Jimmy Armfield

Armfield was born in 1935 to Christopher and Doris Armfield. After Armfield's family moved to Blackpool from Denton during the Second World War,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/22/jimmy-armfield-obituary|title=Jimmy Armfield obituary|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 January 2018|author=Glanville, Brian}} he was spotted in a practice match at Bloomfield Road by manager Joe Smith. Armfield, who played on the left wing for that game, scored all of Blackpool's goals in a 4–1 victory.[http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1999332,00.html "Armfield Ready For Big Day"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323014515/http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1999332,00.html |date=23 March 2010 }}, Blackpool F.C.'s official website, 19 March 2010 Impressed, Smith offered him a trial.{{cite book|last=Calley |first=Roy |title=Blackpool: A Complete Record, 1887–1992 |publisher=Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd |date=20 October 1992|isbn=978-1-873626-07-8 }} After finishing his studies at Arnold School in Blackpool and obtained his higher school certificate, he joined Blackpool at the age of 17. On 27 December 1954, Armfield made his Blackpool debut at Portsmouth. He recalled of the game: "That League debut at Fratton Park was not, I fear, a very conspicuous one for me. I found myself up against Gordon Dale, a very clever and strong winger with plenty of experience. He was far too good and we lost 3–0. Gordon really gave me the run-around, and I realised just how much I had to learn. They were a very good team in those days, and they scored a goal in about the first two minutes — and I hadn't touched the ball. We were three down after fifteen minutes."{{cite book|last=Gillatt|first=Peter|title=Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year |publisher=Pitch Publishing Ltd|date=30 November 2009|isbn=978-1-905411-50-4}}

He was part of the Blackpool side that finished in what is to date still the club's highest-ever Football League position when they finished as First Division (then the top flight in England) runners-up in the 1955–56 season.

Armfield was voted Young Player of the Year in 1959. He was awarded Granada TV's Sports Outlook Northern Sports Star of the year trophy in 1961.

In 1966, he narrowly lost out to Bobby Charlton for the Footballer of the Year award and had to content himself with being Blackpool's Player of the Year. Blackpool achieved little success in his seventeen years with them, the club having won the FA Cup the year before his arrival. The exception was promotion to the First Division in 1969–70.

Armfield was awarded a testimonial match, played on 2 September 1970, his 35th birthday, and thousands turned out to pay tribute to him. He played his final game for Blackpool on 1 May 1971, in front of a crowd of over 30,000 against Manchester United at Bloomfield Road, in what would be the last game played by Blackpool in the top flight of English football for almost 40 years. He came back from a ten-game injury lay-off to make his swan-song appearance.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/league-one-playoff-final-the-rock-of-blackpool-450568.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/league-one-playoff-final-the-rock-of-blackpool-450568.html |archive-date=8 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=League One Play-Off Final: The rock of Blackpool|last=Culley|first=Jon|date=27 May 2007|newspaper=Independent on Sunday|access-date=31 October 2008}}

Armfield won 43 caps for England between 1959 and 1966, and captained his country on fifteen occasions.{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=22 January 2018}} He made his international debut on 13 May 1959, against Brazil in front of over 120,000 fans at the Maracanã Stadium. He played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile, where he was acclaimed as "the best right-back in the world". He was also voted "best right-back in Europe" between 1962 and 1964. However, a groin injury suffered in Blackpool's last match of the 1963–64 season, against Ipswich Town ruled him out of the side for England's busy summer programme. Fulham's George Cohen took the opportunity to establish himself as England's first choice right-back with a series of strong performances, and Armfield was unable to force his way back into the team. He played two further matches in the warm-up to the 1966 World Cup and was included in the winning squad but a toe injury sustained in the pre-tournament appearance against Finland and Cohen's incumbency ensured he played no part in the tournament. His appearance against Finland was his last for his country.Jimmy Armfield with Andrew Collomosse. Right Back to the Beginning: The Autobiography, London: Headline, 2004, pp.135-140. {{ISBN|0-7553-1276-7}}

