Jimmy Sirrel was undoubtedly the greatest manager in the history of Notts County Football Club. He died on 25 September 2008 at the age of 86 and will be mourned by magpies fans across the city.His witty manner and sharp tongue often left reporters and supporters alike laughing in his company. One classic quip immediately upon his appointment was: ‘Ask any kid what he knows about Notts County and he’ll tell you they’re the oldest football team in the world. By the time I’ve finished he’ll know a lot more.’
Cited as the major managerial influence on Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson, Jimmy arrived in November of 1969 and over the next decade transformed the magpies fortunes, almost to the point of overshadowing that other manager over the river Brian Clough. In 1993 the newly redeveloped County Road Stand at Meadow Lane was renamed the Jimmy Sirrel Stand in his honour. We managed to grab a few words with the great man at his home in Burton Joyce in May last year…
Who did you regard as your best ever signing for Notts County?
I couldn’t just give you one player. If you go through them, you’ll find lots of players, Raddy Avramovic, Iain McCulloch and little John Chiedozie… they could all play.
What about the most influential?
Well football is a matter of opinion and in my opinion the goalkeeper is the number one man in your team. You start with a point and if he doesn’t lose a goal you get that and if you score one you’ve won. So possibly Raddy Avramovic.
As a Scotsman you seem to have adopted the City of Nottingham as home…
Well I’ve lived here since I came to Notts County and I enjoy living in Burton Joyce. Me, the wife and the children have enjoyed a good living here. Unfortunately my wife’s no longer here, she died twenty years since.
When your wife Kathy was still with us where did you take her on a night out in Nottingham?
I don’t think we went out too much as a couple. In them days there were lots of association meetings with supporters clubs and the likes, so we socialised at them and spent the rest of the time at home. We enjoyed our life here.
How did you get on with Brian Clough back in the day?
Oh we were very friendly. He was a nice person, but a bit bombastic about his football. He seemed to be able to handle players successfully and was a tremendously successful manager for his time. Indeed, I was at his funeral.
What are your hopes for the future for Notts County?
I hope they are successful, and you say ‘How do they become successful?’ And you become successful from better players, so I hope they do well!
In a recent poll by Ladbrokes, Notts came out as the most depressing Club to support. Do you remember Meadow Lane as being a difficult place to win at during your reign?
I don’t think so. In 1970-71 we went through the season at home without losing a match. We won three promotions and you don’t do that by losing many games at home.
Do you wish you had managed in the modern game with the greater financial rewards and media attention?
No. There comes a time when you’re not wanted or aren’t good enough or don’t feel up to it. People talk a lot about the money footballers get, but they won’t be getting a fortune at Notts County nowadays. The big money doesn’t come to people in the fourth division or the non-league, it only comes to special players and clubs don’t pay large amounts of money for them unless they’re forced to.
 |
What would you say is your all-time Notts eleven?
I can’t even begin to think about that! How many years was I here? How can I pick a team out of all those? When I start thinking, who was my goalkeeper, who was my full-back… I just can’t do it! You need to be a genius.
Some would say you were…
(laughs) Well that’s their opinion, but some thought I should have been out of here a year before I was! That is how football goes.
How would you go about changing Notts’ fortunes nowadays?
I’ve no idea because I’m not working there so I don’t now the circumstances. Financially, is there any money to buy players? How do you go about getting players? If you look at the young players that I got here, they were tremendous footballers but that took a lot of time working with the people in schools. Also, when I was here I was at football virtually every night of the week. On a Monday night when I wasn’t at a match, I had the young kiddies down to look over. The likes of Tommy Johnson and the big centre-half Dean Yates were coming through then. I knew where they were and I had people finding them. You’ve got to be looking all the time. Somebody once said to Kathy: ‘Your Jimmy is never in,’ and she said: ‘Well you cannot cage a tiger!’
What do you feel is the key to a rise up the football leagues?
