Jackie Blanchflower facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Blanchflower | ||
| Date of birth | 7 March 1933 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 2 September 1998 (aged 65) | ||
| Place of death | Stalybridge, England | ||
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Half back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1949–1951 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1951–1958 | Manchester United | 105 | (26) |
| National team | |||
| 1954–1958 | Northern Ireland | 12 | (1) |
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John Blanchflower (born March 7, 1933 – died September 2, 1998) was a talented footballer from Northern Ireland. He grew up playing in the youth system of Manchester United. He played 117 games for the club and helped them win a league title.
Sadly, his football career ended early because of serious injuries. These injuries happened during the Munich air disaster. Jackie also played for his country, Northern Ireland, 12 times. He was the younger brother of another famous footballer, Danny Blanchflower. Danny was the captain of the Tottenham Hotspur team that was very successful in the early 1960s.
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Jackie Blanchflower's Football Journey
Playing for Manchester United
Jackie Blanchflower played his first professional game for Manchester United on November 24, 1951. It was an away game against Liverpool at their home ground, Anfield.
He became a regular player in the 1953–54 season. During this time, he played in 27 out of 42 league games. He scored 13 goals while playing as an "inside-forward," which is a type of attacking player.
Jackie helped Manchester United win the league title in 1956. However, he didn't get a winner's medal in 1957. This was because he only played in 11 games that season. His teammates called him "Twiggy" because he was known for being able to play in many different positions.
He started his career as a "left-half," a midfield position. But then Duncan Edwards, another great player, started playing there. So, Jackie moved to play as a forward. The Manchester United manager, Matt Busby, saw that Jackie was good at finding the right spot on the field and was strong in the air. Because of this, he decided to play Jackie as a "centre-half," which is a defensive position, by the 1955–56 season.
Jackie even played as a goalkeeper for a short time in the 1957 FA Cup final. This happened when their regular goalkeeper, Ray Wood, got hurt. United lost that game 2–1 to Aston Villa. Jackie also played in some of United's first games in the European Cup, which is a big competition for top European clubs. He scored 27 goals in total during his time at the club, mostly when he played as a forward.
The Munich Air Disaster
On February 6, 1958, the Manchester United team was flying back from a European Cup game in Belgrade. Their plane stopped in Munich, Germany, to refuel. The weather was very bad, and the plane crashed while trying to take off from Munich airport.
Out of 44 people on board, 23 were killed. Jackie Blanchflower was very badly injured. He suffered broken bones in his pelvis, arms, and legs. His kidneys were also crushed, and his right arm was almost torn off. He stayed in the hospital for two months. Doctors even thought he might not survive, but he did.
After the crash, Jackie tried to play football again. But he never fully recovered from his injuries. Doctors told him it was too risky to play because of his kidney. So, a year later, Jackie Blanchflower had to retire from football. He was only 24 years old when his career ended. He had played over 100 games for Manchester United and earned 12 "caps" (appearances) for Northern Ireland.
Jackie's Life After Football
Life After Injury
After his injury forced him to stop playing, Jackie Blanchflower faced a tough time. Like many players, he lived in a house owned by the club. His wife, Jean, later shared that they were told they had to leave the house. She said that Manchester United was not very supportive after the crash.
By January 1959, Jackie was looking for work. He was offered a job loading pies onto lorries at a meat factory, but he didn't take it. He worked in different jobs for a while. Later, he found success as an "after-dinner speaker," sharing stories and entertaining people at events.
Family and Later Life
Jackie married his wife, Jean, in 1956. He decided to study finance and became an accountant. This was a new career for him after football. He also became a popular after-dinner speaker, which he continued to do regularly.
Jackie Blanchflower passed away from cancer on September 2, 1998. He was 65 years old. Just two weeks before he died, he attended a special match at Old Trafford to remember the Munich air disaster. He was survived by his wife, Jean, and their three children. Jean passed away in 2002 after a long illness. Jackie had outlived his older brother, Danny, who died in 1993.
