Best: Jeremiah (Jerry)

1920-1920 (Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Mickley, Northumberland: 23-01-1901

Debut v Port Vale (a): 28-08-1920

5’10” 10st 7lb (1920)

A member of a big Northumberland football family, Best appeared in United’s first ever League game. He joined Newcastle United from Mickley Colliery Welfare in December 1919. He only played the two games for Newcastle and being unable to establish himself as a regular first-team member moved on to the newly formed Leeds United. Leeds paid £100 for him in July 1920, after they remembered him playing as a Wartime guest with Huddersfield Town. At Leeds he played in their first ever league game at Port Vale on 28th August 1920, which Vale won 2-0, and he scored in their first-ever victory on Saturday, 4th September 1920, a 3-1 win, again against Port Vale but this time at Elland Road. Matt Ellson scored a brace and Best scored the other. It being rather ironic that the first game and first victory were against Port Vale for it was they who replaced Leeds United predecessors, Leeds City, in the league when City were expelled. He was soon ousted by Basil Wood and then played with Providence Clamdiggers, New Bedford Whalers, Fall River Marksmen, Pawtucket Rangers and again New Bedford Whalers in USA. He re-entered the Football League with Clapham Orient in August 1931. All-in-all Best had a varied football career, both in England and in North America. He joined Darlington in October 1933, where he played one hundred and fifteen games for the Quakers and scored a remarkable seventy-two goals. He had his final League season with Hull City, joining them in October 1936. He later played Non-League for Hexham. His brother Robert played for Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He died in Darlington in early 1975.