James Denby

James Denby
Personal information
Full name James Denby
Date of birth (1892-07-06)6 July 1892
Place of birth Sutton-in-Ashfield, England
Date of death Mansfield, England
Place of death 14 October 1977(1977-10-14) (aged 85)
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Half back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
19??–1911 Chesterfield
1911–1915 Southampton 127 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

James Denby (6 July 1892 – 14 October 1977)[1] was an English footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton in the Southern League from 1911 to 1915.

Football career

Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield he started his career with Chesterfield. In the summer of 1911 Southampton's new manager George Swift spent £820 recruiting 11 new players including a return to his former club to sign Denby. Denby made his "Saints" debut in the opening match of the 1911–12 season, a 1–1 draw with Millwall.[2]

Playing alongside Bert Lee and Jim McAlpine, he became an integral part of the team's defence up to the suspension of football in 1915. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", Denby was "a strong, reliable player (who) played in all three half-back positions with equal merit and was the team's defensive pivot."[3]

His steady influence had a considerable effect on team performances and an improvement in their defensive play. He continued to give the club sterling service up to the outbreak of World War I when he retired from professional football.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (2013). All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-9926-8640-6.
  2. ^ Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 50–51. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
  3. ^ Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.