James Elsby (born 1 August 1928) is an English

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 footballer. His nephew

Nephew

Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...

 is Ian Elsby

Ian Elsby

Ian Christopher Elsby is an English former footballer. His uncle is the former footballer Jim Elsby.-Playing career:Elsby graduated from the Port Vale youth team to sign as a professional in May 1978. He was immediately sent out to the USA on loan with the Cleveland Cobras, but returned by August...

, also a now retired footballer who played for Port Vale.

Playing career

Elsby joined 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...

 as an amateur in November 1948 and signed as a professional in May 1949. He made his debut in a goalless home draw with Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

 on 7 May 1949 as Bill McGarry

Bill McGarry (footballer)

William Harry "Bill" McGarry was an English international football player and manager.A right-half as a player, he joined Port Vale following the end of World War II, and spent the next six years with the club. He then moved on to Huddersfield Town in 1951, where he would spend the next ten years...

 was rested. He played two games in April 1953 as Stan Turner

Stan Turner

Stanley Simpson Turner was an English footballer. He made 246 appearances for Port Vale during one of the club's brightest periods.-Playing style:...

 was rested and also filled in for a few games for Derek Tomkinson

Derek Tomkinson

Derek Tomkinson is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Tomkinson joined Port Vale as an amateur in 1949, he didn't play a game and instead departed for Burton Albion in 1951. He returned to Vale in December 1952 to sign as a professional and made his debut on Boxing Day 1951 in a 4–1 win...

 and Turner the next season

1953–54 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a...

. Never anything close to a regular in the first team he was released at the end of the 1954–55 season

1954–55 Port Vale F.C. season

The 1954–55 season was Port Vale's forty-third season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division North...

and moved on to Wereton Queen's Park.