Having been born during the early weeks of World War One, Jack Blood joined Exeter City weeks before the outbreak of World War Two. After serving in the RAF Jack returned to the club after the war and, following managing Peterborough and Fletton United, lived out the rest of his life in South Devon.

Described as a ‘well proportioned’ full-back when he signed for Exeter City from Notts County in May 1939, Jack had played for Johnson and Barnes - a hosiery industry works team - prior to moving to Meadow Lane as an amateur in 1934. After initially declining to do so, Jack signed professionally in June 1938 and made eight league appearances ahead of his release at the end of the 1938/39 season. 

Receiving an offer from Irish League side Glentoran Jack chose Exeter City and made his league debut against Torquay United on 26 August 1939 when, after two more games, war was declared and football suspended. 

Registered as living in West Bridgford near Nottingham in September 1939, and serving in the war as a physical training instructor in the RAF and guesting for various teams, Jack played war-time football for Southport and briefly appeared for Liverpool on a similar basis in 1945. Finishing the war stationed near Hereford Jack had also turned out for Lovells Athletic of Newport when he returned to St James’ Park to make around thirty appearances in the two separate competitions that ran on a stop-gap basis during 1945/46. 

As football resumed on an official basis Jack played 36 times during City’s 1946/47 Third Division (South) season - scoring against Brighton on Boxing Day - followed by just three appearances during the subsequent campaign. Leaving the club in the summer of 1948 Jack, then aged thirty-two, was appointed player-manager of Peterborough and Fletton United remaining in charge until May 1950. 

Having married Betty Cook in Newton Abbot in 1948, Jack moved back to Devon and lived in Kingsteignton for many years until his death in 1992.