John Grandison Allister was born on June 30, 1927, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He started his soccer career with Tranent Juniors. 5’9 high and weighing 11st 2lb he was scouted by many clubs after scoring 37 goals for his club in the 1948-49 season.
In June 1949 Jack signed for Chelsea Football Club. The wing half struggled to secure a first team place and played in only four Football League games and scored one goal for Chelsea.
Jack returned to Scotland in October 1952 and signed for Aberdeen Football Club. He quickly established in the Aberdeen first team and helped the club win the Scottish League championship in the 1954-55 season. In 1956 he toured Canada with Aberdeen. After six seasons at Pittodrie and numerous requests to be put on the open for transfer list, Jack left Aberdeen in 1958. He played in 117 Scottish League games and scored 20 goals for the Dons.
Then followed short spells with Chesterfield and Elgin City before he moved to Canada in 1959. In Canada he joined Hamilton Italo-Canadians. The club had one of the best defensive records in the 1959 National Soccer League season. Jack returned to Scotland after only a short spell with the Italo-Canadians and arrived back in Scotland on August 3, 1959. He played for Deveronvale from 1959 to 1961.
Jack died peacefully on February 11, 1999, at a nursing home in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Photo from the Rover comic published in 1955.