JIMMY SHOULD BE A VERY GOOD KNIGHT

Jimmy Armfield CBE DL of Lancashire, Sheriff of Lancashire, will have been playing his local Church organ over the Christmas period, but half his mind would have been reminiscing the hectic Christmas football programme that he would have enjoyed when he was a formidable right back.

Working also for the BBC, Jimmy still gives enjoyable expert analysis on Radio Five Live and is entertaining at every ground he visits as a pundit, usually in the "north-west" of the Football League.

I remember him as a young footballer in the 1950s (he was voted FL Young Player of the Year in 1959) and he played  627 games (with only 6 goals, so he was not an overlapper!) for Blackpool FC until 1971. With the great Stanley Matthews in front of him on the right wing, Armfield could not go wrong. In 1966, he was runner-up as Player of the Year, unsurprisingly, to Bobby Charlton, who was in his pomp.

His international career (43 caps) was cruelly thwarted by injury and the arrival of George Cohen, who took Jimmy's place in the run up to the 1966 World Cup. Armfield did not play during the tournament but as part of the squad he was awarded his Winners' medal in 2009 after a campaign by the FA.

He retired from playing and managed Bolton in 1971 to a Third Division Championship. He then went to Leeds United in the wake of Brian Clough,  working with Don Howe and they both led Leeds to the 1975 European Cup Final, losing to Bayern Munich 0-2, two FA Cup/League Cup semi-finals and resepctable league placings in the "top" First Division until 1978.

He has been an advisor to the FA and recently fought cancer without a fuss.

He still is humble enough to help neighbours with the gardening and if anyone deserves to be knighted in the New Year's Honours, then it is Jimmy.
There are two references to this modest man linked below.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/erected-for-ever.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/tailored-made-for-football.html