Millwall(A).22/02/58.

Lummaton Cross 
How indeed ? Especially as the great Jimmy Seed had expressed his intention to be there. Seeing so many mentions of former Wednesday legend Jimmy, reminded me that a copy of 'The Jimmy Seed Story' has been kicking around Alpine Towers for the past three weeks and I've only read a couple of pages.

After reading Jimmy's 'wiki' page, I learn that it was Spurs manager Billy Minter who let him join Wednesday:

Minter obviously thought the 32-year old Seed was reaching the end of his career with a young Taffy O'Callaghan ready to take his place, he promptly cut Seed's wages from £8 to £7 a week. Seeds reaction to this was to ask to be released by the club at the end of the 1926–27 season and after looking like taking the player-managers job at Aldershot he eventually signed for Sheffield Wednesday in a part exchange deal involving Darkie Lowdell and a cash adjustment paid by Spurs.

Seed was made team captain with existing skipper Fred Keen being dropped, Ellis Rimmer was bought from Tranmere Rovers and these changes triggered an amazing recovery. Wednesday picked up 17 points out of a possible 20 in the last ten matches and avoided relegation by a point. The irony was that it was Seed's old club Tottenham who were relegated on the final day of the season.

Seed moved to manage Millwall in the early months of 1958. He got off to a terrible start at The Den going nine matches without a win. The team eventually finished 23rd in Division Three South having to apply for re-election. The following season saw Millwall playing in the new Football League Fourth Division eventually finishing 9th. Seed stepped down as Millwall manager at the end of the 1958–59 campaign but stayed with the club as advisor and then as a club director. He continued as a director of Millwall until his death on 16 July 1966, aged 71'.

LINK (Wikipedia - Jimmy Seed)

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Besides wondering whether the little 1920's racist rascal who coined the nickname 'Darkie' for Arthur Lowdell was hurriedly transferred to Skelmersdale United, my next thought was to wonder whether poor old Jimmy lived long enough to see England win the World Cup ? Sadly not is the answer, as I learned that the 1966 Final took place on 30th July. Whenever did the following League season start ?...October ?  or was it a case of a weekend break in Cleethorpes for Alf's heros before knuckling down to a new League season with their clubs. I see that the 2010 World Cup final took place on 11th July, so we've brought the calendar forward for some reason.

Although I haven't done much reading, I have looked at all the pictures , a few of which are below.







Above: Skipper of a happy and successful team: Jimmy in fine fettle with the other Sheffield Wednesday players in special training at Harrogate in 1930 when they won the League Championship for the second successive season.




Above: Charlton were in the doldrums of the Third Division when Jimmy arrived at The Valley. With his then vice-chairman, Stanley Gliksten, he ponders on the future. Is he already planning Charlton's meteoric rise from the Third to the First Division in three seasons ?