Recommended by Albion’s former goalkeeper Bill Crinson when he was secretary of the Sunderland Comrades club, Jack Burnham signed as a professional for Brighton in March 1920 but couldn’t compete with regular left- backs Wally Little and Jim Rutherford. Consequently, he made just one first-team appearance for the club before joining Queen’s Park Rangers on a free transfer in August 1921 where he met with greater success.
After two years in London with Rangers, Jack returned to his native North-East in July 1923 with Durham City in the Third Division (North).