This Is Your Life: Jackie Milburn

Jackie MILBURN (1924-1988)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Jackie Milburn, former footballer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the studios of Tyne Tees Television in Newcastle, having been led to believe he was there to be interviewed by George Taylor for a sports programme.

Jackie, who was born in Ashington, a coal mining town in Northumberland, was second cousin to fellow footballers Bobby Charlton and Jackie Charlton. After working down the pit and playing football for the colliery team, he signed for Newcastle United following a successful trial in 1943 and made his competitive debut in the FA Cup during the 1945-46 season.

His achievements, particularly his two goals, which won the 1951 FA Cup Final and his 45-second opener in the 1955 FA Cup Final, the fastest-ever goal in a Cup Final, brought him national recognition and iconic status on Tyneside. Jackie left Newcastle in 1957 and spent four seasons as player-manager for Linfield in Northern Ireland before moving into commentating and writing on the sport.

"Good lord!"

programme details...

Edition No: 582
Subject No: 579
Broadcast date: Wed 9 Dec 1981
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Tue 8 Dec 1981
Venue: Tyne Tees Television, Newcastle upon Tyne
Series: 22
Edition: 9
Code name: Coal

on the guest list...

George Taylor
Jack Fairbrother
Bobby Cowell
Bobby Corbett
Tommy Casey
Charlie Crowe
Len White
Tommy Walker
Ernie Taylor
Vic Keeble
Bobby Mitchell
Ronnie Simpson
Bob Stokoe
Joe Harvey
Bobby Charlton
Jackie Charlton
Jimmy Milburn - cousin
Stan Milburn - cousin
Bob Charlton
Cissie Charlton
Bert Trautmann
Laura - wife
Betty - daughter
Howard - son-in-law
Linda - daughter
Brian - son-in-law
Jack - son
Susan - daughter-in-law
Jean - sister
Mavis - sister
Len - brother-in-law
Raymond Poxton
Joe Smith
Neil Franklin
Tim Ward
Tom Finney
Billy Wright
John Gibson - in audience
Arthur Cox - in audience
Tommy Cavanagh - in audience
members of Newcastle United FC team - in audience
Edward Patterson
Joy Patterson
Jacqueline Patterson
Gary Patterson
John - grandson
Darren - grandson
David - grandson
Raich Carter
Brendan Foster
Bella - aunt
Cardinal Basil Hume

production team...

Researchers: Brian Klein, Cathy Parnall
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Director: Paul Stewart Laing
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Match of the Day

tackling football's top names

Screenshots of Jackie Milburn This Is Your Life

Jack Milburn recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Jackie Milburn, A Man of Two Halves...

Dad had recently co-written The Newcastle United Scrapbook with his pal and journalist colleague, John Gibson, and Brian Klein, a researcher from London Weekend Television (LWT)'s This Is Your Life programme, [Bigredbook.info editor: TIYL was produced by Thames Television] read it with interest and decided Dad might just make a good subject. He telephoned the Evening Chronicle office to ask John if he would cooperate and John replied he'd love to, but first he'd have to contact Mum to ask for the go-ahead.

Now, she knew only too well Dad's preference for privacy and at first was a little hesitant, but then decided to ask the family for their honest opinion. We all knew deep down that had she not agreed, Dad probably would never have found out anything about their approach, but what an honour it would be for him to miss out on without ever having known about it. Really, Mum couldn't say no.

There was one major problem though, in that LWT wanted to record the show down in London, but Mum knew there wasn't a cat-in-hell's chance of getting Dad down there without arousing his suspicions. For the first time ever, the producers of the programme agreed to a regional shoot of This Is Your Life at the Newcastle Tyne Tees Television studios, simply to ensure he would turn up – that in itself was a huge compliment. [Bigredbook.info editor: TIYL had been recorded outside of its regular London based studios many times before at this point, including at Tyne Tees Television]

Brian Klein arranged to meet Mum and some of us family at home, ensuring Dad was well out the way first on a match day, and that's where it was decided who would be saying what and who the possible guests might be. For a whole three months, which seemed like an eternity, we pulled hair, paced floors and chewed nails as the day grew closer. Mum and Dad had only ever had a single joint bank account, so to enable her to buy a new outfit for the show, Mum had to borrow the money from Dad's sister Mavis, otherwise he would have noticed the used cheque stub and questioned her as to what she'd bought and why.

