11 Facts About Jimmy Bloomfield

James Henry Bloomfield was an English football player and manager.

Jimmy Bloomfield made nearly 500 appearances in the Football League, including more than 300 in the First Division with Arsenal, Birmingham City and West Ham United.

Jimmy Bloomfield then spent 13 years in management with Orient and Leicester City.

Jimmy Bloomfield's younger brother Billy was a professional footballer with Brentford, and a nephew, Ray Bloomfield, featured for Arsenal's youth team and for a brief period for Aston Villa's first team before moving on to play soccer in America.

Jimmy Bloomfield began his career as a youngster with non-league club Hayes, and had a short spell with Walthamstow Avenue, before joining Second Division club Brentford in October 1952.

Jimmy Bloomfield won caps for England at under-23 level, but never at full level, and for the Football League XI, and played in the London XI that lost the first Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final against Barcelona in 1958.

However, with the arrival of George Eastham in 1960, Jimmy Bloomfield lost his place in the team, and was sold to Birmingham City in November that year.

Jimmy Bloomfield spent four seasons with the Blues, reaching and losing another Fairs Cup final in 1961.

Jimmy Bloomfield helped Birmingham win the 1963 League Cup, scoring a goal in the final itself as Birmingham overcame local rivals Aston Villa.

Jimmy Bloomfield left the club in 1977, and they were relegated the following season.

Jimmy Bloomfield left in 1981 following a dispute with the club chairman, Brian Winston, over the sale of Nigerian international winger John Chiedozie.