It is with great sadness that the club has to report the passing of Guiseley AFC Life Member Norman Jukes.
The 88 year-old retired farmer played professional football for Huddersfield Town (from 1951-53) and York City (1953-55), being Twelfth Man for the latter in their famous FA Cup semi-final tie against Newcastle United in 1954.
There were no substitutes in those days but a Twelfth Man was named as Reserve. The first match at Sheffield’s Hillsborough in front of 65,000 people ended in a 2-2 draw but Newcastle won the replay at Roker Park, Sunderland, to reach the final.
Farming locally Norman then started a long involvement with Guiseley AFC, firstly joining the committee and then also becoming manager of the Reserve team. He always insisted that Guiseley AFC ‘was not just the first team’ and he got a resolution passed through committee that a Committee man had to travel with the Reserve team to all games.
Former club Chairman Phil Rogerson remembers that time with fondness saying:”Norman made sure a committee man had to travel with the team and fortunately this was done on a rota basis as no one looked forward to travelling to the matches with Norman in his estate car as it stank of the farm!”
Norman was a loyal servant to the club and he served as a Director for a number of years from January 1997, making some investment in the club. He also served as groundsman for many years and was made a Life Member of the club.
He was a jovial chap and will be missed by everyone at the club he served so well.
The tales of him are legendary including the one where he was away when the TV filming of ‘Playing The Field’ took place. In his absence Phil Rogerson and Michael Hill had to mark out the pitch for filming but unbeknown to them Norman’s tape measure had a yard missing and thus all the markings were out.
The thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family and friends at this time.
Norman’s funeral will take place on Wednesday 3rd March at Rawdon Crematorium, the private family service will take place at 10:45am on the day.
He will arrive in the Nethermoor car park at 9:15am in a horse drawn carriage before leaving at 9:45am to make the journey up to Rawdon.
