Jim Arnold (footballer)
Encyclopedia
James Alexander "Jim" Arnold (born 6 August 1950) is an English
former football goalkeeper, noted for his highly intelligent positional ability. He made 165 league appearances in a seventeen year career in the Football League
.
He arrived in the professional game in 1979, at the late age of 29, when he signed with Blackburn Rovers
. Two years, one promotion out of the Third Division
, and 58 league appearances later, he moved on to Everton
. He spent four years as Everton's back-up keeper, as the club won the First Division
title and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
. He was loaned out to Preston North End
during the 1982–83 campaign, and signed with Port Vale
in August 1985. Voted the club's Player of the Year
in 1985–86
, he announced his retirement from full-time football in November 1986. He did though later turn out for non-league sides Kidderminster Harriers
, Rocester
and Workington
.
, and also appeared on loan for the Sandbach Ramblers. He was signed by Blackburn Rovers
manager Howard Kendall
in 1979. Arnold kept a club record nineteen clean sheets in 1979–80, as Rovers won promotion out of the Third Division
as runners-up, with only the top two clubs in the Football League
, Liverpool
and Manchester United
, conceding fewer than 36 league goals. Just 29 league goals were conceded in 1980–81, a record only beaten by Lincoln City
, as Rovers missed out on promotion from the Second Division
by just three points.
Howard Kendall was appointed manager at First Division
Everton
in August 1981, and he quickly signed Arnold to serve as understudy to Neville Southall
. The "Toffees" finished eighth in 1981–82, and seventh in 1982–83 and 1983–84. Arnold spent some of the 1983–84 campaign on loan at Alan Kelly
's Preston North End
, and played six games for the Third Division club. Everton went on to win the league title in 1984–85 by a massive thirteen points margin. However Arnold was not the first choice keeper, and made only 48 league appearances for the club in his four years at Goodison Park
. One of his final actions for the club was to sit on the bench for the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup Final win against SK Rapid Wien
.
Arnold signed for John Rudge
's Port Vale
in August 1985. He played 52 games in
1985–86
, as the "Valiants" won promotion out of the Fourth Division
. For his performances he was awarded the club's Player of the Year
award. However he went into retirement in the summer, joining Staffordshire Police
as a recreation officer. He did though return to Vale Park
on a non-contract basis in September 1986 after a goalkeeping crisis at the club; this crisis was resolved in November 1986, when Vale signed Alex Williams, and so Arnold stepped down once more, having played fifteen games of the 1986–87
campaign. Arnold also went on to play for local non-league sides Kidderminster Harriers
, Rocester
and Workington
.
with Blackburn Rovers
with Everton
with Port Vale
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former football goalkeeper, noted for his highly intelligent positional ability. He made 165 league appearances in a seventeen year career in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
He arrived in the professional game in 1979, at the late age of 29, when he signed with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. Two years, one promotion out of the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
, and 58 league appearances later, he moved on to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He spent four years as Everton's back-up keeper, as the club won 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....
title and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
. He was loaned out to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
during the 1982–83 campaign, and signed with Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in August 1985. Voted the club's Player of the Year
Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year
The Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.The inaugural award was...
in 1985–86
1985–86 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish...
, he announced his retirement from full-time football in November 1986. He did though later turn out for non-league sides Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
, Rocester
Rocester F.C.
Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...
and Workington
Workington A.F.C.
Workington A.F.C. is an English football club from Workington, Cumbria. They are in the Conference North, and play their home matches at Borough Park, which has a capacity of 3,101 . The club play in red, and are known locally as the Reds...
.
Playing career
After leaving Rising Brook, Arnold played for non-league Stafford RangersStafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
, and also appeared on loan for the Sandbach Ramblers. He was signed by Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
manager Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
in 1979. Arnold kept a club record nineteen clean sheets in 1979–80, as Rovers won promotion out of the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
as runners-up, with only the top two clubs in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, conceding fewer than 36 league goals. Just 29 league goals were conceded in 1980–81, a record only beaten by 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....
, as Rovers missed out on promotion from the 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...
by just three points.
Howard Kendall was appointed manager at 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....
Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in August 1981, and he quickly signed Arnold to serve as understudy to Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
. The "Toffees" finished eighth in 1981–82, and seventh in 1982–83 and 1983–84. Arnold spent some of the 1983–84 campaign on loan at Alan Kelly
Alan Kelly, Sr.
Alan Kelly was an Irish international football goalkeeper who played for Bray Wanderers and Drumcondra in his home country, and most notably for Preston North End in England...
's Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, and played six games for the Third Division club. Everton went on to win the league title in 1984–85 by a massive thirteen points margin. However Arnold was not the first choice keeper, and made only 48 league appearances for the club in his four years at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. One of his final actions for the club was to sit on the bench for the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup Final win against SK Rapid Wien
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
.
Arnold signed for John Rudge
John Rudge
John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....
's Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in August 1985. He played 52 games in
1985–86
1985–86 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish...
, as the "Valiants" won promotion out of the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
. For his performances he was awarded the club's Player of the Year
Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year
The Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.The inaugural award was...
award. However he went into retirement in the summer, joining Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police
Staffordshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands of England...
as a recreation officer. He did though return to Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
on a non-contract basis in September 1986 after a goalkeeping crisis at the club; this crisis was resolved in November 1986, when Vale signed Alex Williams, and so Arnold stepped down once more, having played fifteen games of the 1986–87
1986–87 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1986–87 season was Port Vale's seventy-fifth season of football in the Football League, and first season back in the Third Division following promotion from the Fourth Division. John Rudge led to Vale to a mid-table finish, his Player of the Year signing Andy Jones scoring 37 goals in all...
campaign. Arnold also went on to play for local non-league sides Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
, Rocester
Rocester F.C.
Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...
and Workington
Workington A.F.C.
Workington A.F.C. is an English football club from Workington, Cumbria. They are in the Conference North, and play their home matches at Borough Park, which has a capacity of 3,101 . The club play in red, and are known locally as the Reds...
.
Honours
Individual- Port Vale F.C. Player of the YearPort Vale F.C. Player of the YearThe Port Vale Player of the Year award is voted for annually by Port Vale's supporters in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. Towards the end of each season, fans are invited to cast their votes for this award.The inaugural award was...
: 1985–861985–86 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish...
with Blackburn Rovers
- Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
runner-up: 1979–80
with Everton
- 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....
champion: 1984–85 - UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
winner: 1985
with Port Vale
- Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
4th place finish (promoted): 1985–861985–86 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish...