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John Gardiner

1911 – 1965

Scottish footballer

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About John Gardiner

Lived 1911 – 1965 (aged 53). John Gardiner was a British association football player and association football coach.

John Flannegan Gardiner (23 December 1911 – 10 October 1965), sometimes known as Jackie Gardiner, was a Scottish footballer who represented Great Britain at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Career Gardiner played amateur football for Queen's Park, joining in 1930 from John Street School in Bridgeton. He embarked on a tour of Norway with the club in 1933.

During the 1936 Olympic Games, he represented Great Britain twice, his debut came in a 2–0 victory over China and his final game against Poland in a 5–4 loss. During the game against Poland he was booed by the crowd for body charging several players and knocking over Polish left winger Hubert Gad at a time when Great Britain were losing 5–1.

In the 1950s and 1960s, he was general manager of the Kelvin Hall exhibition centre in Glasgow. He died in 1965 from lung cancer. His son is Barry Gardiner, a politician,

Gardiner returned to Queen's Park after his playing career and taught a young Alex Ferguson, Ferguson had complained that an opponent had bitten him during the game and Gardiner told Ferguson to "bite him back". Gardiner became president of the club in the 1960s.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
John Flannegan Gardiner

People in John Gardiner's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Gardiner's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Gardiner?

Scottish footballer (1911-1965)

When was John Gardiner born?

John Gardiner was born on 23 December 1911 in Bridgeton.

When did John Gardiner die?

John Gardiner died on 10 October 1965 in Glasgow.

What was John Gardiner's occupation?

John Gardiner was an association football player and association football coach.

What nationality was John Gardiner?

John Gardiner was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Gardiner

· Wikidata: Q6234860

· DBpedia: John Gardiner (footballer, born 1911)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Gardiner. https://biography.guide/john-gardiner-association-football-player-1911/

MLA: "John Gardiner." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-gardiner-association-football-player-1911/.

Chicago: "John Gardiner." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-gardiner-association-football-player-1911/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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