DAVY JACKSON

This week our regular series looking at Coleraine’s greatest ever players focuses on the career of Davy Jackson, a great servant throughout the club’s most successful era.

Davy Jackson was signed for Coleraine from Portadown in January 1969 by legendary manager Bertie Peacock to fill the gap at centre-half left by Allan Hunter’s departure to Oldham Athletic. He settled in quickly and would go on to become a stalwart in the Coleraine defence during the 1970’s golden era.

He won virtually every honour possible in the local game during his 9 years at the Coleraine Showgrounds. He was part of the team which made history by winning successive Blaxnit All-Ireland Cups in 1969 and 1970, also picking up Ulster Cup, Gold Cup and City Cup winners medals.

He was part of the side which won Coleraine’s only league championship during the 1973/74 season and was also involved in the club’s three Irish Cup successes in 1972, 1975 and 1977. Possibly his finest hour came as he captained the Bannsiders during the 1977 final at The Oval where they defeated Linfield 4-1.

He played 14 games in Europe for Coleraine, including the famous 3-2 victory away to Kilmarnock in the Fairs Cup in 1970.
In 1971 he was selected to be part of an IFA XI which took on a British Olympic XI at Windsor Park, although he didn’t win any further representative honours.

He eventually left Coleraine in January 1978, when he signed for local rivals Ballymena United. In the years since his departure he has made several visits to The Showgrounds and attended numerous club functions including the European night, and commemorations of the League Championship and Irish Cup wins.

Coleraine Record: 378 appearances (+ 1 as a substitute) – 17 goals