Jesse Whatley
Encyclopedia
Jesse Winter Whatley was an association footballer who spent his entire professional career at Bristol Rovers
.
Known as "Gentleman Jess" through his footballing career, Whatley started playing competitive football in the British Army
and represented an Egypt
ian Army XI in games against Belgium and France
. While in the Army he served in the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment
during World War I
. Following the war he joined Trowbridge Town
in August 1919, and after just two months playing in the Wiltshire League
he was snapped up by Southern League
side Bristol Rovers
.
Despite conceding five goals to Norwich City
on his Rovers debut he went on to become a first team regular for The Pirates, playing in 246 consecutive League games between August 1922 and April 1928, a Football League
record for most consecutive games that stood until 1953. By the time he retired from professional football in 1930 he had played 386 League games for Rovers; 14 in the Southern League and 372 in the Football League. He continued playing non-League football
in Bristol
for a further two years, for Stapleton Institute and Mental Institution Club, later moving into coaching, becoming coach of Fry's
Cocoa Tree Boys in 1937. In 1939 he was appointed as manager of Downend Football Club, and two years later he took charge of Soundwell
.
Following the end of his playing days he worked on a farm in Westerleigh
, Gloucestershire
.
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
.
Known as "Gentleman Jess" through his footballing career, Whatley started playing competitive football in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and represented an Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Army XI in games against Belgium and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. While in the Army he served in the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment
Wiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Following the war he joined Trowbridge Town
Trowbridge Town F.C.
Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:...
in August 1919, and after just two months playing in the Wiltshire League
Wiltshire Football League
The Wiltshire Football League is a football league based in England. It has two divisions, headed by the Premier Division which sits at level 11 of the English football league system...
he was snapped up by Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
side Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
.
Despite conceding five goals to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
on his Rovers debut he went on to become a first team regular for The Pirates, playing in 246 consecutive League games between August 1922 and April 1928, a 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...
record for most consecutive games that stood until 1953. By the time he retired from professional football in 1930 he had played 386 League games for Rovers; 14 in the Southern League and 372 in the Football League. He continued playing non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
for a further two years, for Stapleton Institute and Mental Institution Club, later moving into coaching, becoming coach of Fry's
J. S. Fry & Sons
J. S. Fry & Sons, Ltd. was a British chocolate company owned by Joseph Storrs Fry and his family.This business moved through several names and hands before ending up as J. S. Fry & Sons.- History :*circa 1759 — Joseph Fry starts making chocolate...
Cocoa Tree Boys in 1937. In 1939 he was appointed as manager of Downend Football Club, and two years later he took charge of Soundwell
Soundwell F.C.
Soundwell Football Club was an association football club who played in Soundwell, near Bristol. The club is now defunuct, but competed in the Western League and the FA Cup in the 1940s and 1950s....
.
Following the end of his playing days he worked on a farm in Westerleigh
Westerleigh
Westerleigh is a village and parish in South Gloucestershire, England near the edge of the Cotswold hills. The village is located between Yate and Bristol, nearby villages include Nibley, Wapley, Iron Acton, Coalpit Heath and Codrington.-Background:...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
Career statistics
The table below shows Whatley's league appearances in each season. Cup games are not counted here.| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919–20 | Trowbridge Town Trowbridge Town F.C. Trowbridge Town F.C. are a football club based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and they play at Woodmarsh on the southern edge of the town. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.-History:... |
Wiltshire League Wiltshire Football League The Wiltshire Football League is a football league based in England. It has two divisions, headed by the Premier Division which sits at level 11 of the English football league system... |
? | ? |
| Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Southern League Southern Football League The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales... First Division |
14 | 0 | |
| 1920–21 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League Third Division Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
39 | 0 |
| 1921–22 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
20 | 0 |
| 1922–23 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
42 | 0 |
| 1923–24 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
42 | 0 |
| 1924–25 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
42 | 0 |
| 1925–26 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
42 | 0 |
| 1926–27 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
42 | 0 |
| 1927–28 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
36 | 0 |
| 1928–29 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
41 | 0 |
| 1922–23 | Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city.... |
Football League 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.... |
26 | 0 |