Jimmy Armfield

Armfield was born in 1935 to Christopher and Doris Armfield. he was spotted in a practice match at Bloomfield Road by manager Joe Smith. Armfield, who played on the left wing for that game, scored all of Blackpool's goals in a 4–1 victory. Impressed, Smith offered him a trial. After finishing his studies at Arnold School in Blackpool and obtained his higher school certificate, he joined Blackpool at the age of 17. He was part of the Blackpool side that finished in what is to date still the club's highest-ever Football League position when they finished as First Division (then the top flight in England) runners-up in the 1955–56 season. ==International career==

Armfield won 43 caps for England between 1959 and 1966, and captained his country on fifteen occasions. He made his international debut on 13 May 1959, against Brazil in front of over 120,000 fans at the Maracanã Stadium. In the 1966 World Cup final only the eleven players on the pitch at the end of the 4–2 win over West Germany received medals. Following a Football Association-led campaign to persuade FIFA to award medals to all the winners' squad members, Armfield was presented with his medal by Gordon Brown at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2009. ==Management career==

Bolton Wanderers Not long after the end of his playing career, Armfield became manager of Bolton Wanderers in 1971, leading them to promotion to the Second Division in the 1972–73 season as Third Division champions. Leeds United On 4 October 1974, Armfield took the helm at Leeds United, replacing Brian Clough as manager, leading them to the European Cup Final in the 1974–75 season in which they lost 2–0 to Bayern Munich under controversial circumstances. Assisted by Don Howe, Armfield was responsible for rebuilding Don Revie's ageing, but still formidable, side; a task which he achieved with some success. Armfield bought in players such as Tony Currie and Brian Flynn, and under his stewardship Leeds never finished outside of the top ten, qualified for the UEFA Cup, and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1976–77 and the League Cup in 1977–78. ==Post-management==

Leeds was Armfield's final managerial role, and he decided to work in the media. He worked as a journalist with the Daily Express from 1979 to 1991. and in 2004 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of his home county of Lancashire. In 2005–2006 he served as High Sheriff of Lancashire. On 23 September 2005, he received a civic reception in Blackpool just after his 70th birthday on 21 September when a tangerine flag was flown from the town hall for the day in his honour. On 22 September 2007, Armfield was the half-time guest at Blackpool's Championship home match against Colchester United. He received a standing ovation, and he thanked the Blackpool fans for their support, which, he said, helped him get through the recent dark days. On 2 March 2008, Armfield was awarded the Outstanding Contribution honour at the Football League Awards ceremony in London. On 18 September 2008 Armfield was awarded a place in the football Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum in Preston, joining fellow former Seasiders Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen in the list of Blackpool players selected. The panel which consisted of Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney and Mark Lawrenson opted to induct Armfield. He was presented with the honour by former England teammate, Jimmy Greaves at the National Football Museum Hall of Fame Night, held in London. On 27 April 2008, Armfield was awarded the PFA Merit Award at the 35th Annual Awards Dinner at London's Grosvenor Hotel. He received three standing ovations when he got up to accept the award. Armfield was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year's Honours list for services to the community in Lancashire. Armfield's son, John, also played football, albeit to a less successful level and became a teacher in Lancashire. In October 1980, he signed associated schoolboy forms with Manchester United, but never made a professional appearance before going on to play non-league football for Runcorn, Barrow and Workington. On 5 May 2012, Armfield presented the trophy to the winning captain. at the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool. Armfield was awarded Global Football Ambassador at the Football Business Awards 2016. ==Health and death==

On 11 May 2007, Armfield announced on BBC Radio Lancashire that he had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his throat, and was being advised to rest by his doctors, but he remained positive about his future. == Recognition ==

Armfield was inducted into Blackpool's Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by him in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Armfield is in the 1960s. , pictured in 2019 The South Stand at Bloomfield Road, which was opened on 20 March 2010, is named the "Jimmy Armfield South Stand" with ARMFIELD spelled out in white seats amongst the tangerine majority. A statue of Armfield was commissioned by the Blackpool Supporters' Association in 2009. The nine foot high statue, costing £100,000, is located outside the main entrance, behind the West Stand facing Seasiders Way, and was unveiled by Sir Trevor Brooking on 1 May 2011. Armfield Academy, which was built on the site of Armfield's old school Arnold School, was named in his honour following a campaign by former Blackpool mayor Robert Wynne. On 2 September 2019, The FA unveiled the Jimmy Armfield Briefing Room at St. George's Park in his honour. ==Career statistics==

Player England • FIFA World Cup: 1966 Manager Bolton Wanderers • Football League Third Division champion: 1972–73 Leeds United • European Cup runners-up: 1974–75 ==See also==