The Mighty Jim at 75 !
In an
illustrious career incorporating 498 games and including no less than 189
goals, Jim Fryatt was a centre half's biggest nightmare.
At 6 foot
tall, with the barrel chest of yer average Regimental Sergeant Major, and
mutton chop sideburns to match, Jim was
a massive crowd favourite wherever he played, his ability to head the ball as hard as most could kick it, was not
legend.....but fact.
Jim cost
£6000 ,when County signed him from
Torquay United in October 1967, and after making his debut against Southport on
30 October 1967, he notched 22 goals in 32 games in his first season at Edgeley
Park.
Jim's
prowess was rapidly hitting the headlines however, and it was not very long
into the following season when Blackburn Rovers, then of the First Division ,
came in for him spending the then princely sum of £30000 to take Jim to Ewood
Park.
So...Jim was
gone, but the man who still holds the record for the fastest goal in English
Football( scored in 4 seconds when playing for Bradford Park Avenue in the
early sixties) has simply never been forgotten either by the Club or County
fans.
Gordon
Cundill was on hand to present Jim with his SCAN certificate , in 2011, and has
kept in regular contact with Jim and his lovely wife Val over the years.
Jim and Val now live in, Henderson, Nevada in the USA, and Gordon's most recent visit was on the occasion of
the County Legends 75th birthday when Gordon presented Jim with a suitably
numbered shirt.
Jim with Val in the 75 shirt! |
It was great
to see Jim also in possession of the SCAN 64/65 replica shirt, and even better
to see him in rude health, and hear that the recent hip operation has gone
well!
Gordon's
over the pond again soon ,so we hope to keep you posted as to Jim's news, and
of course it would be great to see him at Edgeley Park again any time at all!
Ian Brown
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