Jack Lennard
Soccer player
Inducted 30 November 2010
Jack Warner Lennard was born in 1930 in Warners Bay, during the Hunter Valley miners’ lockout. He soon moved to Cessnock, where he was a resident for the rest of his life.
Playing soccer was Jack’s passion. At the young age of 17, in 1947 he joined the Cessnock City Hornets soccer team for a season, before joining Lysaghts Orb (Mayfield United). He later returned to the Hornets, with whom he played again from 1956-1964.
During his playing career with these local teams, as inside forward, he was also selected to play at the international level. He represented Australia a total of 16 times, including at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, where he was one of two Cessnock players in the team.
His Australian debut game was in 1953 against China, and during the 1950s he played against New Zealand, South Africa, India, Japan and Austria. Jack, and his father, Perce Lennard, became the first NSW father and son to play for Australia.
He represented NSW at district and state levels, and also played in a number of matches for NSW and Australia against major league teams from Europe and the United Kingdom.
His career in soccer saw Jack play 410 senior games, the majority of them with the Cessnock Hornets.
Following his retirement in 1964, Jack coached junior and senior teams for many years, including an Under 17s Police Boys side that reached the Grand Final, a Hunter Valley representative team and Cessnock City from 1969 to 1981, with the first grade team reaching the Grand Final, Reserve Grade Minor and Major Premiers.
Jack was made a Life Member of the Cessnock City Hornets Football Club, and in 2001 was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
Jack passed away in 2003.
Plaque location
91 Vincent Street, Cessnock (garden bed)