James Christopher (Jimmy) Armfield: A Short Profile
It does make me realise how time flies as we celebrate what would have been Jimmy’s 90th birthday as I was lucky enough to have begun watching him in his first full season!
He was undoubtedly one of the very best full backs to ever pull on a tangerine shirt. He brought a new dimension to the game with his overlapping runs down the wing and as a one-club man he played in a record number of games for the Seasiders.
He was born in Denton, Manchester on 21 September 1935 and came to the Fylde Coast to attend Arnold School where he was an all-round sportsman, playing rugby and also being in the cricket, swimming and athletics teams.
But it was as a footballing outside right that he was signed by Blackpool as an amateur in 1952 from the Blackpool Association of Boys’ Clubs. He made his first appearance at full back in a game for the ‘A’ team in which the full back got injured and Jimmy was pulled back to deputise. Thus began a long and prosperous career in the position.
Blackpool manager Joe Smith offered him a professional contract before he played his first Central League game in the 1954/55 season. ‘At 17, Blackpool cannot afford to lose a player of his quality’, said Mr Smith. Jimmy duly signed as a professional on 4 September 1954 as Mr Smith prophesied England honours for the youngster.
He made his League debut on 27 December 1954 at Portsmouth when Blackpool lost 3-0 and his second League game against Manchester United on 1 January 1955 was lost 4-1, so it had been an inauspicious start to his League career.
Representative honours soon followed, firstly for an Army representative side in January 1956 and then he was selected for England U23 v Scotland U23 at Hillsborough on 8 February 1956 after little more than 20 League games. However, illness prevented him from playing but he was not to be denied for long for he played for the Football League representative side in April 1956.
His performances were noted everywhere and he was voted Young Footballer of the Year in 1958/59. He made his full England debut on 13 May 1959 and this began an international career of 43 games, 15 of them as captain of the side. In addition he was voted the best right back in the world during the 1962 World Cup finals and he was also voted the best right back in Europe for three successive seasons, 1962-1964. He also narrowly missed being voted Footballer of the Year in 1966 when he was just pipped by Bobby Charlton.
He was made Blackpool captain in January 1961 and proved to be an inspirational figure leading the side. But he sensationally asked for a transfer on 19 October 1963. The ‘request exploded like a bomb’ on the club and, not surprisingly, it was turned down. He went on to complete 568 League games, 33 FA Cup ties and 25 League Cup ties, a grand total of 626 appearances for Blackpool, playing his final game in 1-1 draw with Manchester United on 1 May 1971. And he was only booked once and that controversially (as he once told me) against Norwich City on 6 March 1963.
He subsequently went into management with Leeds United and Bolton Wanderers before settling down as a well-respected journalist and radio pundit as well as doing important ad hoc jobs for the Football Association. `
Long may he remain in the memories of Seasiders' fans.
He was undoubtedly one of the very best full backs to ever pull on a tangerine shirt. He brought a new dimension to the game with his overlapping runs down the wing and as a one-club man he played in a record number of games for the Seasiders.
He was born in Denton, Manchester on 21 September 1935 and came to the Fylde Coast to attend Arnold School where he was an all-round sportsman, playing rugby and also being in the cricket, swimming and athletics teams.
But it was as a footballing outside right that he was signed by Blackpool as an amateur in 1952 from the Blackpool Association of Boys’ Clubs. He made his first appearance at full back in a game for the ‘A’ team in which the full back got injured and Jimmy was pulled back to deputise. Thus began a long and prosperous career in the position.
Blackpool manager Joe Smith offered him a professional contract before he played his first Central League game in the 1954/55 season. ‘At 17, Blackpool cannot afford to lose a player of his quality’, said Mr Smith. Jimmy duly signed as a professional on 4 September 1954 as Mr Smith prophesied England honours for the youngster.
He made his League debut on 27 December 1954 at Portsmouth when Blackpool lost 3-0 and his second League game against Manchester United on 1 January 1955 was lost 4-1, so it had been an inauspicious start to his League career.
Representative honours soon followed, firstly for an Army representative side in January 1956 and then he was selected for England U23 v Scotland U23 at Hillsborough on 8 February 1956 after little more than 20 League games. However, illness prevented him from playing but he was not to be denied for long for he played for the Football League representative side in April 1956.
His performances were noted everywhere and he was voted Young Footballer of the Year in 1958/59. He made his full England debut on 13 May 1959 and this began an international career of 43 games, 15 of them as captain of the side. In addition he was voted the best right back in the world during the 1962 World Cup finals and he was also voted the best right back in Europe for three successive seasons, 1962-1964. He also narrowly missed being voted Footballer of the Year in 1966 when he was just pipped by Bobby Charlton.
He was made Blackpool captain in January 1961 and proved to be an inspirational figure leading the side. But he sensationally asked for a transfer on 19 October 1963. The ‘request exploded like a bomb’ on the club and, not surprisingly, it was turned down. He went on to complete 568 League games, 33 FA Cup ties and 25 League Cup ties, a grand total of 626 appearances for Blackpool, playing his final game in 1-1 draw with Manchester United on 1 May 1971. And he was only booked once and that controversially (as he once told me) against Norwich City on 6 March 1963.
He subsequently went into management with Leeds United and Bolton Wanderers before settling down as a well-respected journalist and radio pundit as well as doing important ad hoc jobs for the Football Association. `
Long may he remain in the memories of Seasiders' fans.
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