Jimmy Rimmer

Football player infobox
playername = Jimmy Rimmer


fullname = John James Rimmer
height =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1948|2|10
cityofbirth = Southport, Lancashire
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears = 1963–1965
youthclubs = Manchester United
years = 1965–1974
1973
1974–1977
1977–1983
1983–1986
1986–1987
clubs = Manchester United
→Swansea City (loan)
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Swansea City
Hamrun Spartans
caps(goals) = 034 (0)
017 (0)
124 (0)
229 (0)
066 (0)
nationalyears = 1976
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 (0)

John James "Jimmy" Rimmer (born February 10, 1948) is an English former football goalkeeper.

Born in Southport, Lancashire, Rimmer joined Manchester United as a schoolboy in 1963, turning professional two years later. He spent eleven years at Old Trafford, chiefly as Alex Stepney's understudy — he was on bench in the 1968 European Cup final. With Stepney prevalent between the sticks, Rimmer only played 46 times for United in total. In October 1973 he was loaned to Swansea City. With the Swans he impressed as first-team goalkeeper, enough so that Arsenal signed him from United in February 1974, eyeing him as a long-term replacement for Bob Wilson.

Rimmer made only one appearance in 1973-74 (keeping a clean sheet on his debut against Liverpool). After Wilson announced his retirement at the end of that season, Rimmer became Arsenal's No. 1 for the next three seasons, and was a near ever-present for the Gunners. During his time at Arsenal he also won his one and only England cap, although it was not an auspicious match — against Italy in a friendly, Rimmer let two goals in and was substituted at half-time; England went on to recover and win 3-2.

After Tottenham Hotspur manager Terry Neill took over at Arsenal, he signed Pat Jennings from his old club and Rimmer was duly sold to Aston Villa. In all he played 146 games for Arsenal. At Villa, Rimmer was No. 1 for the next six seasons, winning a First Division winners' medal in 1981. The following year Villa reached the European Cup final, but Rimmer was injured after only nine minutes and had to be replaced by the young Nigel Spink. Villa nevertheless beat Bayern Munich 1-0, meaning Rimmer was the first English player to win a European Cup winners' medal at two different clubs, despite the fact that he only ever played for nine minutes in the two matches.

Rimmer left Villa in 1983 to rejoin old club Swansea City. After retiring from playing, he became Swansea's goalkeeping coach, having a brief spell as manager following the sacking of Kevin Cullis, before being replaced by Jan Molby. He then spent several years in China, to work as goalkeeping coach for the Chinese national team and Dalian Shide. He now coaches in Canada.

Rimmer has three children Kelly (born 1973) Katie (1977) and David (1980), who plays as a defender for Swansea side Garden Village in the Welsh Football League. He is also a grandfather to Theo (born 2006).

Honours

*European Cup: 1968, 1982
*English League Title: 1981
*Charity Shield: 1981
*European Super Cup: 1982