The 32 year-old Jack Eyres was a rare beast in football, a goalscoring inside-left. With Walsall in Division Three (South), Eyres proved he knew where the net was, hitting the target 16 times in his last season with the club, 1930/31. Unsurprisingly, he attracted the attention of Brighton boss Charlie Webb, especially when he hit a hat-trick for the Saddlers against the Albion in a 3-3 draw at the Goldstone. It was the penultimate match of the season, and a fortnight later, Eyres was transferred to Brighton.
He had little chance to make an impression at the Albion, however, as the sparkling form of the incumbent inside-left Potter Smith meant Eyres had to wait until February 1932 to make his League debut for the Albion, scoring in a 4-0 triumph at Bristol Rovers. In the end, he registered three goals in his eleven appearances for his new club by the end of the season.
Unsurprisingly, at the close of the campaign, Eyres did not wish to stay with Brighton, as this illuminating letter by Charlie Webb on club headed paper, in May 1932, indicates:
Mr J Charnley
Dear Sir
J Eyres
As the above player has not accepted the terms we have offered him for 1932-33, my directors have decided to withdraw each offer.I am therefore requested to ask you to remove him from our retained list and place him on our transfer list at a fee of £150 (One hundred and fifty pounds).
The terms we offered him were £4 per week summer and £5 per week winter plys 10/1 extra per week when in 1st team.
We paid £180 for his transfer from Walsall last May.
Yours faithfully
C. Webb
Eyres’ exit was swift as he left for Bristol Rovers that month. He joined York City in July 1934 before becoming player-coach of Gainsborough Trinity.
The Goldstone Wrap 