IS THAT YOU IN THE STATUE, JIMMY?

Number 700. That's what retirement does for you. The beauty of this blogging business is that i can write what ever I like, my "supporters" usually enjoy the variety and occasionally comment but mostly they leave me alone, in my own dream world.

So Simon Gough, who got me going on George Raynor and Skegness Town a while back
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/his-last-post-but-no-statue.html sent me this photo and asked where am I?

I have to admit I didn't guess it and when you look at another photo (just down the page) you will probably see why. Anyway,  Goughie was at Meadow Lane, where Notts County FC play. The club is the oldest in the Football League (founded in 1862) and they have celebrated one of the more successful periods in their history with a double statue.

It is of Jimmy Sirrel (one time manager) and Jack Wheeler (his assistant).

Jimmy was born in 1922 in Glasgow and died in Nottingham in 2008. He started his playing career with Celtic in 1946 and moved on to Bradford Park Avenue, Brighton and Hove Albion and finished at Aldershot over three years till 1957. Overall he played 111 first class matches and scored 23 goals from inside forward.

He went to Brentford as manager in 1967, then Notts County from 1969-75, Sheffield United for two years, where he designed the club's badge having been asked by the Council to change it from the city coat of arms to avoid copyright.

Jimmy then had two spells at County from 1977 through to 1987. He lifted the Magpies from the old Fourth Division to the old Second Division in his first spell and then got them into the old First Division as runners up in 1980-1, the club's first visit to the top since 1926.
Relegation came in 1983-4 and the club then fell into Division Three.

Jack Wheeler was a goalkeeper, born in Evesham and who played mostly for Huddersfield between 1948-56, helping the Terriers into the First Division. He joined Jimmy at County as his assistant and was caretaker manager for a spell in 1968-9. During his time at Meadow Lane, between 1957-83, he never missed a first team game (1152 in total).
Jack died in Nottingham as well in 2009.

The statue was unveiled in May 2016, sculptured by Andrew Edwards.