User:Itops/Jock Sorley

Jock (John) Sorley was born in Muirkirk in Scotland on 26th February 1870 and died in 1945. His farther Andrew McSorley a Master Tailor, changed the family name from McSorley to Sorley sometime prior to Jock's birth. Jock's father was to later change the family name again from Sorley to McSorland and Jock's children although officially born Sorley's subsequently adopted the new family name of McSorland.

Jock Sorley was arguably considered to be one of the first stars of Newcastle United who captained Newcastle East End before they became Newcastle United. Jock played in the position of centre forward and played in NUFC's first league match against Arsenal and scored the club's second League goal, an equaliser in a 2-2 draw with a strong hearder following a free-kick into the box.

Newcastle United struggled for money and Jock was given the choice of having a pay cut and staying at the club, or moving on. He refused and move initially to Middlesbrough where he did not appear in a game and then onto Blackburn Rovers, Burton Swifts and then finally finishing his football career at Hebburn Argyle.

On his departure from Newcastle United he was handed "a handsome gold medal" as a souvenir of his time with the club"

Jock's first son Andrew Sorley was born in 1894 and on the birth certificate it shows his father's occupation to be that of a "Professional Foot - Ball player"

At Ewood Park Sorley did reasonably well as Rovers finished in 4th and 5th positions in the season 1893 and 1894-1895. He operated mainly as a centre forward at Blackburn. Jock also appeared in the FA Cup sem-final against Notts County in 1894 (lost 0-1). He scored 9-1 demolition of Small Heath (now Birmingham City) January 1895.

Sorley liked Tyneside, and moved back to the region when he joined non-league club Hebburn Argyle, then a noted team in the Northern Alliance. By then he in the veteran stage of his career although still stood out for Argyle and helped them lift the Alliance title trophy in 1897, netting some 30 goals in the process.

Jock's second son William, another promising footballing talent, career was to be cut short through a tragic mining accident which left him with both legs crushed. During William's two hear spell in hospital William McSorland was to become friendly with the Shankly brothers as Bob Shankley was in the next bed.

In 1899 it appears he retired from the game and by 1904 Jock's occupation on his children's birth certificates is listed as Coal Miner and then Railway Surfaceman.