In the 1966 World Cup final only the eleven players on the pitch at the end of the 4–2 win over West Germany received medals. Following a Football Association-led campaign to persuade FIFA to award medals to all the winners' squad members, Armfield was presented with his medal by Gordon Brown at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2009.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8093891.stm|title=World Cup 1966 winners honoured|date=10 June 2009|work=BBC News}}

Not long after the end of his playing career, Armfield became manager of Bolton Wanderers in 1971, leading them to promotion to the Second Division in the 1972–73 season as Third Division champions.{{cite web|url=http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/15888899.Wanderers_pay_their_respects_to__Gentleman_Jim_/|title=Bolton Wanderers pay respects to ex-manager Jimmy Armfield|last=Iles|first=Marc|date=22 January 2018|publisher=Bolton News|access-date=22 January 2018}}

On 4 October 1974, Armfield took the helm at Leeds United, replacing Brian Clough as manager, leading them to the European Cup Final in the 1974–75 season in which they lost 2–0 to Bayern Munich under controversial circumstances.{{cite web|url=http://www.europeancuphistory.com/euro75.html|title=European Cup & Champions League History 1955-2017|website=www.europeancuphistory.com}} Assisted by Don Howe, Armfield was responsible for rebuilding Don Revie's ageing, but still formidable, side; a task which he achieved with some success. Armfield bought in players such as Tony Currie and Brian Flynn, and under his stewardship Leeds never finished outside of the top ten, qualified for the UEFA Cup,{{cite web|title=Leeds United history|url=http://www.360football.co.uk/LeedsUnited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029122552/http://www.360football.co.uk/LeedsUnited|archive-date=29 October 2012|publisher=Football 1 Ltd|access-date=22 January 2018|url-status=dead}} and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1976–77 and the League Cup in 1977–78. He was dismissed as manager in July 1978, being replaced by Celtic manager Jock Stein.{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ILdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5363,3654759|title=Leeds woo Stein with £30,000 bait - The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search|date=18 August 1978|website=news.google.com|access-date=2019-08-12}}

Leeds was Armfield's final managerial role, and he decided to work in the media. He worked as a journalist with the Daily Express from 1979 to 1991. Later he was known as a match summariser for BBC Radio Five Live. 2009 marked his 30th year on the BBC. To mark the occasion, Armfield picked his personal Top 5 Players from each decade he had been summarising and these were broadcast as part of 5 Live's 2009 FA Cup Final pre-game programme.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

He also worked as a consultant with the Football Association and in this role was responsible for the appointment of Terry Venables as England coach in 1994 and was also a key figure in Glenn Hoddle's appointment two years later. In 2000, he was awarded an OBE for services to football{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/794160.stm

|title=Sport honoured across the board

|date=16 June 2000|work=BBC News|access-date=31 October 2008}}

and in 2004 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of his home county of Lancashire. In 2005–2006 he served as High Sheriff of Lancashire.{{cite news

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/4587521.stm

|title= Soccer Sheriff hangs coat of arms |date=27 May 2005

|publisher=BBC North West|access-date=31 October 2008}}

Although born in Denton, Armfield lived mainly in Blackpool, moving there in a Second World War evacuation, and in 2003 he was awarded the freedom of the resort.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/2931075.stm|title= Local heroes get freedom honour |date=9 April 2003|publisher=BBC North West|access-date=31 October 2008}}

In 2004, he released his autobiography, Right Back to the Beginning: The Autobiography, which a book review in The Times described as "Authoritative and engaging, but at the same time warm-hearted and kind, there is not a harsh word, and hardly a critical one, in it".{{cite news

|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article1032997.ece

|title=Book Review: Right Back To The Beginning by Jimmy Armfield

|last=Lovejoy|first=Joe|date=29 February 2004|work=The Times

|access-date=31 October 2008 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

On 23 September 2005, he received a civic reception in Blackpool just after his 70th birthday on 21 September when a tangerine flag was flown from the town hall for the day in his honour.

