User:Jack Trainer (Footballer)/sandbox

Jack Trainer (born 14 July 1952) is a Scottish former football player and coach. Jack Trainer was one of the first of three professionals to play in Asia when Hong Kong introduced professional football in 1970.}He arrived in September 1970 along with fellow Scotsmen, Walter Gerrard and Derek Currie to play for Rangers. He then moved to South Africa and spent 10 months with Arcadia Shepherds before returning to Rangers in Hongkong and then moving onto Eastern. In 1973 he transferred from Eastern to Seiko SA, who are regarded as the most successful team ever to play in Hongkong. He moved to Cork Hibernians in 1975 before signing with Halifax Town in the football league in 1976 where he remained for 3 seasons making 105 appearances and scoring 5 league goals. He once again returned to Hongkong with Bulova in 1979 and then returned to the football league for a brief period with Bury FC before moving to KPV in Finland. He had brief periods with Waterford and Rochdale before ending his Career at Morecambe playing non-league football

PLAYING CAREER Trainer progressed through the Glasgow Amateur ranks to turn professional with Rangers in Hongkong in 1970 following a trial at Douglas Park, the home of Hamilton Academicals. One of three Glasgow born players to sign for the club managed by another Glaswegian Ian Petrie the club won the league and cup double in their first season of the new professional league in Hongkong. The highlight of that season 1970 – 1971 was representing the Hongkong League team against Santos of Brazil in December 1970 and playing against Pele. On his return to Glasgow he was invited to sign for Arcadia Shepherds in Pretoria, South Africa by Kai Johansen ex Glasgow Rangers full back who was managing Arcadia Shepherds in Pretoria, South Africa and spent a period of the 1971 – 1972 season playing in the National League before returning to Hongkong Rangers for the latter part of the 1971-1972 season. He spent the 1972 – 1973 season with Eastern (Hongkong) and in season 1973 – 1974 was transferred to Seiko SA (Hongkong) once again re-uniting with Walter Gerrard and Derek Currie from his earlier days at Rangers in what was a very successful period for the club, winning the Senior Shield and coming league runners-up in 1973 – 1974 and league and cup winners in 1974 – 1975. He played for the Hongkong Overseas X1 against Benfica and the great man Eusabio in a 3-1 loss at the Hongkong Stadium Trainer then joined Cork Hibernians in 1975 – 1976 and played alongside Rodney Marsh who played on a match to match basis towards the end of that season. Cork finished the season with a 3 week tour of America playing 11 games coast to coast and playing in the clubs last and final game on 11th June 1976 against Yankees at East Haven, Conneticut before the club disbanded. Trainer joined Alan Ball senior’s Halifax Town in 1975 – 1976 and was an ever present in the team that season. Jimmy Lawson took over as player/manager in 197 – 1978 and then George Kirby in 1978 – 1979. He left Halifax in 1979 after a 3 year period having made 105 league appearances and scoring 5 league goals. He once again returned to Bulova (Hongkong) in 1979 – 1980 teaming up with Terry Conroy (ex Stoke City) and once again representing the Hongkong League X1 in a 2-1 win against Peru National team however after one season returned to England and signed for Jim Iley’s Bury FC 1980 – 1981 scoring on his debut for the “Shakers” in a home win against Torquay United. Due to injuries sustained in his second game for Bury against Airdrie in the Anglo Scottish cup first leg he left the club having only played one league game Trainer had further periods abroad with KPV in Finland in 1981 – 1982 before returning to Rochdale FC on a month to month contract making 7 league appearances however he did not see eye to eye with the manager Peter Madden and left the club by mutual agreement. He then played for Waterford on a game to game basis alongside his ex teamate from Bulova Terry Conroy and under the managership of Tommy Jackson ex Manchester United player. Trainer then moved to playing non- league football with Morecambe in 1982 1983 before finally retiring as a player in December 1983.

COACHING CAREER Trainer gained his FA Advanced Coaching Licence at Lilleshall in 1992 and achieved the EUFA A Licence in 2006. He successfully completed the FA Academy Managers Licence in 2009 and has been an FA Licenced Tutor delivering FA and EUFA accredited coaching courses since 1991 He joined Bolton Wanderers FC in 1997 as an Academy Coach coaching the under 16s and later took up a role as Coach Education Manager in 2004 with responsibility to develop football education programmes and FA coaching courses. He left the club in 2014 after a period of 18 years. He currently works at UCFB Etihad as a coach educator, delivering on their practical coaching degree courses and continues to deliver FA courses for Manchester FA as an Affiliate Tutor

REFERENCES clarkechroniclersfootballers.blogspot.com/2010/... http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/ https://mariaspackman.com/2019/08/04/heroes-of-hong-kongs-footballing-heyda https://www.scmp.com/topics/lunar-new-year-cup https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i-cant-explain/id1446517296 https://soundcloud.com/hk_football_podcast/when-jesus-came-to-hong-kong-the https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/about-ucfb/our-people/ucfb-etihad-campus-academic-staf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Currie https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3087858/how-jesus-saved-hong-kong