James Todd (19 March 1921 – 21 December 2007) was a footballer from Northern Ireland who played for Port Vale between 1946 and 1953. A half-back, he was "a real terrier type who used to fight for the ball all the time".[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Todd[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 March 1921[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland[1] | ||
| Date of death | 21 December 2007 (aged 86) | ||
| Place of death | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1.69 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Half-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Ards | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1944–1946 | Blackpool | 0 | (0) |
| 1946–1953 | Port Vale | 146 | (0) |
| Wellington Town | |||
| Stafford Rangers | |||
| Total | 146+ | (0+) | |
| International career | |||
| 1946–1947 | Ireland (Victory) | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editTodd began his playing career with Ards, before playing for the Royal Air Force and then Blackpool, before moving to Port Vale for a then-club-record four-figure fee in October 1946, on the recommendation of Stanley Matthews.[1] He made 31 appearances in the Third Division South in 1946–47, 24 appearances in 1947–48, and 11 appearances in 1948–49.[1] Having slipped out of the first-team picture at The Old Recreation Ground, he returned to play 41 games in 1949–50.[1] However, he played only eight games in 1950–51, becoming a fringe player at newly constructed Vale Park.[1] In the summer, manager Gordon Hodgson died, and following Ivor Powell's brief tenure, Freddie Steele took charge of the club in November.[1] Todd played 25 times in 1951–52, and then made 11 league appearances in 1952–53, as Vale finished as runners-up in the Third Division North.[1] Having played 146 league and eleven FA Cup games for the "Valiants", he was given a free transfer to Cheshire County League side Wellington Town in May 1953.[1] Todd later played for Stafford Rangers.[1]
Career statistics
editSource:[4]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Blackpool | 1945–46 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Port Vale | 1946–47 | Third Division South | 30 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| 1947–48 | Third Division South | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 1948–49 | Third Division South | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1949–50 | Third Division South | 37 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |
| 1950–51 | Third Division South | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1951–52 | Third Division South | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |
| 1952–53 | Third Division North | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 145 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 160 | 0 | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 291. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
- ^ "Port Vale v Brighton, 1949". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "Jim Todd". nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
- ^ Jimmy Todd at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)