Coventry local football has lost another stalwart following the passing of Mr J.F.James, known to many as Jimmy aged 91.
Jimmy’s football management started at Eastern Green FC in the early 1970’s with their youth side who played in the Coventry Service Of Youth League.
He was elected to the League Committee, becoming Vice Chairman and then Chairman. After the league finished in 1989, he joined the Coventry & District League and served on the committee for over twenty years.
This did not deter him from being involved with four of the Coventry Charity Cup Competitions – The Coventry Charity Cup (of which he was Chairman and Life President), The Coventry Telegraph Cup, The Foleshill Charity Cup and the Major Boyd Carpenter Cup which he chaired for over ten years before becoming President.
Jimmy’s wealth of experience as a former player with Centaur Road School, Hearsall and Earlsdon and as a management man, earned him the Fifty Years Long Service Award from the Football Association and also an award for forty years in Football Administration.
Always the gentleman, even in later years with poor health, his enthusiasm never waned and he was always up to date with the local football scene and took great interest in what was going on, helping when and where he could.
His death is a great loss to his own family and to the family of local football in Coventry & Warwickshire.