Jimmy Croal

Jimmy Croal
Personal information
Full nameJames Anderson Croal
Date of birth27 July 1885
Place of birthGlasgow, Scotland
Date of death16 September 1939 (aged 54)
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing positionInside Left
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
Falkirk
1905-1906Rangers3(0)
1914-1922Chelsea113(22)
National team
1913-1914Scotland3(0)
1913-1914Scottish League XI[1]3(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

James Anderson "Jimmy" Croal (27 July 1885 – 16 September 1939) was a Scottish footballer and Schoolmaster who played for Falkirk, Rangers and Chelsea. He was judged to be a clever inside left who when paired with Bob McNeil was very effective.[2]

Career

Croal was a lively inside left, who joined Rangers in 1904 from junior football. However, he failed to make the breakthrough to the first team and went out on loan to Ayr Parkhouse, Alloa Athletic and Dunfermline Athletic before finally leaving Ibrox to sign for Falkirk in November 1910. The transfer fee was £10. At Brockville, his career blossomed, and he won the Scottish Cup in 1913, as well as three international caps and five appearances for the Scottish League. Croal transferred to Chelsea from Falkirk sometime in 1914.[3] Chelsea paid £2,000 for him and he remained at Stamford Bridge until 1922. He was a member of the Chelsea side that reached the 1915 FA Cup Final. He made a total of 130 appearances for Chelsea, scoring a total of 26 goals.[4] Croal then spent a season with Fulham before retiring. He was a schoolmaster by profession.[5]

Honours

Falkirk

Chelsea

References

  1. "James Anderson Croal". Londonhearts.com (London Hearts Supporters' Club). Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  2. Unknown (1915). Cup Final Programme.
  3. Unknown (1915). Cup Final Programme.
  4. Glanvill, Rick (2006). Chelsea FC: The Official Biography - The Definitive Story of the First 100 Years. Headline Book Publishing Ltd. p. 401. ISBN 0-7553-1466-2.
  5. "Jimmy Croal". Rangers FC History.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2010.