Elwood Jimmy Image 4 Manchester City 1926

Description

Equally competent across the half-back line, Belfast born centre half Jimmy Elwood played his junior football with Owen O’Cork, Ards United and Linfield, from where he joined Glentoran in 1923 and was an Irish Cup runner up the same year. He was poached from Glentoran by Manchester City in January 1924 after 6 goals in 31 games for The Glens, making his Football League debut in a 2-2 home draw with Burnley on 16th February. However three and a half seasons brought just 32 appearances and he dropped down to Division Three (North) with Chesterfield in July 1927, and was a virtual ever-present in the club’s battle against having to apply for re-election during a single season at Saltergate, where he scored 4 times in 38 appearances.

He must have impressed in his games against Bradford Park Avenue who finished that season as Division Three (North) Champions, as they signed Elwood for the following campaign in May 1928. Back in Division Two Elwood earned the attentions of the Ireland selectors and was capped twice in 1929, playing against Wales in a 2-2 draw at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham in February, and against England in a 3-0 defeat at Windsor Park, Belfast that October.

He gave Bradford four good seasons as they challenged at the top end of the table without making the jump to Division One, scoring once, in a 2-1 win over Bury in April 1932, in 119 appearances. Elwood returned to the Irish League with Derry City in 1933, but died just four years later in 1937, aged 36.

NB Although published in 1930 by when he was a Bradford player, the photograph is the same as Image 2, taken in 1926 while he was at Manchester City.