Jimmy Yates
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Yates was an English professional footballer
who played as a right winger in the 1900 FA Cup Final
for Southampton
.
, but started his professional career across the Pennines
in November 1892 with Second Division
Ardwick, after spending the 1891–92 season on the books of Burnley
. He made his Ardwick debut on 24 December 1892 in a 2–1 defeat at the hands of Lincoln City
. Toward the end of the season he hit a rich vein of goalscoring form, scoring five goals in six matches. In the 1893–94 season he played in 13 consecutive matches, scoring a brace in his final Ardwick appearance, a 3–0 win against Walsall Town Swifts
. In total he made 21 appearances for Ardwick, scoring nine goals. In December 1893, after just under a year in Manchester, he moved back to his native town to join Sheffield United
in the First Division
. He spent four seasons with United playing at the top level in English football, and played a major part in them reaching the runners-up position in the 1896–97 season.
In the summer of 1897, he was one of four Football League players who were signed by Southern League
champions Southampton
. Described by Holley & Chalk as "a dapper, clever forward (who)when at his best, was virtually unstoppable" his first season at The Dell was often interrupted by ill-health and he was out of the team from March onwards, thus missing out on "Saints" first FA Cup Semi-final against Nottingham Forest
. In the 1897–98 season he made thirteen appearances at the start of the season, before losing his place to Bob Brown
, scoring six goals as Southampton again claimed the Southern League championship.
At the end of the season, because of his poor health, he decided not to sign a new contract and moved to Kent
where he played for Gravesend United
, also then in the Southern League. He returned to Southampton in March 1899, taking over from Tom Smith
at outside-right, in time to help the Saints clinch the championship for the third successive season.
The following season, Saints were able to finish in only third place in the table, as they were concentrating their efforts on the FA Cup
where they reached the final for the first time in their history, the highlight of which was a 4-1 drubbing of Newcastle United
in which Yates was among the scorers. Unfortunately, the Cup Final was a great disappointment as Saints were swept aside 4–0 by Bury
.
In 1900–01 he was part of the forward line-up which claimed the league title for the fourth time in five years after which he again left the club for an easier life in Sussex
where he turned out occasionally for Hastings & St Leonards
, keeping in touch with his former club by acting as a scout
. He also spent some time in Denmark coaching for Copenhagen
.
In March 1905 he returned to The Dell for the third time (making him the only player in Southampton's history to sign for the club on three separate occasions). He only made one appearance (against Northampton Town
on 18 March 1905) before finally retiring from playing football. In his three separate spells with Southampton, he made a total of 77 appearances, scoring 22 goals.
and USA. While at Hastings, he "discovered" Horace Glover
and recommended him to his former club – Glover went on to make over 170 appearances for Southampton
in the next five years, before joining West Ham United
.
He returned to Southampton
in 1907, taking up employment as a stevedore
in Southampton Docks. He was still dogged by ill-health resulting in him losing his job. Unable to find employment, he committed suicide
on Southampton Common
in September 1922.
Southampton
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 played as a right winger in the 1900 FA Cup Final
1900 FA Cup Final
The 1900 FA Cup Final was contested by Bury and Southampton at Crystal Palace. Bury won 4–0, with goals by Jasper McLuckie , Willie Wood and John Plant. This final was the last of the 19th Century and the first victory in the FA Cup for Bury, who beat a team who similarly had never reached...
for 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...
.
Playing career
Yates was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, but started his professional career across the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
in November 1892 with Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Ardwick, after spending the 1891–92 season on the books of Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. He made his Ardwick debut on 24 December 1892 in a 2–1 defeat at the hands of Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. Toward the end of the season he hit a rich vein of goalscoring form, scoring five goals in six matches. In the 1893–94 season he played in 13 consecutive matches, scoring a brace in his final Ardwick appearance, a 3–0 win against Walsall Town Swifts
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. In total he made 21 appearances for Ardwick, scoring nine goals. In December 1893, after just under a year in Manchester, he moved back to his native town to join 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...
in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. He spent four seasons with United playing at the top level in English football, and played a major part in them reaching the runners-up position in the 1896–97 season.
In the summer of 1897, he was one of four Football League players who were signed by Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions 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...
. Described by Holley & Chalk as "a dapper, clever forward (who)when at his best, was virtually unstoppable" his first season at The Dell was often interrupted by ill-health and he was out of the team from March onwards, thus missing out on "Saints" first FA Cup Semi-final against 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...
. In the 1897–98 season he made thirteen appearances at the start of the season, before losing his place to Bob Brown
Bob Brown (Victorian footballer)
Robert "Bob" Brown was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs at the end of the 19th century, including three years in the Football League with Burton Wanderers and a year at Southampton in 1897–98, where he helped win the Southern League...
, scoring six goals as Southampton again claimed the Southern League championship.
At the end of the season, because of his poor health, he decided not to sign a new contract and moved to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
where he played for Gravesend United
Gravesend United F.C.
Gravesend United Football Club was a football club based in Gravesend, Kent.They were founder members of the Kent League in 1894-95 before moving to join the Southern League in 1896-97...
, also then in the Southern League. He returned to Southampton in March 1899, taking over from Tom Smith
Tom Smith (footballer born 1877)
Thomas "Tom" Smith was a professional English footballer who played at outside-right for various clubs around the turn of the 20th century.-Football career:...
at outside-right, in time to help the Saints clinch the championship for the third successive season.
The following season, Saints were able to finish in only third place in the table, as they were concentrating their efforts on the FA Cup
FA Cup
The 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...
where they reached the final for the first time in their history, the highlight of which was a 4-1 drubbing of Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in which Yates was among the scorers. Unfortunately, the Cup Final was a great disappointment as Saints were swept aside 4–0 by Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
.
In 1900–01 he was part of the forward line-up which claimed the league title for the fourth time in five years after which he again left the club for an easier life in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
where he turned out occasionally for Hastings & St Leonards
Hastings United F.C.
Hastings United is a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association and the Hastings Football Association....
, keeping in touch with his former club by acting as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He also spent some time in Denmark coaching for Copenhagen
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
.
In March 1905 he returned to The Dell for the third time (making him the only player in Southampton's history to sign for the club on three separate occasions). He only made one appearance (against Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
on 18 March 1905) before finally retiring from playing football. In his three separate spells with Southampton, he made a total of 77 appearances, scoring 22 goals.
Later career
Over the next few years, he again turned out for both Gravesend and Hasting & St Leonards, before coaching in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and USA. While at Hastings, he "discovered" Horace Glover
Horace Glover
Horace Victor Glover was an English professional footballer who played at left-back for Southampton and West Ham United in the decade prior to World War I.-Football career:...
and recommended him to his former club – Glover went on to make over 170 appearances for 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...
in the next five years, before joining West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
.
He returned to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
in 1907, taking up employment as a stevedore
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
in Southampton Docks. He was still dogged by ill-health resulting in him losing his job. Unable to find employment, he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
on Southampton Common
Southampton Common
Southampton Common is a large open space to the north of the city centre of Southampton, England. It is bounded by the districts of Shirley, Bassett, Highfield and Portswood. The area supports a large variety of wildlife, including the largest recorded population of the internationally rare great...
in September 1922.
Honours
Sheffield UnitedSheffield 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...
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up:1896–97
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...
- 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...
finalist: 1900 - Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championships: 1897–98, 1898–99 and 1900–01