Jimmy Melia
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Melia is a former English footballer
who spent most of his career playing for Liverpool
and went on to become a manager.
saw the potential in the young schoolboy international's feet, he signed professional forms on his 17th birthday, 1 November 1954. He made his debut aged 18 on 17 December 1955 at Anfield
in a 2nd Division fixture, Nottingham Forest
were the visitors and came up against an in form Billy Liddell
who scored a hat-trick
in the 5–2 victory, Jimmy also scored his first goal for the club in the 48th minute, John Evans
got the other.
Although Jimmy received rave reviews about his performance, Welsh held him back and brought him in to the set up slowly; it wasn't until the following season that he got a real run in the side starting 27 matches. Melia followed this up with a 36 match season scoring 10 goals; he had made his name and would be difficult to shift.
Melia, along with the rest of the staff at Anfield, would feel dejection three seasons on the run as they just missed out on promotion on each occasion. It was all too much for manager Phil Taylor who resigned in 1959. He was followed by the man who would return Liverpool to the top division, Bill Shankly
.
Shankly liked Melia and used him as part of his plan for Liverpool to rule English football. The first attempt at promotion fell short again by eight points as Cardiff City
finished second behind champions Aston Villa
. The frustration continued in 1960–61 as, for a fifth straight time, Liverpool finished third, seven points adrift of winners Ipswich Town
and six short of Sheffield United
.
Something had to change to break the third spot hoodoo, so Shankly went north of the border to buy Ian St John from Motherwell
and Ron Yeats
from Dundee United
. These two along with the likes of Alan A'Court
, Gerry Byrne
, Gordon Milne
, Ian Callaghan
, Ronnie Moran
, Roger Hunt
and Melia, who was an ever-present, scoring thirteen goals, would help guide the club to the second Division title by a clear eight points over Leyton Orient
.
Melia flourished in the first Division and played thirty nine times as Liverpool finished a very respectable eighth place. Unfortunately for the red half of Merseyside
Everton won the league and were seventeen points better.
During this spell Jimmy caught the eye of England
manager Alf Ramsey
who gave him his debut on 6 April 1963 in the 2–1 British Championship
loss at Wembley to Scotland
. Melia's one and only goal came in his second and final appearance for his country, on 5 June 1963 at St. Jakob Park, Basel
as England beat Switzerland
8–1.
The next season Liverpool won the championship by four points from Manchester United. Melia, now aged 27, could add a championship medal to the second division title medal he already owned. By this time, however, he had joined Wolves
, moving in the March, but had played enough games for Liverpool to get the medal.
was a short one. While he had a good run in the first team, this came to an abrupt end when manager Stan Cullis
was sacked and replaced by Andy Beattie
. Beattie decided that Melia was not the type of player he wanted and quickly offloaded him to Southampton
.
's manager Ted Bates
"who was keen to acquire his scheming visionary skills". Melia was reluctant to move to the south coast, but when he was eventually persuaded, "Saints' (then) record signing added finesse" to the midfield. Although Saints missed out on promotion at the end of the 1964–65 season, Melia linked up well with Terry Paine
and Martin Chivers
in the following season, helping them to promotion from Division 2, finishing five points behind champions Manchester City
.
He remained an ever-present for Southampton in their first season
in Division 1, as they narrowly hung on to their place in the top flight, with Melia's crosses helping Ron Davies and Martin Chivers score 37 and 14 goals respectively, adding four for himself, the best being a header in a 2–1 victory over Arsenal
on 27 December 1966.
He continued to make a valuable contribution to the team but lost his place to Mick Channon
and in November 1968 he moved on to Aldershot for a £10000 fee and the player managers job.
In his four years at The Dell he made a total of 152 appearances, scoring twelve goals
as player-coach in November 1968, taking the management position in April 1969. Melia moved on from Aldershot in February 1972 to take up a similar role at Crewe Alexandra
; after retiring as a player in May 1972, he took on the managerial role at Gresty Road full-time. While at Aldershot, Melia gained a reputation for his hard-hitting and occasionally controversial column in the club's match day programme.
during the 1982–83 season where his greatest managerial feat occurred when he took them to the 1983 FA Cup Final
. The run took Melia back to his old stomping ground of Anfield where a goal from another ex Liverpool player Jimmy Case
won the game. During the cup run Melia became famous for his 'disco' style of dress and his glamorous younger girlfriend, Val Lloyd. Brighton drew the final, and then lost the replay, to Manchester United and were also relegated from the first division. Melia, who had only been appointed as an interim manager, did not receive a permanent contract.
, Portuguese side Belenenses and Stockport County
.