{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/4273418.stm

|title=Resort honours footballing legend |date=23 September 2005

|publisher=BBC North West|access-date=31 October 2008}}

In 2006, Armfield was awarded with an Honorary Fellowship from nearby Myerscough College, recognising his pioneering contribution to developing the attacking full-back role.{{Cite web |title=Honorary Fellows {{!}} Myerscough College |url=https://www.myerscough.ac.uk/about/honorary-fellows/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=www.myerscough.ac.uk}}

On 22 September 2007, Armfield was the half-time guest at Blackpool's Championship home match against Colchester United. He received a standing ovation, and he thanked the Blackpool fans for their support, which, he said, helped him get through the recent dark days.{{cite news |title=Jimmy's thanks to 'Pool fans

|newspaper=Blackpool Gazette |date=22 September 2007 |url=http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpool-news/Jimmy39s-thanks-to-39Pool-fans.3224762.jp |access-date=23 September 2007}}

On 2 March 2008, Armfield was awarded the Outstanding Contribution honour at the Football League Awards ceremony in London.{{cite news

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7272486.stm

|title=Football League honours Armfield|date=1 March 2008

|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 March 2008}}

On 18 September 2008 Armfield was awarded a place in the football Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum in Preston, joining fellow former Seasiders Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen in the list of Blackpool players selected. The panel which consisted of Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney and Mark Lawrenson opted to induct Armfield. He was presented with the honour by former England teammate, Jimmy Greaves at the National Football Museum Hall of Fame Night, held in London.{{cite journal

| title = Jimmy picks up Hall of Fame Award – Football Museum honours Mr Blackpool

| journal = Up the Pool| volume = 2008–09 season| issue = Blackpool vs Derby County

| pages = 39| date = 21 October 2008}}

On 27 April 2008, Armfield was awarded the PFA Merit Award at the 35th Annual Awards Dinner at London's Grosvenor Hotel. He received three standing ovations when he got up to accept the award.

In July 2009 he was honoured by Tameside Council in Denton, where he was born, and the Denton and Audenshaw District Assembly presented him with a lifetime-achievement award.{{cite web|url=http://www.tameside.gov.uk/mayor/blog/july|title=Not Found|website=www.tameside.gov.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021190127/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/mayor/blog/july|archive-date=21 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}

Armfield was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year's Honours list for services to the community in Lancashire.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/8435126.stm

|title= Lions legend Ian McGeechan knighted in New Year Honours

|date=31 December 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=31 December 2009}}

{{London Gazette |issue=59282 |date=31 December 2009 |page=6 |supp=y}}

Armfield's son, John, also played football, albeit to a less successful level and became a teacher in Lancashire. In October 1980, he signed associated schoolboy forms with Manchester United, but never made a professional appearance before going on to play non-league football for Runcorn, Barrow and Workington.

{{cite news

|title=Sons and Daughters

|publisher=Bob and 1970–71 Footballers

|date=12 October 2007

|url=http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/sonsand.htm

|access-date=13 December 2008

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831175648/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/sonsand.htm

|archive-date=31 August 2010

}}

On 5 May 2012, Armfield presented the trophy to the winning captain.

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-17792560 "Blackpool legend Jimmy Armfield to present FA Cup"] – BBC News, 20 April 2012

at the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Armfield was awarded Global Football Ambassador at the Football Business Awards 2016.{{cite web|url=http://footballbusinessawards.com/winners/|title=Winners and Finalists|website=footballbusinessawards.com}}

On 11 May 2007, Armfield announced on BBC Radio Lancashire that he had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his throat, and was being advised to rest by his doctors, but he remained positive about his future.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6645537.stm

|title=Armfield faces cancer treatment|date=11 May 2007|work=BBC Sport |access-date=11 May 2007}} The cancer was successfully treated, but returned in November 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-42775098|title=Former England captain Jimmy Armfield dies aged 82|work=BBC News|date=22 January 2018|access-date=22 January 2018}}

Armfield died of the disease in 2018, at the age of 82.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/22/jimmy-armfield-former-england-captain-dies-aged-82|title=Jimmy Armfield, former England captain, dies aged 82|date=22 January 2018|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=22 January 2018}}

Armfield was inducted into Blackpool's Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by him in April 2006.{{cite book|title=Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC|publisher=Blackpool Gazette|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84547-182-8|editor=Singleton, Steve|edition=1|location=Blackpool|pages=40–43}} Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Armfield is in the 1960s.{{cite web|url=http://www.bsaweb.info/HOF60.aspx|title=The Hall Of Fame – 1960's|publisher=Blackpool Supporters Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612154323/http://www.bsaweb.info/HOF60.aspx|archive-date=12 June 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=29 November 2009}}

