Jack Kirby (English footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Kirby[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 September 1909 | ||
| Place of birth | Overseal, England | ||
| Date of death | 15 June 1960 (aged 50) | ||
| Place of death | Derby, England | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| – | Newhall United | ||
| 1929–1938 | Derby County | 173 | (0) |
| 1938–1939 | Folkestone Town | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1938–1939 | Folkestone Town (player-manager) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Kirby (30 September 1909 – 15 June 1960) was an English football goalkeeper who played for Derby County. Kirby is best remembered as the only Derby player touring Germany in 1934 who refused to give the Nazi salute before each game.
Derby County
Kirby joined Derby County from Derbyshire based, Newhall United in April 1929. He debuted for Derby during the 1929–30 season when the club finished second in the First Division.[2]
In 1934 he was part of the Derby side that toured Germany. Kirby defied the German authorities by being the only member of the team to refuse to give the Nazi salute before each of the four games played on the tour. The team had been instructed to give the salute by British diplomats.[3][4] A photo of Kirby turning his body 90 degrees and being the only Derby player refusing give the Nazi salute was auctioned for £550 in 2012.[5]
Kirby's gesture preceded Stan Cullis being dropped when responding "Count me out", when directed pre-match to give the Nazi salute when England played Germany in Berlin in 1938.[6]
After Derby
Kirby left Derby in August 1938 having made 191 appearances[3] to become player-manager of Folkestone Town.[7] He held that role until August 1939, the month before World War II began. He died aged 50 in 1960.[3]
In 2025, following an appeal which raised £1500, Kirby’s grave in Netherseal, Derbyshire was restored from its weathered state.[3]
References
- ^ Michael Joyce (October 2004). Football League players' records 1888 to 1939. SoccerData. p. 149. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
- ^ "CLUB HISTORY: Donations Being Welcomed To Fund Jack Kirbys Headstone". Derby County. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Winter, Jude (9 July 2025). "Grave of footballer Jack Kirby who defied Hitler restored". BBC News. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "The Ram that defied Hitler". Derby Evening Telegraph. 19 August 2004. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
- ^ "Derby County Nazi salute photo fetches £550 at auction" 7 December 2012
- ^ "Stan Cullis, Jack Kirby and English Football's Nazi Salute", FOOTY ANALYST, 20 July 2018
- ^ Rippon, Anton (16 September 2018). "When a Derby goalkeeper made a defiant stand against the Nazis". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 9 July 2025.