Bert Jepson
Encyclopedia
Albert Edward Jepson was an English footballer who played as an outside right for Southampton
and Brighton & Hove Albion
in the 1920s and 1930s.
, near Castleford
in West Yorkshire
and after leaving school worked in the coalmines, playing football with Frickley Colliery F.C.
He was a late-comer to professional football and it was just after his 25th birthday that he was taken on by Huddersfield Town
in May 1927. At that time Huddersfield were one of the top English football clubs, having won the Football League
for three consecutive seasons in the mid-1920s, finishing as runners-up in 1926–27. With Scottish international Alex Jackson
well-established at No. 7, Jepson had to content himself with a year in the reserves as Huddersfield again finished the season as League runners-up, coupled with a trip to Wembley for the 1928 FA Cup Final
, where they were defeated 3–1 by Blackburn Rovers
.
's manager Arthur Chadwick
started to re-build a side that had finished a disappointing 17th in the Second Division
in the previous season. Jepson went straight into the first team, making his debut in the opening match of the 1928–29 season, a 2–2 draw at Hull City
. Jepson was injured in that match, and had to sit out the next two matches, before settling in to the outside right position.
In December 1928, he lost his place to Bobby Weale
, who had just been signed from Swindon Town
for a then club record of £1,000 Jepson regained his place at the end of March, playing in five of the last seven matches of the season, scoring three goals, as the "Saints" improved their league performance with a fourth-place finish.
Weale was back in favour for the start of the 1929–30 season, but by mid-season his form had become erratic and Jepson was recalled to the side in March, playing in the last nine matches, scoring three goals which came in three successive matches in April. With Weale leaving The Dell in the summer of 1930, Jepson made the No. 7 shirt his own, missing only two matches during the 1930–31 season, in which the Saints finished in mid-table.
Jepson again started the following season on the right, scoring in the opening match of the season, but an injury in November put him out for several weeks, before returning for a further four games in January, when he was again injured. During his absences from the side, manager George Kay
tried seven different players on the right wing, before Dick Neal
was signed in February. Neal's arrival brought Jepson's career with Southampton to an end, and although he was happy to remain with the club, he was put on the transfer list at a fee of £500. With no offers at this fee, he was given a free transfer to Fulham
in June 1932 (together with fellow forwards Bill Fraser
and Arthur Haddleton
) having made 95 appearances for the Saints, scoring 18 goals.
In May 1933, he returned to the south coast, joining Brighton & Hove Albion
where he played two seasons in the Third Division South
before retiring in 1935.
After retiring from football, he became the manager of the Belgravia Dairy
in Brighton
. During World War II
, he guested for Port Vale
and Swansea Town, and in 1948, now aged 45, he was granted a special permit to join Sussex League
side Hove as their player-coach.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in the 1920s and 1930s.
Huddersfield Town
Jepson was born in GlasshoughtonGlasshoughton
Glasshoughton is an area of Castleford in West Yorkshire, England, that borders on Pontefract. It is home to the Xscape indoor ski slope and leisure centre, the Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Village, a DIY superstore, a hotel, a pub and a number of fast food restaurants, which were built on the site...
, near Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and after leaving school worked in the coalmines, playing football with Frickley Colliery F.C.
Frickley Athletic F.C.
Frickley Athletic F.C. are a football club based in South Elmsall, in West Yorkshire, England. They were established in 1910 as Frickley Colliery F.C., and changed to their present name in 1974.-History:...
He was a late-comer to professional football and it was just after his 25th birthday that he was taken on by Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in May 1927. At that time Huddersfield were one of the top English football clubs, having won the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for three consecutive seasons in the mid-1920s, finishing as runners-up in 1926–27. With Scottish international Alex Jackson
Alex Jackson
Alexander Skinner Jackson was a Scottish footballer.Alex Jackson was born in Renton in 1905. A highly-talented winger, known as the Gay Cavalier, he was particularly adept at dribbling and free kicks. He initially played for Renton Victoria Football Club but was transferred to Dumbarton F.C. in...
well-established at No. 7, Jepson had to content himself with a year in the reserves as Huddersfield again finished the season as League runners-up, coupled with a trip to Wembley for the 1928 FA Cup Final
1928 FA Cup Final
The 1928 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. Blackburn won 3–1, with goals from Jack Roscamp and Tommy McLean...
, where they were defeated 3–1 by Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
.
Southampton
In August 1928, Jepson was one of seven new signings as SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
's manager Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick was a professional footballer whose playing career included spells at Portsmouth and Southampton, before going on to be manager at Exeter City, Reading and Southampton...
started to re-build a side that had finished a disappointing 17th in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in the previous season. Jepson went straight into the first team, making his debut in the opening match of the 1928–29 season, a 2–2 draw at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
. Jepson was injured in that match, and had to sit out the next two matches, before settling in to the outside right position.
In December 1928, he lost his place to Bobby Weale
Bobby Weale
Robert Henry "Bobby" Weale was a Welsh footballer who played as an outside right for various clubs in England and Wales in the 1920s and 1930s.-West Ham United:...
, who had just been signed from Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
for a then club record of £1,000 Jepson regained his place at the end of March, playing in five of the last seven matches of the season, scoring three goals, as the "Saints" improved their league performance with a fourth-place finish.
Weale was back in favour for the start of the 1929–30 season, but by mid-season his form had become erratic and Jepson was recalled to the side in March, playing in the last nine matches, scoring three goals which came in three successive matches in April. With Weale leaving The Dell in the summer of 1930, Jepson made the No. 7 shirt his own, missing only two matches during the 1930–31 season, in which the Saints finished in mid-table.
Jepson again started the following season on the right, scoring in the opening match of the season, but an injury in November put him out for several weeks, before returning for a further four games in January, when he was again injured. During his absences from the side, manager George Kay
George Kay
George Kay was an English football player and manager of Luton Town, Southampton and Liverpool.The highlight of his playing career was when he captained West Ham United in the first FA Cup final to be played at Wembley, the so-called White Horse Final.He was manager of Liverpool for 15 years and...
tried seven different players on the right wing, before Dick Neal
Dick Neal, Sr.
Richard Marshall "Dick" Neal was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He spent most of his career at Blackpool and Southampton.-Playing career:...
was signed in February. Neal's arrival brought Jepson's career with Southampton to an end, and although he was happy to remain with the club, he was put on the transfer list at a fee of £500. With no offers at this fee, he was given a free transfer to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in June 1932 (together with fellow forwards Bill Fraser
Bill Fraser (footballer)
William Cuthbert Fraser was an English professional footballer who played at inside forward for Northampton Town and Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Early career:...
and Arthur Haddleton
Arthur Haddleton
Arthur Haddleton was an English footballer who played as a centre forward for various clubs in the 1930s. Despite showing promise in the early part of his career, he eventually achieved very little, although he did score in eight consecutive matches in 1931.-Early days:Haddleton was born in...
) having made 95 appearances for the Saints, scoring 18 goals.
Later career
At Fulham, he found his favoured place at outside right occupied by another international, Welshman Billy Richards, and spent a frustrating season in the reserves.In May 1933, he returned to the south coast, joining Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
where he played two seasons in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
before retiring in 1935.
After retiring from football, he became the manager of the Belgravia Dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he guested for Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
and Swansea Town, and in 1948, now aged 45, he was granted a special permit to join Sussex League
Sussex County Football League
The Sussex County Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.Formed in 1920, the league now has six divisions - three for first teams and three for reserve sides...
side Hove as their player-coach.