This is a story that I have been meaning to write for some time. My recent "elevation" to honorary Matchday Programme Editor for Prescot Cables meant that I had pages to fill for the recent match. This was the impetus that I needed to put pen to paper (well, finger to keyboard - but you know what I mean!)
Jack's goalscoring record was phenomenal, and I doubt that we will see his like again.
This piece first appeared in the digital matchday programme for the Northern Premier League, Premier Division match between Prescot Cables and Lancaster City on Tuesday September 17th, 2024.
Today we focus on a man played for three of the most successful clubs in the Lancashire Combination in the 1930’s and scored over 500 goals. He was the record goalscorer for Prescot Cables, Lancaster Town AND South Liverpool.
During the 1930/31 season a young man from Prescot, named John Roscoe, made his debut for his home town team after signing from New Brighton. His record at the Division Three North, Rakers - 5 goals in sixteen games - was creditable, but did not hint at what was to come.
In his youth, Roscoe - he was always known as Jack - had played for junior sides, Rainhill Recs, Prescot Victoria and Prescot Rangers, and was, for a time, an amateur on Everton’s books.
Jack Roscoe quickly made his mark in the Amber and Black of Cables, and by the end of the season had scored a total of 64 goals - 59 for the first team and 5 for the reserves, as they finished runners-up to Darwen in the Lancashire Combination. This made him, then, Cables’ record goalscorer - only beaten by Bill Watkinson in 1957/57.
At this time Hope Street was a regular haunt for the League scouts, and the 21-year-old, Roscoe’s goalscoring prowess attracted much interest from League clubs. In July 1931 he was signed by Rotherham United.
However, his time in South Yorkshire was brief, scoring three times in five appearances. Rotherham cancelled his registration in December 1931, and by the turn of the year he was back at Hope Street. This only gave him enough time to score 30 goals - but they were enough to see Cables finish as runners-up in the Lancashire Combination, behind Darwen, for the second consecutive year. In season 1932/33, Jack bagged another 52 goals for Prescot, as they finished runners-up in the Combination, once again.
The hearts of Cables supporters were broken, however, at the end of the 1932/33 season, when Roscoe left to join Lancaster Town. At the Giant Axe, he maintained his remarkable goalscoring record, scoring 57 in his first season. In May 1934, Roscoe married Lucy Welsby in Prescot on the Saturday morning then immediately travelled to Great Harwood where he celebrated by scoring two goals.
Over the Christmas and New Year period in 1934/35, Roscoe ran riot, scoring eighteen goals in four games, including six on Boxing Day against Darwen. In total, Roscoe scored 67 times in 1934/35 - a club record and a Combination record at the time - which helped Lancaster Town to win the Lancashire Combination.
The spirits of the Cables faithful were lifted when Jack Roscoe returned to Prescot for the 1935/36 season, after his spell at Lancaster Town. Roscoe still lived locally and worked as a crane driver at the Cable works and, with a young family to consider, he decided that he would prefer a club nearer to home. He maintained his ace goalscoring record by netting 26 for the Amber and Blacks before departing in January 1936 for the recently formed South Liverpool club. During that first half-season at Holly Park he grabbed 27 goals. In 1936/37 he netted 48 for South Liverpool as they finished as Lancashire Combination champions and Lancashire Junior Cup winners. The following season of 1937/38 Jack recorded a remarkable tally of 75 goals, at South retained the Combination title and Junior Cup crown. This is a Lancashire Combination record which is unlikely ever to be topped.
Unsurprisingly, a host of Football League clubs courted his signature. However, in the days of capped wages and reduced close-season retainers for professional footballers, Roscoe could earn more picking up his match fee and his weekly wage from the B.I.C., so he resisted all of their advances.
In 1938/39, Roscoe was dropped to the Reserves, but after he scored eight goals in a George Mahon Cup victory over Formby, he regained his place in the first team. He helped South Liverpool to secure the Lancashire Junior Cup (for the third successive year) and then in the space of one remarkable week in May 1939, the Lancashire Combination Cup (beating Prescot Cables in the final), the Lancashire Combination championship (for the third successive year) and the Welsh Cup.
Amazingly, South Liverpool released Roscoe at the end of their most successful, silver-laden season! The Irish side, Glentoran tried to sign him, but with his own family growing, he preferred to stay at home.
Jack Roscoe returned to Hope Street for a fourth time shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. He scored two goals in the match against Bacup Borough, before the season was curtailed. He did appear several times for Liverpool Reserves in the autumn of 1939.
During the war, Jack served with the Royal Navy, but his footballing days were behind him.
He did later appear in the annual charity matches for Old Prescotians against Prescot Police - his last game was on Boxing Day, 1959 - and acted as a scout for South Liverpool.
Jack Roscoe died in October 1996, aged 86.
Jack Roscoe (centre) in the 1931/32 Prescot Cables team,
between Billy Howard (left) and Jack Bamber (right)
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