Winning football matches and nothing else. If you win football matches and you don’t lose many over a year, then you move into a higher division. Then when you get to a higher division like the Premiership now, your problems are relative.
How much money you have, what are the gates like and is it bringing enough money in?
At Chelsea and Manchester United, they’ve got people throwing clouds of money in, that’s why they are at the top!
How many Notts games do you go to these days?
I only go to the home games and only when I’m in the country. This season has been a bit disappointing, but it’s important to come along and support your team.
Where do you see Notts in five years time?
I’ve no idea. Christ I might not be here in five years time and if so I won’t be able to go and see them will I? Not if they’ve boxed me in…
Any chance of a comeback as Notts manager?
No chance. I don’t have the enthusiasm or ability now to handle footballers, teach them and drive them and argue with them. I don’t have the ability to drive the motorcar from here to Motherwell for instance and back again to start training, which is all part of it. If you are the manager of the football club, you need to be lively and bright and teach them well or you are no good to them. But I don’t miss it because I’ve already lived it.
A podcast of this interview can be found on www.nottscounty-mad.co.uk
Tributes to Jimmy Sirrel
Write Commentby christmasatthezoo Sep 25, 2008, 09:52:01 amJust heard the news that County legend Jimmy Sirrel has passed away. Very sad news and i'm sure many of you would like to pay tribute to him. Colin Slater will be on Radio Nottingham shortly with his tribute.
by Stillman Sep 25, 2008, 09:57:27 amRIP the squirrel.
I will always cherish the image of him attempting to take out Man Utd fans with a scalpel. Those of you who have read "Steak.... Diana Ross" by Dave McVay will know what I mean
Thanks Jimmy you will be missed
by Lord of the Nish Sep 25, 2008, 10:03:43 amCan't wait to see what McVay says in the Times.
I'd write something about this for the site, but it's really a job for a Notts person.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 10:05:23 amA legend of Nottingham football. Loads of people (even non football fans) will have heard of Cloughie, but this was a guy who took Notts County from the bottom division to the top in his time.
He will be sadly missed...
Check the interview we did with him last year.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 10:06:23 amI'm on it Nish.
by Lord of the Nish Sep 25, 2008, 10:16:53 amI'd toss up me facebook pic, but I can't get on it from here.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 10:19:51 amI'd toss up me facebook pic, but I can't get on it from here.
There ya go homeboy! Don't ya look young on it...
by Piethagoras Sep 25, 2008, 10:32:13 amI'm too young to remember him managing at Notts (my first game was 1987) but it's no secret he was our greatest ever manager and a great character to boot!
R.I.P. Jimmy - You'll Never be Forgotten
by LeftLion Sep 25, 2008, 11:23:50 amClick here to read this article: Jimmy Sirrel Tribute
\"Jesus Christ, you\'re playing, son, but you\'re no really playing, aye\"
Please use this thread to comment on the above LeftLion article.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 11:25:39 amThere ya go. There's my tribute to him. Might flesh it out a bit more later when I get time.
Nish - have a read of it and work out what you want for the mag innit.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 11:50:56 amI've just been asked to take part in a phone in on BBC Radio Nottingham at 1.10pm about our Jimmeh. So listen out for me on there then...
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 12:08:16 pmThis is one of the stories I love about him by the way. What an all-rounder!Bizarrely he is also responsible for designing of the present Sheffield United club badge! Up until Sirrel's tenure in charge at Bramall Lane, the Blades used Sheffield's coat of arms. Then Sheffield City Council copyrighted it forcing them to look elsewhere. Rather than spending thousands on designers and consultancy, as even a small club would do in the modern day, Sirrel sat down with a pen and paper and drew the badge that is still used today.
The ketchup-bottle-licking described by Dave McVay in Steak Diana Ross is quality too. And although Cloughie Biographer Duncan Hamilton said some perhaps unecessarily harsh things in his interview with us, the story about him going back for regular baths at Meadow Lane still cracks me up!
