Jimmy Armfield, former England captain, dies aged 82

The former England captain and World Cup winner Jimmy Armfield died on Monday aged 82 following a long battle with cancer.

Considered one of Blackpool’s greatest players, his death caused widespread sadness in a football community he continued to serve as an admired broadcaster long after retirement.

“Blackpool is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of its record appearance holder and vice-president Jimmy Armfield at the age of 82,” said the club in a statement. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to Jimmy’s wife Anne, his two sons, Duncan and John, and the rest of the Armfield family at this time.”

Armfield made 627 appearances for Blackpool in a one-club, 17-year career. He led England 15 times and was first-choice right-back for Walter Winterbottom at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Injury allowed George Cohen to supersede him and Armfield was an unused substitute at the tournament in England four years later won by Ramsey’s side, though he was a valued member of the squad.

Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in England’s 4-2 final victory over West Germany, spoke on Monday of how Armfield dealt with the disappointment.

“It was very difficult. He was the established full-back prior to the World Cup and then George came in,” Hurst told AP. “He always dealt with it, typical of Jimmy, over the years with great dignity. It must have been a huge blow, as you would expect, not playing at that time and in the final. But dealing with it over the years there was never any bitterness. He was always part of the squad.”

Sir Bobby Charlton, another World Cup winner in 1966, said: “I am deeply saddened by the death of Jimmy. As an opponent, team-mate and friend he was, without doubt, one of the most honest and genuine gentlemen I had the good fortune to meet.”

Armfield, who made his England debut against Brazil at the Maracaña in May 1959, managed Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United after retirement as a player. He guided Leeds to their controversial 1975 European Cup final defeat against Bayern Munich in Paris. Eddie Gray, a member of the team in the run to the final, said Armfield might have made Leeds only the third British club to triumph in the blue riband competition but for the referee, Michel Kitabdjian, who disallowed a Peter Lorimer strike for offside and waved away two penalty appeals.

“When Jimmy came to Leeds United it was a difficult time. Brian Clough had just left and it hadn’t gone too well and Jimmy completely turned things round. We got to the European Cup final that year, which we should have won and that would have been a great thing for Jimmy personally as a manager and something he probably deserved as a manager,” he said.

“It wasn’t an easy time for Jimmy to come in because the team were getting that bit older as well, but his manner, the way he conducted himself in and around the club was terrific. He turned the club around and he never got all the credit he deserved for doing that.”

Armfield worked for more than 30 years as an expert summariser for the BBC and was awarded the CBE in 2009 for services to the Lancashire community, the same year he finally received a World Cup winners’ medal from Fifa.

He was inducted into Blackpool’s Hall of Fame in 2006, Bloomfield Road’s South Stand was named after him in 2010 and the following year a statue of Armfield was erected outside the ground.

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In a statement to the Blackpool Gazette Armfield’s family said: “After a long and courageous battle our beloved husband, father, grandfather and father-in-law Jimmy Armfield has passed away peacefully surrounded by his immediate family.

“At this time we are still in shock as we begin the grieving process. We know Jimmy was a public figure but the family respectfully ask for privacy at this time. We would like to thank all the magnificent and dedicated NHS staff who have kept Jimmy, and the family, as well as possible over the 10 years of his illness.

“During the last few days Trinity Hospice in Blackpool made a big difference to Jimmy as he slipped away, pain free at last. Jimmy had two great loves, first and foremost his family. The other was football, especially Blackpool, England and his colleagues at the PFA.”