The final remaining problem was how to keep him out of the way on the day itself, as Mum and the rest of us had to be at the studios all day for rehearsals. That, thankfully, is where his good buddy John Gibson stepped back into the frame.

John enlisted the help of United boss Arthur Cox to keep Dad busy at St James' Park on the day and Dad had no suspicions about Mum's secret antics. She'd simply told him she would be out Christmas shopping for the day with his two sisters, Mavis and Jean. All pretty normal stuff.

John invented a story about his wife needing his car to sort out a minor family problem, so asked Dad if he could go home with him for a bite to eat before the pair made their way to the studios, where Dad expected to be interviewed about his book for a football talk show. Naturally Dad agreed, and when the hungry pair got home, found Mum had left a couple of mince pies and an apple tart in the fridge for him to heat in the oven.

John's kitchen skills were just as sorry as Dad's and they had one heck of a job just to find the right dial to set the oven away, though in due course did accomplish their mission just before their grumbling stomachs caved in. After devouring the pies, Dad went upstairs to get washed and changed, only to find himself being followed by John, who was still petrified Dad may yet twig that something was happening and do a runner. Dad did notice John's out-of-the-ordinary behaviour: 'At the time, I found it very strange that John was following me everywhere like a lost lamb, but was too embarrassed to ask why.'

To lure Dad to the studio that evening, John and the programme producers concocted a spoof programme and named it A Chance To Score. 'Jackie, in his lovely innocence, never knew what was going on,' John says. Even the invited audience had no idea what was about to unfold until the huge curtains swished back and on swiftly walked Dad, followed by a wide-beaming Eamonn Andrews. Such was the audience's surprise that they erupted and as we watched his reaction on a backstage monitor, you could tell by Dad's face that he was absolutely shocked, but thrilled to bits. Mum had made the right decision, though straight after the show Dad confessed that if he had picked up on the slightest clue of what was going on, he'd have run a mile.

All the old squad from the '50s Cup-winning years appeared, as did the footballing Charlton family, some former England colleagues, including Billy Wright and Tom Finney, and the then current Newcastle squad. There was even a touching pre-recorded tribute from Cardinal Basil Hume.

The special guest, flown all the way from New York, was Dad's Aunt Bella, she who had given him his train fare home all those years ago when he was just a tearful little runaway pantry boy. However, one of his old buddies, Len Shackleton, positively refused to appear – though purely on principle and not in any way to snub dad; he just couldn't stand the show.

His old pal, and golfing partner, George Luke, was one of the very few in the audience who knew precisely what was to happen, but when the show was over and we participants made our way to the after-programme buffet, he was sadly swept out of the exit door by the leaving audience until he found himself on the street outside the studio. Such was George's character that he simply went home, not wanting to appear as a gatecrasher by attempting to get back in the studio, but I remember Dad at the buffet looking around with a puzzled look on his face and asking, 'Where's George?'

One of the guests was a particular boyhood hero of mine, the former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who I had admired since I first learned that he'd bravely kept goal throughout a whole match while suffering a broken neck. I really wanted his autograph, so after the show, somewhat excitedly took my cousin Stanley's wife, Carol, across to meet him and secure his signature. We were far from prepared for his jarring snarled response. 'Can't you see I'm busy holding a drink?' All my illusions were instantly crushed and we skulked away with our tails between our legs, both of us thinking how odd it was that everyone else we'd asked had politely obliged with a smile.

Dad was still very much on a high when he and Mum arrived home after the buffet, just as the house might have been – bungling he and John Gibson had left the scorching oven switched on high.

Just as had happened after his testimonial game, Dad and Mum chatted excitedly through the night about the programme and meeting all the old boys again, and so thrilled was he about the whole show that he rushed out the very second the shops opened to buy us kids – well, adults now – a VHS video apiece so we could record the show, which was to be broadcast that night.

John Gibson recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Wor Jackie - The Jackie Milburn Story...

And there were many significant milestones still to come... a sentimental testimonial match at St. James's when more than 45,000 turned out to pay homage, the offer of a full-time job back with his old club, the honour of being made a Freeman of the City along with Cardinal Basil Hume and the shock of Eamonn Andrews, red book tucked under his arm, confronting him as the subject of a This Is Your Life telly programme.

It was shortly after being made a Freeman of the City that Jack and I got together to write a book on United which led, indirectly, to his appearance on This Is Your Life towards the end of 1981.

