James William “Jimmy ” Simmons of Blackwell, Sheffield United & West Ham
James William Simmons was born in Blackwell in 1889 to Isaiah Simmons and Elizabeth Nee Foulke. He was a cousin of William ” Fatty” Foulke. The family were living at 167 Primrose Hill in 1891, 1901 and 1911; by this latter census Jimmy was a professional footballer, having transferred in 1908 from Blackwell Colliery FC to Sheffield United.
Jimmy is reported by the Manchester Guardian to have been the most attractive player on the pitch in the 1915 FA Cup Final, where he scored the first of United’s 3 goals against Chelsea. A blog https://triumphanddisastersufc.blogspot.com/ has this information on the match:
The Sunday Pictorial said
“Sheffield United played fast, robust football, keeping the ball always on the move and, as a matter of fact, showing considerably more combination than the Londoners front line”.
“Nine minutes from the interval, the Sheffielders took the lead, which on the run of play they thoroughly deserved, though it was the result of a ‘mix up’ on the part of the Chelsea defence. Evans bore down the left wing and crossed. Harrow should have cleared but failed. Molyneux had relied on the back, and advanced to try to get the ball. He was too late and Simmons gaining possession sent the leather crashing into the net”.
In the crowd Simmons uncle, Bill Foulke, exclaimed “I didn’t know the little beggar had it in him!” “
In 1920 Jimmy moved to West Ham before retiring after 2 years and becoming Landlord at the Red Lion at Matlock Green . Jimmy passed away in 1972.
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