2018 deaths of noteables

Blackleaf

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Jimmy Armfield, who was a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died aged 82...

Former England captain Jimmy Armfield dies aged 82


22 January 2018
BBC News


Jimmy Armfield captained England 15 times

Former England football captain Jimmy Armfield has died from cancer at the age of 82.

Armfield was capped 43 times by England, 15 of them as captain, and made a club record 627 appearances for Blackpool.

He later managed Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United, and was a BBC radio commentator for more than 35 years.

His family thanked well-wishers for their "messages of love and support".

Tributes have been posted on social media from the football world, including the FA and Match of the Day's Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

Sir Bobby Charlton, who played in the same army teams as Armfield during their national service, and later alongside him for England at the 1962 World Cup in Chile, spoke of his sadness.

He said: "I knew the man as well as the player, and it was not by chance that we stayed in touch for so long after we both retired.

"I have missed listening to his authoritative radio commentaries and now I will miss seeing Mr Blackpool around the scene."

Sir Geoff Hurst, who played with Armfield twice in the run-up to the 1966 World Cup, said: "Jimmy was a great part of our group at the World Cup, one of the great full-backs, and one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet.


Jimmy Armfield (centre) with the World Cup-winning England team in 1966


"I got to know him more after the World Cup, playing golf and at the reunions. Just an absolutely super guy and a sad loss."

Despite being a member of the 1966 cup-winning squad, a toe injury meant Armfield did not play as the team went on to win the tournament.

Armfield, who was born in Denton, Greater Manchester, was a team-mate of Sir Stanley Matthews at Blackpool, where he made his name as an overlapping right-back.

Armfield was never sent off during his career and was only booked once, after two fouls in an FA Cup match against Norwich City.

He later wrote: "I had played more than 500 League games by then and the referee was almost apologetic."

Armfield became manager of Bolton Wanderers in 1971, and took over at Leeds United in 1974, replacing Brian Clough and guiding them to a European Cup final, where they were beaten 2-0 by Bayern Munich.

Leeds player Eddie Gray, who spent his entire career at the club, said Armfield "steadied the ship" and "completely turned things round" when Clough left.

"It wasn't an easy time for Jimmy to come in because the team were getting that bit older as well, but his manner, the way he conducted himself in and around the club, was terrific," he said.

Former England captain Jimmy Armfield dies aged 82 - BBC News
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
48,340
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I was just watching a YouTube documentary on the making of the Blackadder series last night! Those guys were good!

I've got every episode on DVD, including the 1987 Christmas special, the 1988 Comic Relief special, the 1999 time travel episode which was specially made to be shown at the Millennium Dome and an episode in which Baldrick goes behind the scenes of the 1999 special.