Last week saw the 95th birthday of former inside forward John Langland, thus making him our oldest ever living former player. John, born in 1929, surpassed our three previous veterans: George Geary, Johnny Wilson and Albert Collins, who all turned 94, but sadly passed away in 1970, 2010 and 2017 respectively.
Paul Kellett, membership secretary of the Chesterfield FC Former Players’ Association, sent birthday wishes to John via his daughter Kay and she was delighted to hear that Chesterfield FC still remembered her dad.
Born in the North East at Easington John was on the books of Silksworth Boys, Sunderland and Consett before joining Chesterfield on New Year’s Day in 1951.
Having made his first appearance in our Central League home fixture against Sheffield United just five days later, John had to wait almost two years for his full debut. This came in September 1952 in our Division Three campaign away at Darlington and John made a further five appearances before the end of October. However, this was to be his last appearance of the season and his final game came the following September, away at Halifax Town. John remained a semi pro throughout his time at Chesterfield.
Having rejoined Consett in the 1954 close season, Blyth Spartans’ manager Dougie Wright had persuaded the board that he needed a regular goal scorer and had identified the 26-year-old.
Langland had struggled to make an impact at Chesterfield, with no goals in seven appearances. The board took some convincing, Dougie Wright was sure though and persisted, they eventually agree to pay Langland the same wage as he was getting at Chesterfield, plus a win bonus in November 1955 and even paid for his taxis to and from his Sunderland home. In the 1956/57 season, John scored 53 goals, becoming Blyth Spartans’ first player in a decade to score over 50 goals in a single season.
Having scored 96 goals for Blyth Spartans in 111 appearances, John returned to the Football League with Hartlepools United in June 1958 and spent two seasons with the Pools, before rejoining Blyth Spartans.
A keen sportsman in his younger days, John played squash and, during the summer months, cricket, batting and bowling for Sunderland, Murton, Seaham Park and Seaham Harbour in County Durham and Benfleet in Essex.
Outside of football John was employed by Procter and Gamble in the North East, before a work transfer took him to the same company in Benfleet, Essex in 1968. After retirement, John moved back to his native North East and now resides in Seaham, County Durham.
