Jackie Milburn Statue

While the Charlton brothers are rightly known the world over for their footballing achievements and links to Ashington, it is their uncle, Jackie Milburn who holds legendary status among Newcastle fans. John Edward Thompson Milburn was born on the 11th May 1924 at number 14, Sixth Row, Ashington and while his initials JET gave a hint of his speed on the pitch, he is no doubt better known to all as “Wor Jackie”.

A product of the Hirst Park football pitches Milburn was invited for a trial with Newcastle United in 1943, scored 6 second half goals, and was signed by the Magpies. He made his competitive debut in 1945 and the rest is history! He scored 200 competitive goals for Newcastle, a record that stood for 49 years until Alan Shearer broke it in February 2006, won 3 FA Cups and 13 England Caps.

Following his death in 1988 at the age of 64 there was an incredible 30,000 people lining the streets for his funeral procession, showing just how fondly he was thought of in the region. Newcastle was the first place to erect a statue to “Wor Jackie”, which stood on Northumberland Street before being moved to St James' Park, and in the early 1990s Councillor Michael George Ferrigon launched a public appeal to raise funds for a statue in Milburn's home town.

That public appeal raised enough money to commission and build the statue, a true community effort, and on 5th October 1995 the statue was officially unveiled by Jack's widow, Laura. The Ashington statue was sculpted by John W. Mills and is considered the most detailed of the three that have been made. He is depicted in his Newcastle kit trapping a ball with his left foot and the inscription on the plaque states in part;

"In memory of Ashington-born Jackie Milburn. One of Newcastle United and England's greatest centre-forwards”.

The statue originally stood on Station Road in Ashington, but following the redevelopment of Ashington town centre in 2016, it was relocated on 9th February 2017 at the new Ashington Leisure Centre on Lintonville Terrace. Local MP Ian Lavery noted at the unveiling that;

"If Jackie's story cannot inspire young people to participate in sport, then nothing can. He worked in the coal mines by day and played for Newcastle by night".

Though I am far too young to have seen “Wor Jackie” play I knew all about him growing up as a Newcastle fan. My Grandad made sure to tell me all about him and how great he was. He was lucky enough to have seen him play in and win two FA Cup Finals in 1951 and 1952, and he gave me his tickets for those games which he had kept as a souvenir. I still have them to this day and they are my own little link to one of football's greatest ever players.