When the book came out it appeared on the desk of Brian Klein, a researcher for the programme at Thames Television. His job was to unearth suitable subjects for This Is Your Life and, with Jackie thrust back into the limelight through the publication of a new book, he looked an ideal candidate.

As co-writer of the book I received a phone call from Klein at the Evening Chronicle offices one afternoon. Jackie Milburn was under consideration for the show and would I co-operate? What followed was three months of meticulous work in total secrecy as the show was put together.

I had two key roles to play: it was to be my job to approach Laura for her permission and then to keep Jackie busy on the actual day of the programme so that he didn't become aware of what was going on. Both came at the most vulnerable time in the progression of a show which relies totally on the element of surprise. If Laura had said no there would have been no show and if Jackie had at any stage found out about it - even as late as the very day of recording - the plug would have been pulled.

Luckily Laura gave her agreement - albeit a little reluctantly knowing Jack's obsession with privacy - and I managed to keep the man himself busy on The Day. The one other problem was getting him to the studios. The This Is Your Life team knew they could never get Jack to London so it was agreed to bring the cameras out to Tyne Tees Television and a spoof programme entitled 'A Chance to Score' was set up. Milburn - and the audience for that matter - believed he was to be interviewed about our new book and even then Jackie would have preferred it had I looked after it alone. But with a little gentle persuasion - you know, do it for me knowing full well that Jack would never let a friend down - we got the show on the road.

United's current boss Arthur Cox helped me keep Milburn busy on the day and when Jack walked through the audience to warm applause the red curtains suddenly swished back and there was Eamonn Andrews, beaming that smile which says 'gotcha!' Jack almost collapsed with shock.

But the next half hour was pure nostalgia. Apart from his family and personal friends a host of celebrities walked on... Bobby and Jack Charlton, his old England captain Billy Wright, Tom Finney, Raich Carter and goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who had conceded that Jackie goal after only 45 seconds of the 1955 F.A. Cup final. To top it all Jackie's aunt Bella was flown across from New York, the first time the couple had met in 31 years.

'Talk about getting a surprise. I was flabbergasted,' Jackie told me at the reception afterwards. 'How on earth did you keep it a secret? I wouldn't have gone, you know, if I'd had an inkling. But I'm glad I did. It was a special occasion.'

Mike Kirkup recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Jackie Milburn in Black and White...

In 1981 Jackie, in collaboration with John Gibson, wrote Jackie Milburn's Newcastle United Scrapbook, and indirectly from its publication Thames Television arranged to use Jackie as the 'victim' in This Is Your Life.

Hearing from Laura that there was no chance that Jackie would be coaxed down to London, the TV producers arranged to lure him into the Tyne Tees studios in City Road on the pretext of taking part in a sports programme.

Typically embarrassed by the whole affair, Jackie had to sit and watch a lifetime's effort squeezed into twenty-five minutes by the show's genial compere Eamonn Andrews.

His old pal Len Shackleton refused to appear. 'Purely on principle,' he said. 'It wasn't meant to be a snub on Jackie - we got on great. I just don't like the show.'

Newcastle Evening Chronicle 1 May 2010

Magic-al Tribute To Magical Man

IT WAS held in memory of two dead Geordie icons and in the presence of one very much alive.

Ashington Football Club had seen nought like it and was packed to the rafters.

A celebration of the life of Jackie Milburn very much Wors to all black-and-whiters was staged in his home town with proceeds going to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Under such circumstances there could only be one guest of honour to provide entertainment and confirm tip-top booking figures.

Alan Shearer, the legendary No 9 who smashed Wor Jackie's club goalscoring record and whose magnificent career was resurrected by the appointment of Sir Bobby as manager after the destruction wreaked by Ruud Gullit.

Such was the bond between boss and skipper that, following Robson's death, his family requested Shearer to become patron of Bobby's cancer fund.

I was privileged to be asked to be Tonto to Alan's Lone Ranger, the trusty sidekick who would support the chosen one.

Shearer was at his scintillating best, far removed from the politically correct sofa-sitter on Match of the Day, recounting warmly his memories of Milburn, supplied by his dad, his feeling at beating the record, and his love of Robson.

For me it was a very special night because not only was Wor Jackie my boyhood hero but he became a close friend in later life.

In 1951, when Jackie and his United crew won the first of their three FA Cup finals, I was a schoolkid in short pants who lived in Benwell and stayed in contact with world events through the magic of radio. Only one person in the family possessed a television, Auntie Grace, who had a black-and-white set the size of a postage stamp.