In 1989 Jimmy had a stint in youth training when he travelled to Sharjah
in the United Arab Emirates
where he set up an academy. He currently coaches youth teams for Liverpool FC America (youth soccer) in The Colony, Texas
. He had gone to America to coach in the 1970s, as an assistant to Laurie Callaway with the Southern California Lazers
in 1978 and head coach of the Cleveland Cobras
in 1979.
Southampton
England
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who spent most of his career playing for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and went on to become a manager.
Liverpool
Jimmy joined the Reds straight from St. Anthony's School as a 15 year old, when manager Don WelshDon Welsh
Donald "Don" Welsh was an English football player and manager. As a player he played at inside left for Charlton Athletic and for England, winning the FA Cup with Charlton in 1946–47.-Playing career:...
saw the potential in the young schoolboy international's feet, he signed professional forms on his 17th birthday, 1 November 1954. He made his debut aged 18 on 17 December 1955 at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in a 2nd Division fixture, Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
were the visitors and came up against an in form Billy Liddell
Billy Liddell
William Beveridge "Billy" Liddell was a Scottish footballer, who played his entire professional career with Liverpool. He signed with the club as a teenager in 1938 and retired in 1961, having scored 228 goals in 534 appearances...
who scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the 5–2 victory, Jimmy also scored his first goal for the club in the 48th minute, John Evans
John Evans (footballer)
John William Evans was a footballer with Liverpool between 1953 and 1957.-Life and playing career:Born in Tilbury, Essex, England, Evans played for Tilbury as an amateur and Charlton Athletic before Reds manager Don Welsh paid £12,500 for his services on Christmas Day 1953, He made his debut,...
got the other.
Although Jimmy received rave reviews about his performance, Welsh held him back and brought him in to the set up slowly; it wasn't until the following season that he got a real run in the side starting 27 matches. Melia followed this up with a 36 match season scoring 10 goals; he had made his name and would be difficult to shift.
Melia, along with the rest of the staff at Anfield, would feel dejection three seasons on the run as they just missed out on promotion on each occasion. It was all too much for manager Phil Taylor who resigned in 1959. He was followed by the man who would return Liverpool to the top division, Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
.
Shankly liked Melia and used him as part of his plan for Liverpool to rule English football. The first attempt at promotion fell short again by eight points as Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
finished second behind champions Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. The frustration continued in 1960–61 as, for a fifth straight time, Liverpool finished third, seven points adrift of winners Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
and six short of Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
Something had to change to break the third spot hoodoo, so Shankly went north of the border to buy Ian St John from Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
and Ron Yeats
Ron Yeats
Ronald 'Ron' Yeats is a Scottish former footballer. He was the captain of the first great Liverpool team of the 1960s.-Life and playing career:...
from Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
. These two along with the likes of Alan A'Court
Alan A'Court
Alan A'Court was an English footballer who mostly played for Liverpool.- Life and playing career :Born in Rainhill, Lancashire, England, A'Court was a winger who started out at Prescot Cables as an amateur before he was signed by Reds manager Don Welsh...
, Gerry Byrne
Gerry Byrne (footballer)
Gerald 'Gerry' Byrne is an English former footballer who spent his entire playing career at Liverpool Football Club.-Life and playing career:...
, Gordon Milne
Gordon Milne
Gordon Milne is an English former footballer and football manager.-Personal life:Gordon Milne, was born in Preston, Lancashire, England and is the son of the former Preston player Jimmy Milne, and son to Jesse Milne...
, Ian Callaghan
Ian Callaghan
Ian Robert Callaghan MBE is a former Liverpool footballer who holds the record for most appearances for the club.-Life and playing career:...
, Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran is a former Liverpool captain and coach, who has twice served as caretaker manager...
, Roger Hunt
Roger Hunt
Roger Hunt, MBE is an English former footballer. He was a member of the England team which won the 1966 World Cup.-Club career:...
and Melia, who was an ever-present, scoring thirteen goals, would help guide the club to the second Division title by a clear eight points over Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
.
Melia flourished in the first Division and played thirty nine times as Liverpool finished a very respectable eighth place. Unfortunately for the red half of Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
Everton won the league and were seventeen points better.
During this spell Jimmy caught the eye of England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
manager Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
who gave him his debut on 6 April 1963 in the 2–1 British Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
loss at Wembley to Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Melia's one and only goal came in his second and final appearance for his country, on 5 June 1963 at St. Jakob Park, Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
as England beat Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
8–1.
