Cup ace Jack looking back

FORMER United goalkeeper Jack Crompton and his book.

WHILE Wayne Rooney has cashed in on his fame by already striking a deal to write five books, another Manchester United great has just had his autobiography published at the age of 86.

Chadderton-based Jack Crompton, one of only two survivors from the Reds’ FA Cup winning side of 1948, had to be cajoled into writing his own life story.

“From Goalline To Touchline” (Empire Publications, £16.95) is the account of Jack’s association with United which spans more than 40 years as goalkeeper, trainer and caretaker manager.

And even today Jack is still actively involved in the club in an ambassadorial role at reserve-team matches when he and wife Sheila are hosts to visiting officials.

While many footballers employ ghost writers, Jack insisted that his autobiography was his own work which is why he has patiently hand-written his account of his remarkable career with Manchester United.

Sheila then transcribed the notes into a typewritten form which were sent to the publishers after club historian and statistician Cliff Butler had checked them to see they were factually correct.

Jack, who joined United in 1944, recalled: “It has taken three years and many interruptions to produce and I would never have completed it without Sheila’s encouragement.

“I wanted to do it for my three grandsons and, as time was going on, I had to do it now.”

Jack admitted it has been a rollercoaster of emotions writing the book with personal and professional recollections.

He explained: “My sister died just before the final of the FA Cup in 1948 so that was an emotional time.

“It was obviously also difficult when I was asked back to the club shortly after the Munich disaster.”

It was certainly a different era in those days of the maximum wage.

“We would travel to the match by bus, a contrast to recently when I went to a United reserve-team match and a player was arriving in his Bentley,” joked Jack.

Interest in the autobiography is such that the initial 2,000 print run is already heading for a sell-out, with Empire Publishing saying they have had more advance orders than for any other book they have been involved with.

Jack has also been in demand to give interviews and had a marathon session in which he signed 250 copies - a painful process due to wrist and finger injuries, legacies from his playing days as a goalkeeper.