RIP Jim Smith

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Seems he really did struggle to make it as a player at the Lane. I had no memory of him as a player, even though I went to reserve and youth team matches (I was a sort of young Ball_Sup (Phil) without the beer). I had a look at the promotion match programme v Derby (April 1961), and at that point he had played 31 games for the A-team (3rd XI) and just one reserve game. He was behind Summers and Orr for left-half, and Richardson and Hoyland for right-half, which was strong competition, and moved on at the end of the season. But he must have been a football man through-and-through, and had a good career over many years in different roles. RIP
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
Seems he really did struggle to make it as a player at the Lane. I had no memory of him as a player, even though I went to reserve and youth team matches (I was a sort of young Ball_Sup (Phil) without the beer). I had a look at the promotion match programme v Derby (April 1961), and at that point he had played 31 games for the A-team (3rd XI) and just one reserve game. He was behind Summers and Orr for left-half, and Richardson and Hoyland for right-half, which was strong competition, and moved on at the end of the season. But he must have been a football man through-and-through, and had a good career over many years in different roles. RIP
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Do you remember a player called Peter Thomas? He told me he played for our A team a few times in the early 1960s but I couldnt find any evidence that backed Peter's claim.
 
Silent Blade said:
Do you remember a player called Peter Thomas? He told me he played for our A team a few times in the early 1960s but I couldnt find any evidence that backed Peter's claim.
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Don't recall the name. I'll have a look in some of the old programmes, though I'm not sure how long they continued listing players for all 3 teams, or indeed when the A-team was disbanded. I watched the reserves quite often, and went to see the Juniors a few times, but I'm sure I never even saw the A-team. I can't even remember where they played their games.
 
Cerberus Blade said:
I seem to vaguely remember his name being suggested as a possible candidate, probably mid 80's, when we were going through a bad patch, but I don't know if there was ever anything in it. It was probably based on his success with Oxford United and the fact he was a Sheffielder. (Used to be on United's books as a player).

I thought everyone knew he was a Sheffielder? He even had the archetypal "Sheffield face" to me. One that reflects years of hard work and a touch of cynicism - a sort of "tha what?" look about it...

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I thought the guy was a good manager and having read a few reports over the past 24 hours since his passing, it seems like he was one hell of a decent human being too. RIP.
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Fully agree about his Sheffielder face. Brian Glover also had it.
 
Silent Blade said:
Do you remember a player called Peter Thomas? He told me he played for our A team a few times in the early 1960s but I couldnt find any evidence that backed Peter's claim.
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The A-team appearances are not included in programmes from the 1961-62 season onwards, though I don't know whether the team had been disbanded by then. I didn't find any reference to a Peter Thomas in preceding seasons.
 
Guesty said:
Fully agree about his Sheffielder face. Brian Glover also had it.
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That's the one mate! True innit? I'm from Derbyshire me, so I haven't got a typical Sheffield face. Some folk say I look a bit like a sheep!:oops:
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
Seems he really did struggle to make it as a player at the Lane. I had no memory of him as a player, even though I went to reserve and youth team matches (I was a sort of young Ball_Sup (Phil) without the beer). I had a look at the promotion match programme v Derby (April 1961), and at that point he had played 31 games for the A-team (3rd XI) and just one reserve game. He was behind Summers and Orr for left-half, and Richardson and Hoyland for right-half, which was strong competition, and moved on at the end of the season. But he must have been a football man through-and-through, and had a good career over many years in different roles. RIP
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Where did he play as an amateur because he was mates with my father in law but there was about four school years between them?
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Where did he play as an amateur because he was mates with my father in law but there was about four school years between them?
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I take it you mean what position he played, and to be honest, I have no idea. I always assumed he was a wing-half, but I don't know now why I thought that (he looked a bit like Jim Iley?). He doesn't seem to appear on photos; for example, the standard 1960-61 squad photo, which has 30 players on it, does not include him. The Wikipedia page does not give his position either, in the section on his career.
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
I take it you mean what position he played, and to be honest, I have no idea. I always assumed he was a wing-half, but I don't know now why I thought that (he looked a bit like Jim Iley?). He doesn't seem to appear on photos; for example, the standard 1960-61 squad photo, which has 30 players on it, does not include him. The Wikipedia page does not give his position either, in the section on his career.
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I meant club, father in law was ex Stannington and Ecclesfield Grammar but he'd finished at the Lane through injury about 1/2 years before Jim was on the books.
 

Silent Blade said:
Which part? My mum lived there from 1932 to 1961 (Hartley Brook Road). Her youngest brother still lives in the same house. I know the area quite well as I visited my grandmother at least once a week.
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Not 100% but I think someone once told me it was on Bellhouse Road.
 
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