Stevenson Jimmy Image 1 Derby County 1895

Description

Paisley, Renfrewshire born inside forward Jimmy Stevenson began his football career with Glasgow Ashfield in 1893 before joining Scottish League Clyde in 1894, from where he joined First Division Derby County in January 1895. He made his Football League debut against Stoke the same month but it proved his only appearance of the season, Stevenson becoming a regular in the Derby first team from October 1895. In his first season he was part of Derby’s FA Cup semi final team that narrowly lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wellington Road, Perry Barr (Birmingham), scoring 14 goals as Derby County finished runners up in the League Championship.

He scored a further 14 goals in 1896-97, including 4 goals in a 6-0 thumping of Blackburn Rovers in November 1896 as Derby finished third, developing into one of Derby’s most effective forwards, and was part of their 1898 FA Cup Final side that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest at The Crystal Palace. Newcastle United signed Stevenson for £225 in October 1898 during their first season in the top flight after 32 goals in 84 appearances for The Rams, but he was unlucky with injury while at St James’ Park and scored 13 goals in 37 appearances during his two seasons on Tyneside before a move to Southern League Bristol City in 1900.

He returned to Football League action in September 1901 with Grimsby Town, scoring once in 8 appearances during the first half of 1901-02 before moving down a division to join Leicester Fosse in January 1902, scoring once in only 7 appearances for The Fossils before the end of the season. He then returned to Clyde in the summer of 1902 for a £27 transfer fee, where he finished his career.

Stevenson served as a private in The Highland Light Infantry during the First World War and was killed during a failed attack, south of Thiepval, during the early stages of the Battle of the Somme on 3rd July 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.