I’m sure fans at many clubs will have a chant along the following lines (amended slightly for the sake of propriety!):
He’s here, he’s there, he’s every bloomin’ where, Roger Hoy, Roger Hoy
That’s the first version of it I remember singing lustily from the terraces of Selhurst Park. Roger Hoy was with Palace for just two seasons (1968-69 and 1969-70) before moving on to Luton Town – he played 62 games and scored 7 goals for us. Not the longest of spells but clearly he was someone we took to our hearts, albeit briefly.
A player with a more illustrious record than Roger was Jack Leslie. Jack played 400 games for Plymouth Argyle (1921-1934) and scored 137 goals. Infamously, he was called up to the England squad in 1925 but was then ‘un-called up’ when the powers that be decided the world wasn’t yet ready for a black England international.
Jack is finally getting the recognition he deserves and a statue of him is to be erected at Argyle’s ground in 2022. You can read the full story here:
But, while we wait for the unveiling, Jack is popping up every [bloomin’] where. He was mentioned on the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip (at 9 minutes 25 seconds):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0010bxx/antiques-road-trip-series-23-episode-25
And on Coronation Street:
Anyone would think it was Black History Month!
Thirty three years after his death we can still say:
He’s here, he’s there, he’s every bloomin’ where, Jack Leslie, Jack Leslie!