Nevertheless we all went over to her house where the wooden-backed chairs were set out in three lines to accommodate a considerable turn-out.

My grandma, who made clippy mats, had lovingly sewn together a huge black-and-white rosette from the rags for me to wear as I sat with Geordie heart swelling while Wor Jackie scored two wondrous goals to defeat Blackpool.

It was supposed to be the Stanley Matthews final. It wasn't. It belonged to the pit lad from Ashington.

It's always said you ought not to meet your hero because you'll inevitably be disappointed. He could never match up to what idolising young eyes see.

However, Jackie did.

We became firm friends and wrote a couple of books on United together, one of which led directly to Jackie appearing on This Is Your Life.

The show relies totally on the element of surprise and, as the first port of call for researcher Brian Klein, I had to arrange everything in utmost secrecy with Jackie's wife Laura and then keep him out of the way on the day of the event while rehearsals took place.

The crew had come up to Tyne Tees Television to shoot the show because they knew the home-loving Milburn would never be lured to London.

We pretended it was an evening about our new book. Tyne Tees actually printed tickets stating just that but when Jackie walked out through the audience there was Eamonn Andrews with his big red book.

Milburn was shocked, looked across at me shaking a clenched fist but smiling ear to ear, and the job was done.

Soccer's royalty paid homage to a Geordie king the Charlton brothers Bobby and Jack, of course, Milburn's old England skipper Billy Wright, legends Tom Finney and Raich Carter, and Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who was beaten after only 45 seconds by a Wor Jackie header in the 1955 Cup final.

Such fond tales were recalled at Ashington after we had all broken bread.

England pace bowler Steve Harmison, another Ashington legend, was in the audience, along with sculptor Tom Maley.

Tom, who was responsible for the Wilf Mannion statue outside of Middlesbrough's ground, has similarly done the groundwork for bronze statues of Wor Jackie and Big Al to go outside St James's Park.

Commissioned when Freddy Shepherd ran the club and initially supported by Mike Ashley, they were placed on the back burner last season.

However, I would like to think that, on the back of the feel good factor from promotion, Ashley would wish to gain brownie points with the fans by going ahead with fitting tributes to the greatest two goal scorers in the 100-plus years of United's history.

Had he been at Ashington to witness the outpouring of love for two Geordie heroes, they would be erected tomorrow.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Reproduced on 26 December 2012 from an original article first published in 1981

EAMONN ANDREWS lurked behind the red curtains, book in hand.

By: Ray Marshall

Warm-up comedian Alan Fox had just finished his spot and nicely settled everyone into their seats on a specially constructed set in Tyne Tees Television's Studio One.

The show "A Chance to Score" was about to get under way and interviewer George Taylor's voice penetrated the thoughts of those of us in the know... "ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jackie Milburn."

As Wor Jackie strode through the audience to shake hands with the man who for the next half hour was supposed to talk to him about his new book, the red curtains swished open to reveal a beaming Eamonn Andrews ready to pounce.

Another This Is Your Life had been sprung successfully!

And, as Jackie Milburn gasped in disbelief at his captor, the audience were equally taken aback. Even they had been lured to the studio under false pretences, supposedly to see a "show" which was never to take place. The big con had gone off like a dream.

"I honestly hadn't the foggiest idea of what was going off," Jackie told me later. "I couldn't believe it when Eamonn came forward. My first thought was 'What the hell's he doing here?'"

For me the feeling at that precise moment was one of overwhelming relief. Not only had I been in at the birth of the idea to do Jackie's life, I had worked on it through to fruition including keeping Jackie out of harm's way for four-and-a-half hours before the pick-up by Eamonn.

That was quite a problem, Jackie's wife Laura and the rest of the family were due at the studios earlier in the day to rehearse the show which meant they had to get rid of the unsuspecting Jack.

Though This Is Your Life is filmed live, to keep it slick and make everyone feel at home the guests ran through things like their entrance and seating arrangements on stage etc, with the producer.

Milburn, of course, had to be safely out of the way.

"Whatever you do don't let him out of your sight for a moment," Thames Television told me. "We don't want him stumbling into any situation which would blow the show at this late stage."

I recruited the help of the Newcastle United manager Arthur Cox in keeping Jackie occupied. A lengthy interview was set up in Cox's office at St James's Park in which Wor Jackie, Arthur and myself discussed his new book, Jackie Milburn's Newcastle United Scrapbook, in detail. Odd questions and answers were concocted in readiness for the telly show that night. After a couple of hours with Arthur we trudged off to an empty Milburn household.

