Jimmy Armfield

[Santa]

Sad to hear of his passing.

 

Listening to him as a kid alongside great commentators like Mike Ingham, I only ever knew him for his radio work. As I grew older then I realised what he achieved in his playing career.

 

He always kept up to speed with the modern game as it changed over the years and he always brought insightful and relevant analysis to whatever game he covered. Someone I always enjoyed listening to.

[TheSage]

I saw him when he was still a player. A great right back who only missed out in 1966 because he picked up a bad injury in the previous weeks and couldn't get his place back.

But of course he went into management after playing and then must have spent 30-odd years commentating on the national radio where his measured, thoughtful, warm & generous comments made him a firm favourite with listeners.

I believe he also did a lot of work in his local community in south shore, Blackpool, where he lived.

For most of his time at Blackpool he played right back to Sir Stan on the right wing and the two of them were firm friends.

 

He came across as a gentleman. Very very few like him left. RIP.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

I went to watch Blackpool play as a kid while I was on holiday there and at that time they were a top flight side. I can't really remember it all that well but I've still got the programme somewhere and I'm sure Jimmy Armfield is listed in the team. My grandad, who took me, always used to go on about what a great player Jimmy Armfield was and especially how he linked up with Stan Matthews (his all time favourite player, he reckoned he was even better than Bobby Charlton but I'd need some convincing of that). It would have been right at the tail end of his career as I think I'm right in saying he retired when Blackpool were relegated to the Second Division.

I remember him most as a manager and commentator. His Leeds team were definitely robbed in the 75 European Cup Final, maybe because Jimmy didn't have any brown envelopes like Don Revie or possibly the Bayern manager? I think it was a good move for him to walk away from management because he had some right stick from the chip-on-the-shoulder Leeds fans towards the end of his time there and someone of his ability and stature didn't need that. It was great for those of us who enjoy radio commentary though, I loved his style and opinions and I can't think of anyone better as a pundit on radio or tv, if he was still in it today he'd be earning a fortune from Sky.

 

RIP Jimmy, passing of an era really and I for one do and will continue to miss your superb commentaries on the beautiful game.

[For Us All]

Just listening at the moment to a tribute to the great man on BBC5 Live.

RIP Jimmy.

[CambridgeDon]

Great man - in fact a gentleman of the old school with those traditional values that gave English football its pre-eminence in his day. Never saw him play but he came across as a fair-minded man with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the game and a huge slice of common sense to go with it. Always enjoyable to listen to him.

 

RIP, Jimmy - you will be sadly missed.

[For Us All]

I will treasure the great man's autograph along with those of Bobby Robson and Johnny Haynes which I collected in the sixties,all of which are legends of the game.

[Essex Vale]

I remember him as player manager and commentator. Adjectives that spring to mind to describe him are integrity honest fair modest informed reasonable balanced. He was a polymath of the game voted the best right back in the world after the 1962 World Cup

[ELDERBEZZA]

Just listening at the moment to a tribute to the great man on BBC5 Live.

RIP Jimmy.

 

Just listened to the 90 min tribute on R5Live and really impressed by the man.Truly a gentleman,England through and through.Will be missed by all genuine football followers.RIP Jimmy and your family are in our thoughts.

[For Us All]

Just listened to the 90 min tribute on R5Live and really impressed by the man.Truly a gentleman,England through and through.Will be missed by all genuine football followers.RIP Jimmy and your family are in our thoughts.

 

A great listen for any football enthusiast and now available on a podcast on BBC IPlayer.

[Paul6754]

I remember Jimmy Armfield as being a right back for Blackpool and England and his reputation as a gentleman.

 

After reading his brief life story on the BBC webpage I didn't realize he'd done so much, eg I couldn't remember he took over from Cloughie at Leeds and got them to the European Cup Final in 1975. Sad loss.

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40782965

[TheSage]

That 5Live special on Jimmy with Mark Pougatch is a fantastic listen isn't it? Everyone on this forum should listen to it.

 

What strikes you about him is that he was so kind and generous to everyone he met. He lived in the same modest, nondescript house in Blackpool as he had always done, shunning the limelight and ostentatious living style of 99% of modern day footballers. If anyone called he always provided them with a cup of tea and a biscuit and seemed to have so much time for everyone he met.

 

England captain, World Cup winners medal (he kept in the loft), managed LU in the European Cup Final, picked two England managers, famous broadcaster for over 30 years, and yet so humble, so self-effacing and so down to earth.

 

We can all learn an awful lot from the great Jimmy Armfield.

[Heatwave]

I was clearing my desk last week as a prelude to retiring from full time employment when I came across a folder of cuttings of old Vale match reports, one of which was the Cup win against Stoke penned by the great man himself. RIP Jimmy.

[TheSage]

His autobiography is a nice read if you come across it.