Jimmy Willis
Encyclopedia
James Anthony "Jimmy" Willis (born 12 July 1968) is an English
former footballer, who played for Halifax Town
, Stockport County
, Darlington
, Leicester City
and Bradford City
. During his career he scored goals in all of the top five divisions of the English football league system
. This was a record that Willis held until it was equalled in 2004, by then Liverpool
defender Steve Finnan
.
, Willis served his apprenticeship at Blackburn Rovers
, before he signed for Halifax Town
in 1986. His impact at both Halifax and subsequent club Stockport County
was limited, although he came into his own at Darlington
where he won medals for both the Conference
and Football League Fourth Division
triumphs despite suffering from a broken leg in 1991. Willis' form at Feethams
netted him a £
100,000 move to Leicester City
in late 1991, although he initially struggled at the higher level and was even loaned out to Bradford City
. Eventually, however, Willis adapted to the higher standard of football and was the man of the match in the play-off final of 1994 when Leicester secured promotion. In 1996, Willis was set to join Burnley
but the deal collapsed at the last minute because of contractual problems. However, a year later, Willis was forced to retire from the game because of injury.
Willis briefly came into the media spotlight again in 2007 when it was reported on Sky Sports
that Steve Finnan
was the only player to score in the top five divisions of English football. However, as reported in the Liverpool Echo
, Willis had scored for Darlington in both the Conference and the Fourth Division, for Bradford in the Third Division
and for Leicester in the First Division
(second tier of football) and the Premier League.
Willis dreams of breaking into football management, and briefly had a spell in charge of Bamber Bridge
of the Northern Premier League
. He was appointed manager in November 2001, taking over from Tony Greenwood, but only lasted two months until he left because of the financial problems at the club.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer, who played for Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
, Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. During his career he scored goals in all of the top five divisions of the English football league system
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
. This was a record that Willis held until it was equalled in 2004, by then 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...
defender Steve Finnan
Steve Finnan
Stephen John "Steve" Finnan is a retired Irish international footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference.-Early career:Finnan was born in...
.
Career
Born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Willis served his apprenticeship at 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....
, before he signed for Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
in 1986. His impact at both Halifax and subsequent club Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
was limited, although he came into his own at Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
where he won medals for both the Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
and Football League 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...
triumphs despite suffering from a broken leg in 1991. Willis' form at Feethams
Feethams
Feethams is a cricket ground and the former home of Darlington F.C. for 120 years, from 1883 to 2003, until the club moved into a new stadium on the outskirts of Darlington.- History :...
netted him a £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
100,000 move to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in late 1991, although he initially struggled at the higher level and was even loaned out to Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. Eventually, however, Willis adapted to the higher standard of football and was the man of the match in the play-off final of 1994 when Leicester secured promotion. In 1996, Willis was set to join Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
but the deal collapsed at the last minute because of contractual problems. However, a year later, Willis was forced to retire from the game because of injury.
Willis briefly came into the media spotlight again in 2007 when it was reported on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
that Steve Finnan
Steve Finnan
Stephen John "Steve" Finnan is a retired Irish international footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference.-Early career:Finnan was born in...
was the only player to score in the top five divisions of English football. However, as reported in the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
, Willis had scored for Darlington in both the Conference and the Fourth Division, for Bradford in 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 for Leicester in 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....
(second tier of football) and the Premier League.
Willis dreams of breaking into football management, and briefly had a spell in charge of Bamber Bridge
Bamber Bridge F.C.
Bamber Bridge F.C. are an English football club based in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. They currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North and are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association. They play their home games at the QED Stadium in Bamber Bridge...
of the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
. He was appointed manager in November 2001, taking over from Tony Greenwood, but only lasted two months until he left because of the financial problems at the club.
Honours
- Football ConferenceFootball ConferenceThe Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
(V): 1990 - Division FourFootball 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...
(IV): 1991 - Division OneFootball 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....
(II): Playoffs 1994