The next season Liverpool won the championship by four points from Manchester United. Melia, now aged 27, could add a championship medal to the second division title medal he already owned. By this time, however, he had joined Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, moving in the March, but had played enough games for Liverpool to get the medal.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
His stay in the MidlandsEnglish Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
was a short one. While he had a good run in the first team, this came to an abrupt end when manager Stan Cullis
Stan Cullis
Stanley Cullis was a professional footballer and manager, most notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers. During his term as manager between 1948 and 1964 Wolves became one of the strongest teams in the British game, winning the league title on three occasions, and playing a series of high-profile...
was sacked and replaced by Andy Beattie
Andy Beattie
Andrew "Andy" Beattie was a Scottish professional football player and manager. He was the first manager of the Scottish national team.- Playing days :...
. Beattie decided that Melia was not the type of player he wanted and quickly offloaded him to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
Southampton
In December 1964, Melia was signed for a fee of £30000 by SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
's manager Ted Bates
Ted Bates (footballer)
Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.-Playing career:...
"who was keen to acquire his scheming visionary skills". Melia was reluctant to move to the south coast, but when he was eventually persuaded, "Saints' (then) record signing added finesse" to the midfield. Although Saints missed out on promotion at the end of the 1964–65 season, Melia linked up well with Terry Paine
Terry Paine
Terence Lionel Paine MBE is a former English footballer.Paine made 713 football league appearances for Southampton F.C. and 111 for Hereford United F.C...
and Martin Chivers
Martin Chivers
Martin Harcourt Chivers is a retired English professional footballer from the 1960s and 1970s.-Southampton:...
in the following season, helping them to promotion from Division 2, finishing five points behind champions Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
He remained an ever-present for Southampton in their first season
1966-67 in English football
The 1966–67 season was the 87th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Queens Park Rangers won the Football League Cup on the first occasion it was played at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2....
in Division 1, as they narrowly hung on to their place in the top flight, with Melia's crosses helping Ron Davies and Martin Chivers score 37 and 14 goals respectively, adding four for himself, the best being a header in a 2–1 victory over Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
on 27 December 1966.
He continued to make a valuable contribution to the team but lost his place to Mick Channon
Mick Channon
Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...
and in November 1968 he moved on to Aldershot for a £10000 fee and the player managers job.
In his four years at The Dell he made a total of 152 appearances, scoring twelve goals
Aldershot and Crewe Alexandra
Melia joined AldershotAldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
as player-coach in November 1968, taking the management position in April 1969. Melia moved on from Aldershot in February 1972 to take up a similar role at Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
; after retiring as a player in May 1972, he took on the managerial role at Gresty Road full-time. While at Aldershot, Melia gained a reputation for his hard-hitting and occasionally controversial column in the club's match day programme.
Brighton & Hove Albion
He went on to manage Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
during the 1982–83 season where his greatest managerial feat occurred when he took them to the 1983 FA Cup Final
1983 FA Cup Final
The 1983 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season...
. The run took Melia back to his old stomping ground of Anfield where a goal from another ex Liverpool player Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
won the game. During the cup run Melia became famous for his 'disco' style of dress and his glamorous younger girlfriend, Val Lloyd. Brighton drew the final, and then lost the replay, to Manchester United and were also relegated from the first division. Melia, who had only been appointed as an interim manager, did not receive a permanent contract.
After Brighton
Melia went on to spells in charge of SouthportSouthport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
, Portuguese side Belenenses and Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
.
In 1989 Jimmy had a stint in youth training when he travelled to Sharjah
Sharjah (city)
Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
where he set up an academy. He currently coaches youth teams for Liverpool FC America (youth soccer) in The Colony, Texas
The Colony, Texas
The city is bordered on the west by Lewisville Lake and Lewisville, Texas, on the north and east by Frisco, Texas and on the south by Carrollton, Texas and Plano, Texas...
. He had gone to America to coach in the 1970s, as an assistant to Laurie Callaway with the Southern California Lazers
Southern California Lazers
The Southern California Lazers were an American soccer club based in Torrance, California that was a member of the American Soccer League.-1978 Roster: John McGeady Sid Wallace 24 Apps 14 Goals John Granville Jack Howarth Rildo-Year-by-year:...
in 1978 and head coach of the Cleveland Cobras
Cleveland Cobras
The Cleveland Stars were an American soccer club based in Cleveland, Ohio and a member of the American Soccer League in 1972-73. Before the 1974 season, the name was changed to the Cleveland Cobras. The Stars' colors were blue and white...
in 1979.
As a player
LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
- Football League Division 1 championship: 1963–64
- Football League Division 2 championship: 1961–62
Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Football League Division 2 runner-up: 1965–66
England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
- 2 caps, 1 goal (1963)
As a manager
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalists 19831983 FA Cup FinalThe 1983 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season...