Profile

Balmer joined Liverpool after playing for Everton as an amateur but potentially the best years of his career were lost to the Second World War.

But that's not to say he didn't make his mark. When league football did get back under way, Balmer performed as if nothing had changed and was the club's top scorer, equal with Albert Stubbins as Liverpool won the First Division Championship for the first time for nearly a quarter of a century.

It was during that season that he created a Football League record which may never be broken by scoring hat-tricks in three successive league matches in November 1946; Portsmouth, Derby and Arsenal being his victims.

Jack was a prolific scorer for Liverpool throughout his career and is one of the few men to have scored over 100 times for the club in all competitions. His final appearance came in February 1952 and he left Anfield agonisingly just one goal short of what would have been a century in First Division matches alone. A tremendously skilful and clever player, he captained Liverpool from 1947-49. 

Other clubs:
Collegiate Old Boys (amateur), Everton (amateur), Brighton & Newcastle (wartime guest)