Heale Jimmy Image 1 Manchester City 1934

Description

Bristol born inside forward Jimmy Heale started his football career with South Bristol Central in 1930 before joining  Second Division club Bristol City in 1931, making his Football League debut at Stoke City that December and playing 12 times in a campaign that ended with City’s relegation. His opportunities were limited during 1932-33 but mid-way through the next season, after 9 goals in 19 games during the campaign, First Division Manchester City stepped in for his signature with a cheque for £3500 in January 1934 after 10 goals in 33 appearances for his hometown professional club. He played 14 times that season, scoring twice, but didn’t feature as Manchester City won the FA Cup, however he played in September 1934 as League Champions beat them in the FA Charity Shield match. He scored 13 goals in 29 appearances that season, which proved his most productive at Maine Road as he accepted the role of fringe player, albeit a regular goalscorer.

He earned a Second Division Championship medal in 1936-37 when he scored 6 goals in his 10 appearances that season, and his 6 seasons at the club saw him score a creditable 41 goals in 92 appearances. But his career was effectively ended by the advent of the Second World War. He did play some wartime football for City including scoring 5 times in a match against Stockport County, and after the War he was on the books of Doncaster Rovers without making a senior appearance for them before his retirement from playing. Heale later managed the Manchester Police Football Team, and won the National Police Cup title with them. He also scouted for his Manchester City.

This photograph was (almost certainly) taken during the FA Charity Shield match at Highbury in September 1934 which Arsenal won 4-0 (although he was playing almost exactly a year later in the same fixture in the League).