"The wife's Christmas shopping with my two sisters," Jackie explained apologetically as he attempted to heat up two beautiful home-made mince pies for our tea. Jack was to cooking what Cyril Smith was to hang-gliding!

The deception worked like a charm.

We were off to the studios in Jackie's car at 6.45pm still discussing what could be said on "A Chance to Score".

Less than an hour later Eamonn had been sprung and the first guests, Jackie and Bobby Charlton, were being wheeled in to greet their favourite "uncle".

Everyone was there to pay homage to a soccer superstar who for almost two decades had enriched our national sport with his dignity and deeds. Both Bobby and Jackie had given up paid engagements to speak at dinners so that they could attend Wor Jackie's big night.

Brendan Foster, who as a schoolboy yearned to wear Jackie's old No. 9 Newcastle shirt, quipped: "Jackie was not only a better footballer than me but I was to find out later when we both went on the track that he was a faster sprinter as well!"

But perhaps the greatest piece of television came after a moist-eyed Milburn had watched his three grandsons, filmed playing football at St James's Park.

As the film faded and Eamonn ushered the three boys onto the stage to greet grandad, Jackie scooped David into his arms with a big hug.

"When you kicked that ball you just tapped it," said Wor Jackie, "You must follow through, David" ...and an imaginary ball was kicked into the audience by that famous left foot.

The old master was teaching old habits even in the middle of a television show!

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Reproduced on 26 December 2012 from an original article first published in 1981

Work Behind The Scenes

BYLINE: Ray Marshall

THIS IS YOUR LIFE may take up only half an hour of prime television time but the work behind the scenes in compiling such a programme is both meticulous and exhaustive.

Jackie Milburn's "Life" for example, was three months in preparation before it hit our screens 24 hours ago.

Bearing in mind that several life stories are being researched at any one time for such a long-running show as This Is Your Life with 26 episodes in the present series, the schedule is complex in the extreme.

Secrecy of course is the key factor. Should the victim realise at any point that he's going to become a "Lifer" then the show is immediately scrapped. No matter how much work has been done.

To most of us, Eamonn Andrews may be just a rather self-conscious Irishman who leaps from behind a pillar brandishing that famous red book but in fact he's much, much more than that.

Eamonn is The Boss. Supremo par excellence. No life goes on air without his say so. The team of researchers may come up with the names and reasons for wanting someone but Eamonn has the final say at a This Is Your Life conference. If he doesn't approve then the person is out.

Wor Jackie was selected not only because he's a soccer legend with Newcastle United and England but because he has become hot news again. The publication of his book, Jackie Milburn's Newcastle United Scrapbook, has thrust him back into the public eye.

The book was picked up by This Is Your Life researcher Brian Klein at Thames Television and read with a professional eye. This is a crucial part of a researcher's job to see what's about to become news and use it as a basis for a show. Milburn, with his rich background involving some of the greatest names in sport, was a natural. So the wheels were set in motion. As co-writer with Jackie on the book, I received a phone call from Klein shortly after publication date on September 3. Jackie Milburn was under consideration for a show and would I co-operate? Yes I would.

The idea was kicked around a little on the phone and I was sworn to secrecy. No one was to know at this stage, including Jackie's family.

Contact was made with Newcastle, the whole idea was laid before Eamonn as a package. Eamonn was delighted. Jackie was in.

The tricky bit, of course, is breaking the news to the wife. This is when any programme can collapse. It's the most vulnerable part of the whole three months because if the wife knocks the idea on the head there's no programme.

I was chosen to approach Laura Milburn a couple of weeks after that first phone call from Klein. Quite a responsibility with a programme the size of This Is Your Life resting solely in my hands for a fateful few days.

With Milburn there was an extra problem. He works from home and consequently speaking to Laura when Jackie was guaranteed to be out of the house was tricky.

I selected my time well 2pm on a Saturday. Jackie, I knew, would be at St James's Park for Newcastle United's match and Laura would be alone. The call couldn't be made from the office on an open sports desk with people around so I slipped out to find a phone box.

Secrecy again, you see

Laura was flabbergasted.

A few assurances that Laura would be consulted all along the line and the fears began to melt away. "I still had sleepless nights wondering if Jackie would throttle me when he found out and it was all too late," Laura told me later.

Series 22 subjects