Former Keeper Jackson Dies Friday, 30th Dec 2022 14:12 Former Town keeper John Jackson died yesterday, aged 80. Hammersmith-born Jackson joined the Blues from Millwall in the summer of 1981 and spent a year at the club as back-up to Paul Cooper with Laurie Sivell recovering from a knee operation. Jackson, then aged 39, made only one senior appearance during his spell with Town in the April 1982 2-1 home victory over Manchester United at Portman Road with the Blues on their way to second in the First Division and received a standing ovation for his performance. Manager Bobby Robson said: “We have paid him a year's salary to make those saves, but it was worth it!” John Gidman put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute but John Wark netted on 36 and 75 to claim the points. Jackson, who won England youth international caps and appeared for a Football League XI earlier in his career, found out he might be playing from Robson the previous day. “I’ve been around too long to let nerves get the better of me,” he told the Town programme for the following home match. “To be honest, I didn’t really expect to play but once it was confirmed I didn’t bother too much, I was just worried in case I made a terrible mistake which might cost us the game. “When John Gidman beat me with that long-range shot I thought to myself, ‘Here we go. First touch and I’m picking the ball out of the net’. “But after that the defence kept me well protected and I didn’t really have that much to do. I was pleased when I did have a save to make that I didn’t drop a clanger.” He added: “Years from now I’ll look upon that game as one of the highlights of my career. Last summer I never expected to be joining Ipswich and although I’ve only played that one first-team game, I still regard it as quite a bonus. “There aren’t many who can say they made their First Division debut at the age of 39. It’s really a bit of a fairytale!” Having played youth football for Brentford and Crystal Palace it was with the Eagles where he made his breakthrough, going on to make 388 senior appearances between 1964 and 1973, 222 of them in consecutive games, and earning the nickname ‘Stonewall’. Six years and 256 appearances with Leyton Orient followed in which he played in the 1978 FA Cup semi-final defeat to the Blues' Wembley opponents Arsenal - as well as loan stints in the US with the St Louis Stars and California Surf - before he moved on to Millwall in 1979. Following his year with the Blues, Jackson joined Hereford United for one more season before retiring and working as keeper-coach at Brighton and also in golf, for a magazine and selling equipment, and for a spell as a courier for Lewes District Council.
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