Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for nine years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Jimmy was one of the finest uncapped central defenders in post war English football and he was unfortunate to be playing at a time when Billy Wright was always the first name on the England team sheet and so sadly he never received the international recognition he really deserved.
He won FA Cup winners' medals with West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa and for a decade or so after he had left Villa he was still the subject of fond memories by those who saw him play, and tales of his 'slide tackles' across the mud were legendary.
His death means there are only six survivors of the Aston Villa team that beat the 'Busby babes' in the 1957 cup final, and Jimmy is pictured (left) with two of the others, goalscorer Peter McParland and captain Johnny Dixon, at a 50th anniversary re-union held at Villa Park last year.
February 26, 2008 1:26 PM | permalink
Yes i will add my RIP to that, a time when Football was played by men not rich kids.