Jimmy Hampson
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| Jimmy Hampson | ||
 |
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Hampson | |
| Date of birth | 23 March 1906 | |
| Place of birth | Little Hulton, England | |
| Date of death | 10 January 1938 (aged 31) | |
| Place of death | Fleetwood, England | |
| Playing position | Centre-forward | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| -1925 | Walkden Park | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1925-1927 1927-1938 |
Nelson Blackpool Career |
64 (42) 361 (248) 425 (290) |
| National team | ||
| 1930-1932 | England | 3 (5) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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James "Jimmy" Hampson (23 March 1906 — 10 January 1938) was an English professional footballer. He spent eleven seasons at Blackpool, where he remains record goalscorer with 252 goals in 373 games, and is still regarded as one of the best centre forwards to play for the club.[1][2]
Contents |
[edit] Club career
Born in Little Hulton, Lancashire, Hampson began his career with Walkden Park. In 1925 he joined Football League Third Division, Nelson, and in his first season, 1925-26, he scored 13 goals in 20 league games. During his first season at Nelson, Hampson scored hat-tricks in three consecutive games. The following season, 1926-27 he scored 23 goals in 35 games.[2]
In October 1927, he joined Blackpool from for a fee of £1,000, scoring on his debut against Notts County on 15 October.[1][2] He went on to score 31 goals in the remaining 32 games of the 1927-28 season including two in his second game for the club, against Manchester City. He missed just one game in his first season for the club, and his goals helped Blackpool stave off relegation, finishing the season in 19th in the Second Division.[2]
The following season he scored 40 goals to become the Second Division top scorer. He scored 5 goals in the first 4 games that season for the club, prompting other clubs to take an interest in signing him. In September Blackpool denied that they had received an offer from Arsenal. After a 2-0 defeat to Stoke City on 13 October 1928, Blackpool fans chaired him off the pitch and he was described as being the "darling of Blackpool". On 10 November he scored a club record 5 goals in a 7-0 victory over Reading. Blackpool finished the season in 8th place. In July 1929, Millwall tried unsuccessfully to sign him. And in the following December, Derby County also tried to sign him but were also turned down.[2]
In 1929-30 , Blackpool won the Second Division championship and were promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history, and Hampson was the top goal scorer in England with 45 goals in 41 games. He played one game at inside right, against local rivals, Preston North End, but still scored one goal as Blackpool won 5-1.[2]
At the end of their debut season, 1930-31 in the First Division, Blackpool drew their final game against Manchester City to escape relegation back to the Second Division. Although Blackpool conceded 125 goals, Hampson still managed to score 31 goals in 41 games. [2] The following season, 1931-32, Blackpool again struggled against relegation with Hampson scoring 23 league goals in 42 games as the club finished one place above the relegation places. Again the club had to deny transfer rumours with the club stating, at the Supporters Clubs annual dinner held at the resorts, Winter Gardens on 10 Novermber 1931, that they had "no intention of parting with Hampson".[2]
The following season, 1932-33, Blackpool were relegated finishing bottom of the league with Hampson scoring 18 league goals in 34 games. During the season, Hampson lost his position as centre forward to defender, Phil Watson before being moved to the right wing for the game against Sheffield United on 22 April 1933. He was though reinstated as centre forward for the final game of the season at Newcastle United.[2]
During the following season it was reported that he had turned down turned down the clubs terms for the 1933-34 season. However, the terms were soon sorted and he signed on again for the next season. After 21 games and 13 goals he was injured and he made just one more appearance for the club that season.[2]
He scored three goals in the opening game of the 1934-35 season against Bury. But following a spell where he didn't score he was dropped and Blackpool stated that they would be prepared to transfer him. He did not play again until February 1935, and ended the season on 21 goals from 25 starts.[2] He missed the start of the 1935-36 season with an injury coupled with the club signing Scottish international striker, Bobby Finan and did not play until 9 October against Charlton Athletic when he scored in a 1-1 draw. He was not a regular starter that season and finished on just six goals from 21 games, although he had to play at Inside left for much of them.[2]
Hampson and Finan scored 44 goals between them in the 1934-35 season, with Hampson scoring 16 of them as Blackpool finished as runners-up and were once again promoted to the First Division. Hampson started the 1937-38 season scoring four goals in 19 league games.
Hampson held the record for the fastest century of goals, 101 in 97 games between 1927 and 1930.[citation needed]
[edit] International career
Hampson's international career was brief, due to the presence of Dixie Dean combined with Hampson's club playing in the League's second tier. He scored five goals in just three appearances. He scored one goal on his debut against Ireland on 20 October 1930, which England won 5-1.[3] He then scored twice againstWales on 22 November in a 4-0 win. His last appearance for his club came in December 1932 against Austria when he again scored twice.[1] [2] He also represented the Football League four times, scoring nine goals including a hat-trick in a game against the Irish Football League held at Bloomfield Road. He also played for a Football League XI against a combined Wales and Ireland XI in a game held to celebrate the jubilee of King George V in May 1935. Hampson scored five goals in a 10-2 win for the Football League XI.[2]
[edit] Death
On 8 January 1938, Hampson played his last-ever match, an FA Cup tie for Blackpool against Birmingham City. His final contribution was a quick throw-in, seven minutes before the end of the match, from which Blackpool scored.
On 10 January, a day after visiting his wife who was ill in a nursing home, Hampson went out fishing with some friends off the Fleetwood coast. Their yacht collided with a trawler and Hampson was knocked overboard. He drowned, and his body was never recovered. He was 31.[2][1]
[edit] Honours
Blackpool
- Second Division championship: 1929-30
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Singleton, Steve (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC. Blackpool Gazette and at heart publications, 11. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Blackpool Legends. Blackpool F.C. (2007-08-02). Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
- ^ Match statistics: England 5-1 Ireland 20 October 1930. The Football Association. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
[edit] Further reading
- Calley, Roy (1992-10-20). Blackpool: A Complete Record, 1887-1992, Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd, ISBN 978-1873626078
