Jimmy Coneys

Of Irish descent, young Jimmy Coneys was brought up in an orphanage after his parents split up.He Was taken on to the Bolton groundstaff at an early age and when Joe Smith left to manage Reading he wanted to take Coneys with him but his father objected. He joined Southport after leaving the Rochdale area because of unemployment and lived with a relative in Southport. On his début the Southport Journal reported that ‘he pleased immensely and was fun of tricks.’ After just one reserve game he was given his chance at inside-right and was selected again the following week, whereupon he was allowed to return to Rochdale. A bad knee injury finished his career but he was more seriously injured at Dunkirk in the Second World War and spent 12 months in hospital. Thereafter he kept cheerful despite walking with two sticks and having a plate in his head.He worked as a lift attendant until he retired in 1971.