Having played for Burnley, Preston and Chesterfield, inside-forward Jackie Knight spent two seasons at Exeter City between 1952 and 1954 before moving on to Bath City. 

Jackie began his footballing career as a junior at Burnley, but wasn’t signed as a full professional until after the Second World War in August 1945. Featuring in 26 league games (5 goals) for the Turf Moor side, he moved to Preston North End in December 1948 for £8,000 (plus a player in exchange) where he added a further seven goals in 39 starts. 

Spending the 1951/52 season with Chesterfield - 35 league games, six goals - Jackie was nearly thirty when he arrived at St James’ Park for a fee of £3,000 in August 1952. First appearing - and scoring - in the second game of the season against Northampton Town, he quickly became a first-team regular as he scored four goals from 36 league starts. 

After starting the next campaign in the team, Jackie played very little first-team football until a run of games between December and February before leaving the Grecians in the summer of 1954 and signing for Bath City.

Jackie died in 1996.