Torrance Jimmy Image 1 Fulham 1926

Description

Coatbridge, Lanarkshire born centre half Jimmy Torrance began his football career with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in 1908, playing for Glasgow Ashfield in 1909. Joining Second Division club Fulham as an inside forward from Glasgow Ashfield in 1910, he made his Football League debut at Bolton Wanderers that September and spent sixteen years at the club, albeit interrupted by the First World War, Torrance making a total of 357 League and FA Cup appearances for Fulham, scoring 35 goals, eight of which were from the penalty spot. In total, including all wartime matches, he scored 52 goals in 517 appearances for The Cottagers.

For the entirety of his time at Craven Cottage, the club were in the Second Division and managed by Phil Kelso, except for when Andy Ducat was in charge from 1924 to 1926. Torrance was for many years the club captain and their best known player.

Described as “a tip-top half back… very popular with the Cottagers’ supporters… who has rendered splendid service”, he played in four different attacking positions for The Cottagers before settling in at centre half for much of his career at Fulham, a distinctive and debonair leader. He was an ever present in their 1920-21 campaign and missed only 17 matches in their first six post war seasons, although well into his thirties.

Already aged 37, he moved to Walsall in July 1926, and replaced David Ashworth as manager in February 1927. He masterminded a 7-0 win over Coventry City in the Third Division (South), and signed David Fairhurst and Moses Lane. Torrance played 41 times for The Saddlers, but the club only avoided applying for re-election by two points, and he left Fellows Park at the end of the 1927-28 season, joining non league Standard Telephone & Cables before his retirement from the game.