File:Armfield_2019.jpeg, pictured in 2019]]

The South Stand at Bloomfield Road, which was opened on 20 March 2010, is named the "Jimmy Armfield South Stand" with ARMFIELD spelled out in white seats amongst the tangerine majority. A statue of Armfield was commissioned by the Blackpool Supporters' Association in 2009. The nine foot high statue, costing £100,000, is located outside the main entrance, behind the West Stand facing Seasiders Way, and was unveiled by Sir Trevor Brooking on 1 May 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1841538,00.html |title=Legend Jimmy Armfield Honoured With A Statue |date=30 October 2009 |publisher=Blackpool |access-date=30 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314044628/http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10432~1841538%2C00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.jimmyarmfield.co.uk/thestatue.html|title=The Statue: How the life size sculpture will be created|date=30 October 2009|publisher=The Jimmy Armfield Statue Fund|access-date=30 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526124333/http://www.jimmyarmfield.co.uk/thestatue.html|archive-date=26 May 2010|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news |title=Statue of Jimmy Armfield unveiled at Bloomfield Road |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-13252752 |work=BBC News |date=1 May 2011 |access-date=1 May 2011}}

{{Blockquote|"I feel quite humble about it and I must be honest I will be very proud to see it as I am with the stand, as Blackpool is my team and my town. It is nice to think that anything I have done has been appreciated, all people like to think that."|Armfield talking in October 2009 about the statue commissioned of him at Bloomfield Road}}

On 2 September 2019, The FA unveiled the Jimmy Armfield Briefing Room at St. George's Park in his honour.{{cite news |title=England FA renames lecture theatre in honour of Blackpool legend Jimmy Armfield |url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/england-fa-renames-lecture-theatre-in-honour-of-blackpool-legend-jimmy-armfield-1-9971436 |work=Blackpool Gazette |date=2 September 2019 |access-date=4 September 2019}}

England

• FIFA World Cup: 1966{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/22/charming-wise-jimmy-armfield-had-profound-gift-empathy-instilled/|title=Charming and wise Jimmy Armfield had a profound gift for empathy that instilled the game with dignity|first=Paul|last=Hayward|date=23 January 2018|website=The Telegraph|access-date=29 August 2019}}

Bolton Wanderers

• Football League Third Division champion: 1972–73{{cite web|url=https://www.bwfc.co.uk/club/club-honours/|title=Club Honours - Bolton Wanderers|website=www.bwfc.co.uk|access-date=23 January 2018|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225164906/https://www.bwfc.co.uk/club/club-honours/|url-status=dead}}

Leeds United

• European Cup runners-up: 1974–75{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/22/jimmy-armfield-leeds-gordon-mcqueen-european-cup-final|title=Quiet, thoughtful and good – Jimmy Armfield was a top manager|first=Gordon|last=McQueen|date=22 January 2018|website=The Guardian|access-date=29 August 2019}}

• List of one-club men

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite book|last=Armfield|first=Jimmy|first2=Andrew|last2= Collomosse|title=Right Back to the Beginning: The Autobiography |publisher=Headline|date=2 February 2004|isbn=978-0-7553-1276-4}}

• {{cite book|last=Calley|first=Roy|title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992|publisher=Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd|date=20 October 1992|isbn=978-1-873626-07-8}}
• {{cite book|title=Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC|editor=Singleton, Steve|publisher=Blackpool Gazette|location=Blackpool|year=2007|edition=1|isbn=978-1-84547-182-8}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050728095537/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/armfield.htm Jimmy Armfield Bob's 70–71 footballers Jimmy Armfield]
• [http://www.wafll.com/leeds-managers/jimmy-armfield.html Full Managerial Stats for Leeds United from WAFLL]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091104013154/http://www.jimmyarmfield.co.uk/ Jimmy Armfield Statue Fund website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100612154323/http://www.bsaweb.info/HOF60.aspx Armfield in the Blackpool Supporters Association Hall of Fame]
• {{Englandstats}}

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