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Jimmy Case

Birthdate: 18 May 1954 Birthplace: Allerton, Liverpool, England Other clubs: Blue Union (1969-70), South Liverpool (1970-71), Brighton & Hove Albion (1981-85), Southampton (1985-91), Bournemouth (1991-92), Halifax Town (1992-93), Wrexham (1993), Wanneroo British (1993), Darlington (1993), Sittingbourne (1993), Brighton & Hove Albion (2 / 1993-95), Bashley (1997-98) Bought from: South Liverpool Signed for LFC: £500, 01.05.1973

Liverpool debut: 26.04.1975 Last appearance: 27.05.1981 Debut goal: 23.08.1975 Last goal: 24.01.1981 Contract expiry: 19.08.1981 Win ratio: 58.36% W: 157 D: 68 L: 44 Games/goals ratio: 5.85 Total games/goals opposite LFC: 19 / 3 LFC league games/goals: 186 / 23 Total LFC games/goals: 269 / 46

Player profile

A tough-tackling midfielder who took no prisoners Case was also renowned for his ferocious shooting ability, scoring more than a fair amount of goals for Liverpool. His credentials, however, were established locally when during a football game with coats as goalposts between the Garston Church Choir and the Allerton Scouts he gave the goalkeeper of the Choir a hefty kick when the score was 23-22. Case had proved his reputation as a winner, if not a bad loser. Even though his team lost, Case's legend was born. He already possessed a tremendous shooting power and when he was a eight-year-old he took the goal-kicks as no one in his team could kick as hard. Case learnt to survive on the football field while playing for dockers' club Blue Union in Garston at only 16 years of age facing regularly 30-somethings that showed the teenager no mercy. A year later he started playing for a non-league side South Liverpool where he was noticed by Liverpool scouts Tom Saunders and John Bennison. Case told LFChistory.net about the beginnings of his glittering career at Liverpool. "They asked me to go for a two week trial at Liverpool. I took two weeks off work because I was an apprentice electrician as well. At the end of the two weeks they asked me to sign full-time, but I actually turned them down because I had done two years of my electrician's apprenticeship which is a four year term and I wanted to continue that which in the end I did. Liverpool took over my semi-professional contract at South Liverpool and I did that for two years until I was twenty, signed full-time pro and by the time I was just short of 21 years of age that's when I made my debut." Case was an instant success when he made his League debut at Anfield as a 20-year-old on the final day of the 1974/75 season against Queen's Park Rangers. He established himself the following season, making 39 appearances for the first team in all competitions and scoring 12 times, three of which came on a foggy December night on Merseyside as the Poles from Wroclaw were defeated in the UEFA Cup. Case also scored important goals in the quarter-final and the final of that competition and added a European winners' medal to the championship medal already secured at the end of his first full season as a first-team member. 

Case's long-range shooting became a feature of his game and many of the 46 goals he scored for the club came from distance, like the majestic turn and volley in the 1977 FA Cup final against Manchester United. He added another championship medal in his second full season and was also a member of the team who finally won the greatest prize of all, the European Cup, on that famous night in Rome. He would go on to win two more winners' medals in that tournament plus another two in the domestic championship. Case was a fierce competitor whose reputation preceded him and Manchester United and England captain Bryan Robson once remarked: "I won't say he was dirty but certainly the hardest opponent was Jimmy Case. He could certainly look after himself. He was very clever about it as well." Case certainly made an impression on his opponents. "The ball is there to be won," Case says. "It stems back to where you go to school. An eight-year-old is told by his sportmaster: 'If you hold back, you're the one who will get hurt.' I took them words on board, and let's put it this way, I never held back. Later on in life you get a reputation that you go into for 50-50, full blooded every day. After that you don't really need to get in, you just go towards it and if it's 50-50, he'll back off."

Although an integral part of the team by now missing only the last five games of the 1979/80 League campaign, many of Case's appearances the following season were as substitute after losing his place to Sammy Lee. Case admits contributing to his own downfall: "I left Liverpool when I was 28. I think it was just that - without being controversial - you get in a few scrapes, you're breathalysed and you're caught fighting in a hotel in Wales like me and Ray Kennedy were, and the club didn't look upon that too kindly." In the summer of 1981 he was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, with whom he returned to Anfield two years later and scored the goal which knocked his former club out of the FA Cup. He joined Southampton in his early 30's and continued playing League football to a high standard for several more seasons. Case had always been naturally fit. "I never looked after myself. You used to drink like a fish. When I trained I trained hard and drank when we were allowed to drink with the lads. Always enjoyed myself. I used to eat and still do eat whatever I want to eat. I've never had a problem that way." Case retired well into his 40's.

"We played with supreme confidence because we knew how good the fella was next us. I always considered myself - I know I get told different from time to time - as a bread and butter player. A fetcher and carrier to fill in the spaces on the right hand side and work hard. Then you had the flair players like Kenny Dalglish and Terry McDermott, but they couldn't play without us anyway."

Stats note

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Related Quotes

I ended up finishing my career playing at Brighton and I was 41 and a half, and I left Liverpool when I was 27 or 28. I think it was just that - without being controversial - you get in a few scrapes, you're breathalysed and you're caught fighting in a hotel in Wales like me and Ray Kennedy were, and the club didn't look upon that too kindly.

I know it's different nowadays and you can get away with a little bit more, but Sammy Lee was being groomed into my spot and the manager said, would I like to talk to John Toshack, with a view to a move?

That was one instance, but I didn't want to go anywhere, so I said, "Yeah I'll talk to him," because there was no harm in talking, but within 6 months of that I was asked, would I like to talk to Brighton and you get that little feeling."

Jimmy Case in 2003

"If the game is a language, then Jimmy is undoubtedly a professor."

Jimmy Case’s manager at Southampton, Chris Nicholl, sums up Case's ability as a footballer.

"Fines, court appearances, jail... we were bad for each other. We had a bit of fun, but we did it at the right time. At hotels, when we asked for the room key, the receptionist would dive under the desk and say: ‘Not you two!’ Everyone has a pal, but Jim and I went deeper than that. If something went wrong, one of us sorted it out. It was a good friendship."

Ray Kennedy and Jimmy Case were a dangerous duo

"I won't say he was dirty but certainly the hardest opponent was Jimmy Case. He could certainly look after himself. He was very clever about it as well."

Bryan Robson asked who was the dirtiest opponent he had ever faced

"I had someone in the old Kemlyn Road stand saying: ‘Hey Jimmy, are you hungry?’ He’s got a pie in his hand. ‘Do you wanna’ a bite?’ I had a little bite before giving it back and then carried on’."

Jimmy Case had time to have a little snack while playing at Anfield

I was 16 when I started playing for the Blue Union. It was an eye opener. There I was, this skinny teenager coming up against 30-somethings who all wanted to kick lumps off me. It toughens you up. If you didn’t stand your ground you’d get stamped on. Growing up in that environment, you had to be tough to get through games. I took that with me to the professional game. I was never scared to get stuck in and remember Joe Fagan and Bob Paisley pulling me to one side at times telling me about the art of tackling and so on. As Brian Hall once said of me, I was probably the only winger in those days who would win a 50/50 with a full-back, come away with the ball and still manage to get a cross in.

Jimmy Case on his playing style