George William John Leslie (9 July 1907 – 22 November 1986) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre-half in the Football League for Walsall. Leslie was also on the books at Charlton Athletic but failed to make a first-team appearance. He additionally featured for Slough Town, Red Star Olympique in Paris, France, Guildford City and Colchester United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George William John Leslie[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 July 1907[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Slough, England | ||
| Date of death | 22 November 1986 (aged 79)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Colchester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Slough Town | |||
| 1930–? | Charlton Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| Red Star Olympique | |||
| 1932–1936 | Walsall | 88 | (2) |
| 1936–1937 | Guildford City | ||
| 1937–1939 | Colchester United | 65 | (0) |
| Total | 153 | (2) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editBorn in Slough, Leslie began his career with Slough Town[2] before making a move to Charlton Athletic in 1930. He failed to break into the first-team, instead opting to move to France to ply his trade,[1] featuring for Paris-based Red Star Olympique.[3] He returned to England in 1932, joining up with Football League club Walsall.[1] With Walsall, Leslie featured in an FA Cup giant killing when his Third Division North side defeated First Division Arsenal 2–0 in the third round of the 1932–33 competition.[4]
Leslie would go on to make 88 Football League appearances for Walsall, scoring twice before drifting back into non-league football with Guildford City. Colchester United manager Ted Davis signed him from Guildford for the newly formed Southern League club in the summer of 1937.[1] Leslie made his debut for the U's in their first-ever professional match on 28 August 1937 as Colchester fell to a 3–0 defeat to Yeovil & Petters United at the Huish.[5] Leslie suffered from a string of injury problems while with Colchester as he was required to undergo a cartilage operation in May 1938, and suffered further setbacks in October 1938, requiring further fitness training at Highbury, London. On his return to first-team action, Leslie was named club captain, having been voted as the best centre-half in the Southern League for the 1937–38 campaign. He was just behind Jack Hodge in becoming the first player for the club to reach 100 first-team appearances.[1] Leslie ended his time with Colchester during the 1939–40 season, when the league was abandoned due to the onset of World War II. He made his final appearance in a 0–0 draw against Ipswich Town Reserves on 2 September 1939,[6] bringing his total appearances to 102 in all competitions.[2]
Following the war, Leslie assisted fellow former Colchester United player Cecil Allan in running the Colchester Casuals junior side.[1]
Death
editLeslie died in Colchester at the age of 79 on 22 November 1986.[1][2]
Honours
edit- Colchester United
- 1937–38 Southern League Cup winner
- 1937–38 Southern Football League Mid-Week section runner-up
- 1938–39 Southern Football League winner
- 1938–39 Southern Football League Mid-Week section runner-up
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
- ^ a b c d e "George Leslie". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "The French Menace; the migration of British players to France in the 1930s" (PDF). Soccer History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "All time greatest F A cup giant killings Number 13". The Giant Killers. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Yeovil & Petters United 3–0 Colchester Utd". The Giant Killers. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Colchester Utd 0–0 Ipswich Town Reserves". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Southern League Cup". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Southern League". Coludaybyday.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2014.