Methven Jimmy Image 1 Derby County 1895

Description

Ceres, Fife born full back Jimmy Methven first played senior football in Edinburgh for Leith Athletic in 1888, joining Heart of Midlothian in 1889 and St Bernard’s in 1890. He joined a growing band of Scottish professionals in English football when he signed for Derby County at the end of the 1890-91 season. He made his Football League debut at Stoke that September and quickly became a regular in their first eleven rarely even missing a game.

Under Harry Newbould Derby endured a period of great frustration, never fulfilling the talent that team had (with the likes of Bloomer, the Goodall brothers, et al) and Methven was involved in all the matches that mattered. They were runners up in the League Championship in 1896 and finished in 3rd place in 1897, in both seasons they were beaten FA Cup semi finalists, as they were in 1904. In total he played 513 games and (was one of three players who) appeared in each of the three unsuccessful FA Cup appearances for the Rams, losing to Nottingham Forest in 1898, Sheffield United in 1899 and Bury in 1903.

He became manager of Derby County in August 1906 following Harry Newbould’s departure initially as player manager and last played for the club (at the age of 38) on 2nd February 1907, in an FA Cup Second Round tie against Lincoln City, which Derby won 1-0. He stayed in the post both sides of the First World War, eventually leaving in June 1922. During his tenure Derby twice won the Second Division Championship in 1912 and 1915.  In total Methven was on the books at The Baseball Ground for 31 years and represented the club, in one capacity or another, in over 1000 matches.