George Leslie (footballer)

For other people named George Leslie, see George Leslie (disambiguation).

George William John Leslie (9 July 1907 – 22 November 1986) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre-half in the Football League for Walsall. Leslie was also on the books at Charlton Athletic but failed to make a first-team appearance. He additionally featured for Slough Town, Red Star Olympique in Paris, France, Guildford City and Colchester United.

George Leslie

Personal information
Full name	George William John Leslie[1]
Date of birth	(1907-07-09)9 July 1907[1]
Place of birth	Slough, England
Date of death	22 November 1986(1986-11-22) (aged 79)[2]
Place of death	Colchester, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Position(s)	Centre-half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Slough Town
1930–?000	Charlton Athletic	0	(0)
	Red Star Olympique
1932–1936	Walsall	88	(2)
1936–1937	Guildford City
1937–1939	Colchester United	65	(0)
Total		153	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born in Slough, Leslie began his career with Slough Town^[2] before making a move to Charlton Athletic in 1930. He failed to break into the first-team, instead opting to move to France to ply his trade,^[1] featuring for Paris-based Red Star Olympique.^[3] He returned to England in 1932, joining up with Football League club Walsall.^[1] With Walsall, Leslie featured in an FA Cup giant killing when his Third Division North side defeated First Division Arsenal 2–0 in the third round of the 1932–33 competition.^[4]

Leslie would go on to make 88 Football League appearances for Walsall, scoring twice before drifting back into non-league football with Guildford City. Colchester United manager Ted Davis signed him from Guildford for the newly formed Southern League club in the summer of 1937.^[1] Leslie made his debut for the U's in their first-ever professional match on 28 August 1937 as Colchester fell to a 3–0 defeat to Yeovil & Petters United at the Huish.^[5] Leslie suffered from a string of injury problems while with Colchester as he was required to undergo a cartilage operation in May 1938, and suffered further setbacks in October 1938, requiring further fitness training at Highbury, London. On his return to first-team action, Leslie was named club captain, having been voted as the best centre-half in the Southern League for the 1937–38 campaign. He was just behind Jack Hodge in becoming the first player for the club to reach 100 first-team appearances.^[1] Leslie ended his time with Colchester during the 1939–40 season, when the league was abandoned due to the onset of World War II. He made his final appearance in a 0–0 draw against Ipswich Town Reserves on 2 September 1939,^[6] bringing his total appearances to 102 in all competitions.^[2]

Following the war, Leslie assisted fellow former Colchester United player Cecil Allan in running the Colchester Casuals amateur side from 1940 to 1949.^[1]

Death

Leslie died in Colchester at the age of 79 on 22 November 1986.^[1][2]

Honours

Colchester United

• 1937–38 Southern League Cup winner
• 1937–38 Southern Football League Mid-Week section runner-up
• 1938–39 Southern Football League winner
• 1938–39 Southern Football League Mid-Week section runner-up

All honours referenced by:^[2][7][8]