Kirton: John (Jock)

WW2 Guest: 1943-1944 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Wing Half

Born: Aberdeen: 04-03-1916

Debut: v Doncaster Rovers (a): 23-10-1943

Height & Weight: Unknown

After starting with local Junior sides St Marchers and Banks o' Dee, Kirton signed for First Division Stoke City in November 1935. By the time World War Two brought a halt to the Football League fixtures he had played fifty-seven League games and seven games in the F.A. Cup. In the War years he was a guest with Leeds United in the 1943-44 Football League Northern Section and played four times in the First Championship and twice in the Second Championship. He made his debut at Right Half in the 3-3 draw in the away fixture with Doncaster Rovers on 23rd October 1943. Three games later he was at Left Half in the 2-2 draw with Bradford Park Avenue at Elland Road and then played in both of the last two games of the campaign against Huddersfield Town, at Left Half as United went down 0-3 at Elland Road and at Right Half as they repeated the score-line at Leeds Road. In the Second Championship he played on Boxing Day in the first game at Bradford Park Avenue at Right Half as United went down 1-2 and then in the final game at Halifax Town at Left Half in a 2-5 defeat at The Shay. He returned to Stoke City after the War and played for them until July 1953 when he signed for Bradford City. In that period he Captained Stoke and scored twice in one hundred and sixty-two League games and also played another twenty-three F.A. Cup ties. A total of two goals in two hundred and nineteen League and thirty F.A, Cup games. He only stayed at Valley Parade for one season and made eight League appearances before going into Non-League football with Hinckley Athletic and then Downings Tileries before retiring. He was capped for Scotland once in War Internationals at Left Half at Wembley in a 6-2 win for England on 19th February 1944. He died in 1996.