John Summers

John Lawrence Summers (8 February 1915 – 12 April 1991) was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in the 1930s, including Leicester City, Derby County and Southampton in the Football League before becoming a police officer in Southampton. Football career Summers was born in the Chorlton area of Manchester and represented both Manchester Schools and Lancashire Schools at football. His football career started in the Cheshire County League before joining Burnley as a trainee aged 17 in February 1932. During his brief time at Turf Moor, Summers joined Fleetwood of the Lancashire Combination on loan. He was offered a trial at Manchester United but the Burnley management refused him permission, following which he joined Preston North End. Unable to break into first-team football at Preston, he then moved south to join Tunbridge Wells Rangers of the Southern League for a season, before returning to the Football League with Leicester City in April 1934. He made his debut for Leicester on 1 September 1934, when he scored the consolation goal in a 3–1 defeat at Chelsea in the Football League Division One. He retained his place in the side until the end of September before being replaced by the veteran Hugh Adcock; Summers regained his place for five matches in November/December before losing out again to Adcock. With Adcock coming to the end of his career, Leicester signed Welsh international Eugene "Taffy" O'Callaghan in March 1935, and Summers was released at the end of the season. In May 1935, Summers joined another First Division club, Derby County, where he was used as cover for the England international, Sammy Crooks. Having made only two appearances for the Derby first-team, Summers was sold to Southampton of the Second Division in October 1936, for a fee of £250.