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 12:27:40 pmAnyone want to come to the game with me on Saturday by the way? Nish? Bassrooster? Anyone else? I'll probably be dragging Metal Monkey along if she's free. Notts County vs Aldershot. Saturday, Meadow Lane at 3pm.
This will be a great game to watch if you've been tempted to see the magpies before but never made it along. Guaranteed a top atmosphere with long singing tributes to JS. A real one-off!
We've been playing really good football this season - and despite our lack of wins thus far (6 draws, 1 loss) I would put good money on us smashing up Aldershot now.
If you're interested PM me and we can arrange a place to meet up before the match.
by Lord of the Nish Sep 25, 2008, 12:34:18 pmI've been asked to write a piece for When Saturday Comes.
by Al (G) Sep 25, 2008, 12:37:50 pmRIP Jimmy - what a character.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 12:50:26 pmI've been asked to write a piece for When Saturday Comes.
In that case you should definitely come on Saturday (put it on expenses innit)!
We'll stop by the portrait of him in the main entrance beforehand and then be sure to be in the kop for the one minutes silence. His name will be sung throughout the game and at half-time we'll get chips and pies from the food stall and lick the ends of the ketchup sachets in further tribute to the legend himself!
by it's alan Sep 25, 2008, 12:54:51 pmRIP Jimmy.
I don't know a great deal about the man himself, but I know he did wonderful things at NCFC - and shall be remembered for a long time.
I genuinely wish Notts County Football Club all the best.
I hope you get a good attendance this weekend, create a great atmosphere to send Jimmy off, and that you secure 3 points with a great performance.
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 01:01:29 pmCheers Alan!
There's talk of renaming the A612 after him (Notts to Burton Joyce) like A50 was after Cloughie. Would be good if that happened.
Also the article on the main BBC website is really good, with quotes from Sir Alex Feguson, Don Masson, Nigel Worthington etc.
by it's alan Sep 25, 2008, 01:05:10 pmYeah - that's a really nice article on the BBC page.
It would be good if he was given a long-lasting tribute, such as a road named after him.
Have a good day on Saturday you 'Pies! Sing up!
by Jared Sep 25, 2008, 01:09:10 pmHere's a video of him on the pitch at Meadow Lane at the last game of the 2006/07 season when we almost got relegated to the non-league.
I was at this game with Nish, Bassrooster, Floydy, me dad and a few others - but we sadly missed this performance as there was confusion over our tickets and we were delayed at the Ticket Office. Harrumph!!
by ash_d Sep 25, 2008, 01:22:28 pmI might be up for the game on Saturday Jared, I'm gonna see if my old man is up for it...
by theonelikethe Sep 26, 2008, 11:11:07 ammy ma and pa's next door neighbour was one of the ambulance blokes who went to his house
might take kids to game on saturday, depending on weather
by Jared Sep 29, 2008, 02:10:22 pm
The game on Saturday was skill!
A decent turn-out (about 1,500 more fans than usual anyway), a moments applause for Jimmy, a great atmosphere - including both teams fans having sing-alongs of 'There's only one Jimmy Sirrel' and a last minute winner from Butcher... that in truth we did not really deserve.
A fitting day's action to commemorate Sir Sirrel!
YOOP EYES!!
by it's alan Sep 29, 2008, 02:38:49 pmBrilliant stuff, I'm glad you had a good day at Meadow Lane!
Am I right in thinking you played Aldershot, with whom Jimmy Sirrel played??
Funny how that worked out I suppose.
by Jared Sep 29, 2008, 03:41:00 pmAm I right in thinking you played Aldershot, with whom Jimmy Sirrel played??
He finished his playing and started his coaching career there - but there won't be many still around from that era as he left them a decade before I was even born.
The Aldershot fans were brilliant throughout the game and really helped make it a special day. We all sang songs about Jimmy together and there was no animosity at all from them - even when we sneaked a flukey winner. The most touching bit was the banner (below) they bought along to show us their solidarity.
by Jared Sep 30, 2008, 10:07:07 am
