues from Middlesbrough for £30,000 in February 1968 for the final months of the Division Two championship-winning season and went on to score 31 goals in 72 appearances for Town before departing for Coventry City for £80,000 in November 1969.

Northampton-born O’Rourke was a youth player with Arsenal and then spent time with Chelsea before breaking into senior football with Luton in 1963 before joining Boro three years later.

After his spell with the Sky Blues, he spent time with QPR, AFC Bournemouth, Poole Town, South African side Johannesburg Rangers, Weymouth and Dorchester Town. Following his retirement, he ran a newsagents on the south coast.

Photo: Action Images

itsonlyme added 16:25 - Jul 8 What sad news! I remember John well and his goal scoring record for us was phenomenal! Oh how we could do with his talents now! RIP John.
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Radlett_blue added 16:53 - Jul 8 Was a great, promotion-clinching signing. Thought he left Town quite abruptly & suspect there was some falling-out with the manager; think he left when McGarry was still in charge but he was by all accounts an easy man with whom to fall out.
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oldburian added 17:08 - Jul 8 Yes, very underrated by many but knew where the net was.
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minesapint added 17:10 - Jul 8 A great goal poacher who formed a good strike partnership with Ray Crawford, but he wouldn't have got a game under MM because he was far too idle to chase back and give the defenders a hand.
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PJH added 17:19 - Jul 8 R.I.P John. He and Peter Morris were important signings in the later part of our 1967/68 Promotion season.A good player for us.
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legoman added 17:31 - Jul 8 minesapint He didnt need to chase back. We had Chopper Jefferson.
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Colin_Viljoen added 18:29 - Jul 8 "He's here, he's there, he's every f**king where, John O'Rourke, John O'Rourke" RIP John
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Sporall added 18:33 - Jul 8 What a goal scoring record he had for us. RIP John
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therein61 added 18:40 - Jul 8 R.I.P John the £30,000 we paid for him was money well spent as he gave Ray Crawford so much support and his overall contribution in 67/68 was immense coupled with the "Diesel Morris" addition we gained promotion in what was one of the most exciting seasons I've had as a Town fan home and away we were a joy to watch Mick!!!! the irony is that Bill Mcgarry our manager thought Wolves were a bigger club and resigned only to ring John Cobbold up after a few weeks wanting to come back to us but we had appointed a certain Mr Robson as our new manager who took us on levels that I'm afraid Bill would not have touched!!!!

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Portman51 added 18:44 - Jul 8 His 12 goals over the last 15 games of the 67-68 season, along with the signing of Peter Morris in midfield, were instrumental in getting us up to the top flight that year. RIP John and thanks for the memories.
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Blue_badge added 19:17 - Jul 8 He also scored our first goal the following season I believe, in our opening match - could be wrong. But whatever, he has a place in the hearts of those who remember his time with us, my hero as a teenager wish he'd stayed longer.
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brassy added 19:21 - Jul 8 RIP John seem to remember his brother Ken also played for us.
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dalinghooblue added 19:50 - Jul 8 A whole hearted player. Remember seeing him score both goals in a 2-0 win at Portsmouth. Rest in Peace.
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Surco72 added 20:11 - Jul 8 Dont remember him playing for Town but do remember watching him as a kid playing for my local team Dorchester , he was playing in midfield then . It was a good side with two young players Graham Roberts and Trevor Senior ,title winners I think .RIP John
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Wussinwhiteboots added 20:28 - Jul 8 So sorry to hear of his passing. I never saw him play as he was slightly before my time, so my memory of him would have been from staring at the town page in my brothers Soccer Stars sticker book. Is there any chance that someone out there can post a picture of him on hear for me ( if it doesn't infringe copyright, obviously)?
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muhrensleftfoot added 20:38 - Jul 8 My favourite play as a young lad supporting Town. Disappointed when he went to Coventry for "bigger and better things". Don't think we would have been promoted without his goals in 1968. Thanks John for the memories RIP
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blueboy1981 added 21:02 - Jul 8 R.I.P. John. Some great memories. Condolences to Family, Friends and past Colleagues.
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Crawfordsboot added 21:19 - Jul 8 Mineseapint Almost an anagram of mean spirit.! A man dies and you use it to have a snipe at MM - and the season hasn't yet started. You really are one sad xxxxxxx!
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minesapint added 23:56 - Jul 8 Crawfordsboot Reading comprehension is obviously not your strong point. I was not having a go at MM, who has done a terrific job in turning round a Town tem destined for relegation. I saw John O'Rourke on many occasions and, although he was a fox in the box, he really was a lazy player outside that box. I don't remember anyone disagreeing with that assessment in the late 60s. McGarry certainly didn't. Relax. Take a drop of Valium if necessary.

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EatonBlue added 00:25 - Jul 9 I am fortunate enough to have seen him play for Town in the McGarry era. Before that, when he was a youth player in London, he came to stay at my mum's B&B near Great Yarmouth and my job was to buy him some special fruit juice from the local shop each day. A lovely man. RIP John.
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alsagerblue added 06:51 - Jul 9 I was 16 when he signed for Town and started going to away games on the Supporters coach or the Blue Arrow trains. Football violence had really kicked in then, both inside and outside the ground! John actually scored more goals away from home than home ones, including both goals in a 2 nil victory at Coventry. He will always have a special place as one of my Town heroes. RIP John.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:44 - Jul 9 R.I.P John. £30,000 on a player nearly 50 years ago, money well spent by all accounts. Hope Evans see's this and wakes up! Most of our team hasnt cost a penny in transfer fees.
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corfu72 added 08:14 - Jul 9 How very sad to hear of the death of John.He was an extremely nice and approachable person.A great goal scorer Who joined Town halfway through the season and his goals helped us to get promotion.I can remember we were playing away at C. Palace on a night match and we went 2-1 up and they put the score up on theTelevision showing John had scored.My thoughts are with him at this family at this very sad time.

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budgieplucker added 08:59 - Jul 9 A great signing for Town at the time by Bill McGarry. I seem to recollect that he never quite hit it off with Bobby Robson, hence departing not long after we got promoted. I seem to recall reading in Bobby 's memoirs somewhere that John O Rourke used to chat to the opposition centre halves during the game asking what they were being paid and then telling the town team at halftime they were earning a lot more than town players infuriating Bobby. Bearing in mind there was much more parity in wages then and this was only a little more than a handful of years after Jimmy Hill as chairman of the PFA got the £20 a week pay cap for professional footballers lifted. Those were the days.

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OldClactonBlue added 11:03 - Jul 9 Sad news, he was a big factor in our promotion in 68. Those were the days!
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