Chelsea FC Profile: Jack Kirwan
Full Name: John Francis Kirwan
Born: Monday, 2nd December 1872
Place of birth: Dublin, Republic Of Ireland
Height: 5' 6"
Died: Wednesday, 7th January 1959 (aged 86)
Burial: Buried - Pinner Cemetery, Pinner, London Borough of Harrow, Greater London, England - Plot F/222
Involvement with Chelsea:
Player from 1905 to 1908
Jack Played Gaelic Football for Dublin in his youth and was part of the team that won the All Ireland final in 1894. He moved to association football and England, joining Southport Central in 1896 (Registered with the FA on 12 Jun), Everton 2 years later (registered with the FA 2 Apr 1898) and Tottenham in May 1899 where he spent 6 seasons winning the Southern League, the Western League, FA Cup and Charity Shield and playing in excess of 350 games in all competitions.
After joining Chelsea in May 1905, he was one of the first 11 to ever play for the blues.
After his time at Chelsea, he spent the best part of two seasons in Scotland with Clyde and a season back in London with Leyton before retiring at the end of the 1909/1910 season.
Following his playing career, he took over as manager of the then amateur Ajax in Amsterdam until the end of season 1913/14. Following WW I he had managerial positions with Bohemians in his native Dublin, then Livorno in Italy (1923-25).
In the 1939 census, Jack is listed as a "Tea Porter" and he worked for Lyons tea company, also coaching their football team "Old Lyonians" at one point.
Playing Career:
Southport Central
Everton
Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea (May 1905 to Jun 1908) - cost: unknown
Leyton
Clyde
Chelsea First-Team Career Summary
Debut: Saturday, 2nd September 1905, Stockport County 1 - 0 Chelsea
Age on debut: 32 years 9 months 0 days
Last Appearance: Saturday, 12th October 1907, Chelsea 1 - 3 Bolton Wanderers
Appearances
| Goals
|
* oth = other competitive matches such as Full Members Cup, Charity/Community Shield, Fifa World Club Cup.
Figures in ( ) are substitute appearances and are also included in the totals.
i.e. Jack Kirwan made 76 appearances for Chelsea, of which 0 were as a substitute.
Competitive Matches Played
| Comp | Date | Home | Away | Att | |||
| League | 2nd Sep 1905 | Stockport County | 1 | 0 | Chelsea | 7,000 |  |
| League | 9th Sep 1905 | Blackpool | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 4,000 |  |
| League | 11th Sep 1905 | Chelsea | 5 | 1 | Hull City | 6,000 | |
| League | 16th Sep 1905 | Bradford City | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 17,000 |  |
| League | 23rd Sep 1905 | Chelsea | 1 | 0 | West Bromwich Albion | 10,123 | |
| League | 30th Sep 1905 | Leicester Fosse | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 7,000 | |
| F.A. Cup | 7th Oct 1905 | Chelsea | 6 | 1 | First Grenadier Guards | 5,000 | |
| League | 14th Oct 1905 | Lincoln City | 1 | 4 | Chelsea | 3,000 | |
| League | 21st Oct 1905 | Chelsea | 0 | 1 | Chesterfield Town | 10,000 | |
| League | 30th Oct 1905 | Burslem Port Vale | 3 | 2 | Chelsea | 5,000 | |
| League | 4th Nov 1905 | Chelsea | 6 | 0 | Barnsley | 8,000 | |
| League | 11th Nov 1905 | Clapton Orient | 0 | 3 | Chelsea | 8,000 | |
| League | 18th Nov 1905 | Chelsea | 1 | 0 | Burnley | 8,000 | |
| League | 25th Nov 1905 | Leeds City | 0 | 0 | Chelsea | 20,000 | |
| League | 2nd Dec 1905 | Chelsea | 3 | 0 | Burton United | 7,000 | |
| League | 9th Dec 1905 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Grimsby Town | 7,000 |  |
| League | 16th Dec 1905 | Gainsborough Trinity | 0 | 2 | Chelsea | 8,000 | |
| League | 23rd Dec 1905 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 | Bristol City | 25,000 | |
| League | 25th Dec 1905 | Manchester United | 0 | 0 | Chelsea | 35,000 | |
| League | 26th Dec 1905 | Glossop | 2 | 4 | Chelsea | 6,000 |  |
| League | 30th Dec 1905 | Chelsea | 4 | 2 | Stockport County | 12,000 | |
| League | 6th Jan 1906 | Chelsea | 6 | 0 | Blackpool | 6,000 | |
| League | 20th Jan 1906 | Chelsea | 4 | 2 | Bradford City | 14,000 | |
| League | 27th Jan 1906 | West Bromwich Albion | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 25,000 | |
| League | 5th Feb 1906 | Chelsea | 3 | 3 | Leicester Fosse | 6,000 | |
| League | 10th Feb 1906 | Hull City | 4 | 3 | Chelsea | 7,000 | |
| League | 24th Feb 1906 | Chesterfield Town | 0 | 2 | Chelsea | 7,000 | |
| League | 3rd Mar 1906 | Chelsea | 7 | 0 | Burslem Port Vale | 10,000 | |
| League | 10th Mar 1906 | Barnsley | 1 | 2 | Chelsea | 7,900 | |
