Jimmy Holmes (footballer, born 1953)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jimmy Holmes

| image =

| fullname = James Paul Holmes

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|11|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland

| height =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = St John Bosco

| youthyears2 = 1970–1971

| youthclubs2 = Coventry City

| years1 = 1970–1977

| clubs1 = Coventry City

| caps1 = 128

| goals1 = 6

| years2 = 1977–1981

| clubs2 = Tottenham Hotspur

| caps2 = 81

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 1981–1982

| clubs3 = Vancouver Whitecaps

| caps3 = 17

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1982–1983

| clubs4 = Leicester City

| caps4 = 2

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1983

| clubs5 = Brentford

| caps5 = 4

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 1983

| clubs6 = Torquay United

| caps6 = 25

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 1983–1986

| clubs7 = Peterborough United

| caps7 = 49

| goals7 = 7

| years8 = 1985–1987

| clubs8 = Nuneaton Borough

| caps8 = 39

| goals8 = 4

| years9 = 1987

| clubs9 = Leicester United

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| years10 = 1987–1989

| clubs10 = Hitchin Town

| caps10 =

| goals10 =

| years11 = 1989–1990

| clubs11 = Bedworth United

| caps11 =

| goals11 =

| years12 = 1990

| clubs12 = Nuneaton Borough

| caps12 =

| goals12 =

| nationalyears1 = 1971–1981

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland

| nationalcaps1 = 30

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| manageryears1 = 1985–1987

| managerclubs1 = Nuneaton Borough (player-manager)

| manageryears2 = 1987–1989

| managerclubs2 = Hitchin Town (player-manager)

| manageryears3 = 1989–1990

| managerclubs3 = Bedworth United (player-manager)

}}

James Paul Holmes (born 11 November 1953) is an Irish former professional footballer. Hailing from Meath Square in The Liberties,{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LwcfDgAAQBAJ |title=The Day My Dream Ended: The Autobiography of Jimmy Holmes |last1=Holmes |first1=Jimmy |last2=Malyon |first2=Mike |date=31 January 2017 |publisher=Andrews UK Limited |isbn=9781911476290 }} he won 30 full international caps for the Republic of Ireland, scoring once.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=12380|title=Republic of Ireland 3–0 Norway|publisher=eufootball.info|accessdate=11 November 2016}}

Career

Holmes, a left-back, began his career with St. John Bosco.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccer-ireland.com/dublin-football-clubs/st-john-bosco.htm|title= St. John Bosco Football Club|publisher=Soccer-ireland.com|accessdate=7 December 2013}} He joined Coventry City as apprentice and was a member of the FA Youth Cup Final side in 1970.{{Cite news |url=http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-legend-jimmy-holmes-12988326 |title=Coventry City legend Jimmy Holmes relives his horrific leg break |last=Turner |first=Andy |date=5 May 2017 |work=Coventry Telegraph |access-date=31 October 2017}} He turned professional in November 1970 and became the Republic of Ireland's youngest ever full international at 17 years, 200 days when he came on as a 74th-minute substitute for Don Givens in the 4–1 defeat in the European Championship Qualifier against Austria at Dalymount Park on 30 May 1971.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0501/1224269472509.html|title= Hold the back page|publisher=Irishtimes.com|accessdate=7 December 2013}}

He made his league debut later that year in the home game against Leicester City on 4 December and gradually established himself in the Coventry first team. In March 1977, after 8 goals in 143 games for Coventry, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £120,000. A broken leg ended his career at White Hart Lane after 92 games, in which he scored twice.{{Cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/jimmy-holmes-27759/ |title=Jimmy Holmes |website=11v11.com |access-date=31 October 2017}} While on international duty, Jimmy broke his leg and complications arose in the setting of the leg.

In February 1981, the Vancouver Whitecaps of the North American Soccer League purchased his contract for £100,000. However, he played only seventeen games over two seasons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/H/Holmes.Jim.htm|title=NASL-|website=www.nasljerseys.com|access-date=31 October 2017}} During this time he made one final appearance in the Irish national side. In October 1982 he returned to the UK, joining Leicester City on a free transfer, but played only twice before a free transfer took him to Brentford in February 1983.{{Hugman|9253|accessdate=31 October 2017}} A month later, another free transfer took him to Torquay United, Holmes playing 25 games (3 goals) for Bruce Rioch's side. In November 1983 he moved to Peterborough United, scoring 7 times in 60 games before ending his league career.{{Cite web|url=http://www.uptheposh.com/people/6274/career/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023142/http://www.uptheposh.com/people/6274/career/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=7 November 2017|title=Jimmy Holmes's Career – UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database|website=www.uptheposh.com|access-date=31 October 2017}}

He enjoyed a testimonial match in 1985 at Dalymount Park, when an Irish XI beat a Glenn Hoddle XI.[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1985/0808/Pg003.html#Ar00301:0FA11B12412E27D2E72A92FC05012908313C0534FA0735092B22E62E32FB] {{subscription required}} {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010072100/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1985/0808/Pg003.html |date=10 October 2012 }}

He later became a police officer in the Midlands and works as a chauffeur. As a police officer, he was once called into duty again while on police duty at Coventry City's Highfield Road. When one of the players for a testimonial did not show, Jimmy stepped into the fray. In August 2007 he was formally commended for his bravery in July 2006.{{cite web|url=http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=gun-scare-pcs-hailed&method=full&objectid=19634270&siteid=50003-name_page.html#story_continue |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807221453/http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/tm_headline%3Dgun-scare-pcs-hailed%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D19634270%26siteid%3D50003-name_page.html |archivedate= 7 August 2011 |title=Coventry News: The latest Coventry news updates from the Coventry Telegraph |publisher=Iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk |accessdate=5 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}

References

External links

[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/tottenham-hotspur-fc/jim-holmes-7509/league-appearances_a11607/ Tottenham Hotspur: Jimmy Holmes]
[http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/H/Holmes.Jim.htm NASL stats]

Category:1953 births

Category:Brentford F.C. players

Category:British police officers

Category:Coventry City F.C. players

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England

Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada

Category:Leicester City F.C. players

Category:Living people

Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players

Category:Association footballers from Dublin (city)

Category:Peterborough United F.C. players

Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers