The Fans
Legends
In its rich history, Bristol has nurtured some of the great stars of the past and present.
We would like to thank Dave Fox and Mark Hoskins for allowing us to take advantage of the superb research they did for their book "Bristol Football Club (RFU) - 100 Greats". Dave and Mark contributed the information and the images.
If you would like to get more information on the club, its players and its history, then you can buy their book at most leading bookshops in Bristol.
To search for a particular player, use the Search box below.
Jack Gregory
Position: Wing
Date of Birth: 22/6/1923
Date of Death: 15/12/2003
Honours: Gloucestershire, Barbarians, Western Counties, Army, England
Career: 1949 - 1954 129 games
Scored: 73t, 2dg = 225 points
Jack Gregory was a member of the 1948 4 x 100 relay team which won a silver medal at the London Olympics. The medals were briefly upgraded to gold when the winning American team was disqualified, but the winners were reinstated on appeal and the British runners had to be content with silver. Gregory's incredible speed was of great value to Bristol, whom he joined in 1949, and his record of 73 tries in 129 games is impressive.
Gregory was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin, and Rydal School and played for Wanderers, Clifton and Blackheath as well as Bristol. As a Blackheath player, he won his only England cap in the 9-3 defeat against Wales at Cardiff in 1949. He was in The Army from 1941 to 1947 and during this time he courted controversy by playing Rugby League while stationed at Huddersfield just after the war. He applied to play union again, but was initially banned by the RFU. The Army RU appealed on his behalf and eventually he was reinstated although he had to serve a year's ban until 1948.
Jack Gregory won his Bristol cap at the end of his first season and was vice captain in 1951/2. During this season he played for Western Counties against South Africa and was Bristol's leading try scorer, although his tally of eleven is evidence that the club had a poor season during which his talents were underused. At the end of the season the club was invited to play in the Middlesex Sevens for the first time but Gregory was unable to play as he was training with the relay team for the Helsinki Olympics. This time he missed out on a medal, the team finishing fourth.
Gregory became Bristol captain in 1952 and held this office for two seasons. His try tally improved, partly due to the skillful crosskicking of outside half Glyn Davies, and he and his opposite winger Keith Smith both scored nineteen tries. During his second season of captaincy he led the try scorers with eighteen and captained Western Counties against the touring All Blacks. He was also a member of the Bristol squad which played in the first Snelling Sevens at Newport. He retired at the end of this season.
Jack Gregory played 28 games for Gloucestershire, appearing in the 1949 final defeat against Lancashire when he was still with Blackheath. He played twice for The Barbarians, but, despite receiving further trials, he was unable to add to his solitary England appearance.
