aston Villa - Jimmy Warner

Peeps into the Past
Transcribed from a newspaper cutting by John Houghton
Jimmy Warner the Villa goal keeper who migrated to america


Jimmy Warner
The photo of James (Jimmy) Warner was taken in the 1880's.
He was born September 30, 1863 in Birmingham.
He died in November of 1943 in Pennsylvania, USa.
He was with the aston Villa football team from 1886-1892 and was
the goalie for the championship win in the 1886-1887 season.
He went to the US in 1907 and lived with his daughter
Lilian Warner Lloyd.asp:content>

I am thankful Mrs Irene Harris, a Selly Oak young lady of 18 years of age, for inspiring this week's Peep into the past, I am convinced that all who read it will be equally appreciative.

Miss Harris is a proud great-grandaughter of Jimmy Warner, the goalkeeper who was the pride of aston Villa from 1886 - 1892. "The Good Old Days," indeed when archie Hunter, Howard Vaughton, charlie athersmith, Johnny Devey, Denny Hodgetts and the rest of em could show them a clean pair of heels.

a few weeks ago in making a reference to Jimmy Warner, I told you that the last I heard of him was in america. I invited information from readers. Miss Harris has come to the rescue with the news that her great grandfather died in america six years ago.

But the story cannot end at that. Thanks to Miss Harris, I was able to contact at Moseley, Mrs Bolus the second of Jimmy's five daughters, and to her I am indebted for further information about the closing years of Jimmy's Life.

Unhappily he had a tragic end. at the ripe old age of 84 he had a misfortune to fall down a flight of stairs and fracture a thigh. He was conveyed to hospital where he died on 7th November 1943.

The six seasons of Jimmy's association with Villa were notable for the cup finals - both between the Villa and albion 1886-7 Villa were successful by 2 - 0 but in 1891 - 2 albion had their revenge and caused a sensation throughout the football world by beating their more fancied rivals by 3 - 0. It was that match and result which caused Jimmy Warner to cast aside Villa colours.

Embittered by defeat, Villa partisans accused him of selling the cup final - the last by the way at Kennington Oval. It was a cruel accusation which, I placed on record, the slanderers lived to regret.

Jimmy was a broken hearted man. He migrated to america and lived the remainder of his life with the family of his eldest daughter at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. as football history has conclusively proved. It was not any shortcoming on the part of the goalkeeper, but albion's great halfback and forward work that was responsible for Villa's humiliation.

a brilliant run, a perfect centre by Billy Bassett, and a great shot by Geddes first struck confusion in Villa's ranks, and another dash by Bassett and a goal from Nicholls had virtually put an end to Villa.

Billy Groves, charlie Perry and Johnny Reynolds, albions halfbacks, held Villa forwards in a vice in the second half and when Reynolds put in albions third in the second half, Villa and their camp followers returned home a mournful miserable company.

In those far off days they hadn't fully assimilated the true ideas of sportsmanship.

at Pittsburgh, Jimmy Warner happy in new environment. Lived to forget his football sorrows. He was a moulder by trade. He lived, as I said with his eldest daughter, Mrs Lloyd, in good circumstances. On her death he ceased work to "mother" a family who appreciated his care and attention. In addition to his five daughters, Jimmy had two sons. The eldest boy James is still living not far from Niagara Falls.

The younger one Leonard gave his life at the age of 24 in the First World War.

In addition to Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Smith (the youngest of the daughters) departed her life two years ago in Birmingham. Two other daughters at the present reside in Winson Green and ward End respectively. There are nine grandchildren, five in america and four in England. Once again on behalf of myself and readers, many thanks to Miss Harris and Mrs Bolus for enabling us to throw light on a personal matter about which there as been endless discussion.

May I add that I shall always welcome information concerning the whereabouts and welfare of the "Bot of the Old Brigade" - footballers, cricketers and the rest of em. Tucked away in my "little red book" I have quite a lot of records, some of which I feel are not quite as accurate as they should be. Prey don't imagine you will offend or hurt my feelings with corrections.

Many Thanks to cheryl for furnishing us with this article  

This picture is of James (Jimmy) Warner and a boxer (with others) while Jimmy was working as a boxing promoter. Jimmy is the one on the far right