| League | 24th Mar 1906 | Burnley | 2 | 0 | Chelsea | 8,000 | |
| League | 31st Mar 1906 | Chelsea | 4 | 0 | Leeds City | 9,000 | |
| League | 7th Apr 1906 | Burton United | 2 | 4 | Chelsea | 10,000 | |
| League | 13th Apr 1906 | Chelsea | 1 | 1 | Manchester United | 67,000 | |
| League | 14th Apr 1906 | Grimsby Town | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 6,000 | |
| League | 16th Apr 1906 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 | Glossop | 30,000 | |
| League | 21st Apr 1906 | Chelsea | 1 | 3 | Gainsborough Trinity | 10,000 | |
| League | 28th Apr 1906 | Bristol City | 2 | 1 | Chelsea | 14,000 | |
| League | 1st Sep 1906 | Chelsea | 9 | 2 | Glossop | 12,000 | |
| League | 8th Sep 1906 | Blackpool | 0 | 0 | Chelsea | 6,000 | |
| League | 15th Sep 1906 | Chelsea | 5 | 1 | Bradford City | 10,000 | |
| League | 6th Oct 1906 | Nottingham Forest | 3 | 1 | Chelsea | 24,000 | |
| League | 13th Oct 1906 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Lincoln City | 10,000 | |
| League | 20th Oct 1906 | Burton United | 2 | 1 | Chelsea | 4,000 | |
| League | 27th Oct 1906 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Grimsby Town | 18,000 | |
| League | 3rd Nov 1906 | Burslem Port Vale | 2 | 0 | Chelsea | 5,000 | |
| League | 10th Nov 1906 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Burnley | 10,000 | |
| League | 17th Nov 1906 | Leeds City | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 8,000 | |
| League | 24th Nov 1906 | Chelsea | 2 | 1 | Barnsley | 14,000 | |
| League | 1st Dec 1906 | Chesterfield Town | 0 | 0 | Chelsea | 6,000 | |
| League | 8th Dec 1906 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | 2 | Chelsea | 8,000 | |
| League | 15th Dec 1906 | Chelsea | 2 | 1 | Clapton Orient | 15,000 | |
| League | 22nd Dec 1906 | Gainsborough Trinity | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 3,000 | |
| League | 25th Dec 1906 | Hull City | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 16,000 | |
| League | 29th Dec 1906 | Glossop | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 4,000 | |
| League | 1st Jan 1907 | Stockport County | 1 | 2 | Chelsea | 7,000 | |
| League | 5th Jan 1907 | Chelsea | 3 | 0 | Blackpool | 15,000 | |
| F.A. Cup | 12th Jan 1907 | Lincoln City | 2 | 2 | Chelsea | 5,000 | |
| F.A. Cup | 16th Jan 1907 | Chelsea | 0 | 1 | Lincoln City | 11,883 | |
| League | 26th Jan 1907 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | West Bromwich Albion | 41,168 | |
| League | 2nd Feb 1907 | Leicester Fosse | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 17,000 | |
| League | 9th Feb 1907 | Chelsea | 0 | 2 | Nottingham Forest | 15,000 | |
| League | 16th Feb 1907 | Lincoln City | 0 | 5 | Chelsea | 3,000 | |
| League | 2nd Mar 1907 | Grimsby Town | 2 | 1 | Chelsea | 6,000 | |
| League | 4th Mar 1907 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Stockport County | 8,000 | |
| League | 9th Mar 1907 | Chelsea | 2 | 1 | Burslem Port Vale | 8,000 | |
| League | 16th Mar 1907 | Burnley | 1 | 1 | Chelsea | 7,000 | |
| League | 19th Mar 1907 | Bradford City | 6 | 3 | Chelsea | 6,000 | |
| League | 23rd Mar 1907 | Chelsea | 2 | 0 | Leeds City | 25,000 | |
| League | 29th Mar 1907 | Chelsea | 3 | 0 | Hull City | 48,000 | |
| League | 30th Mar 1907 | Barnsley | 3 | 1 | Chelsea | 5,000 | |
| League | 6th Apr 1907 | Chelsea | 7 | 1 | Chesterfield Town | 12,000 | |
| League | 13th Apr 1907 | Chelsea | 4 | 0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 30,000 | |
| League | 20th Apr 1907 | Clapton Orient | 0 | 1 | Chelsea | 18,000 | |
| League | 27th Apr 1907 | Chelsea | 4 | 1 | Gainsborough Trinity | 15,000 | |
| League | 7th Sep 1907 | Chelsea | 2 | 4 | Sheffield United | 25,000 | |
| League | 12th Oct 1907 | Chelsea | 1 | 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 35,000 | |
Chelsea Graves Society Info & External Research Links:
Erroneously listed in many places as being named John Henry and born in 1878, his death in 1959 and associated burial records confirm he was named John Francis and was 86 when he passed away. Further research, leads to the 1939 census that lists him as John F Kirwan with a Dob corrected to 2 Dec 1872.
Jack passed away 7 Jan 1959 (NOT 9 Jan) - This is confirmed by his gravestone.)
View CGS profile for John Francis Kirwan on Ancestry
View CGS profile for John Francis Kirwan on Find-A-Grave
View location on Zeemaps for John Francis KirwanReturn to Player Directory.
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