Alan Ball Sr.

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For his son, the England World Cup winner, see Alan Ball Jr.

Alan Ball Sr.
Personal information
Full name James Alan Ball
Date of birth (1924-09-26)26 September 1924[1]
Place of birth Farnworth, Lancashire, England
Date of death 2 January 1982(1982-01-02) (aged 57)[2]
Place of death Nicosia, Cyprus
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Bolton B.F.
1946–1947 Southport 2 (0)
1947–1948 Birmingham City 0 (0)
1948–1950 Southport 39 (9)
1950–1952 Oldham Athletic 7 (1)
1952 Rochdale 5 (1)
Teams managed
1967–1970 Halifax Town
1970–1973 Preston North End
1973–1975 Southport
1974 IF Saab
1975 IK Sirius
1976–1977 Halifax Town
1979 Djurgårdens IF
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

James Alan Ball (26 September 1924 – 2 January 1982) was an English football player and manager. Born in Farnworth, Lancashire, Ball played as an inside forward for Bolton Boys Federation, Southport (in two spells), Birmingham City (although he did not play a Football League match for them), Oldham Athletic and Rochdale.[1]

Started his managerial career[3] as player-boss of Oswestry Town, then managed Borough United, Ashton United and Nantwich Town, leaving the Dabbers to take up a coaching role with Stoke City. He managed Halifax Town in two separate spells (1967–1970) and (1976–1977), and in between these he managed Preston North End between 1970 and 1973 winning the Division 3 title,[4] and Southport, IF Saab and IK Sirius.[5] Ball managed Djurgårdens IF in 1979.[6]

He was killed in a car accident in Nicosia, Cyprus, in January 1982 at the age of 57.[2][5]

His son Alan Jr. played in England's 1966 World Cup-winning team and later followed his father into management. In April 2021, Ball's grandson, Jimmy, became the third generation of the family to manage in the Football League after being appointed interim manager at Forest Green Rovers.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Alan Ball". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Alan Ball Sr". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Project 1878".
  4. ^ "Alan Ball (Snr)". League Managers Association. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Alan Ball". Port Online. Daniel Hayes. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Historia: Tränare A-laget" [History: First-team managers] (in Swedish). Djugården Fotboll. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Jimmy Ball 'had to take' Forest Green chance after winning first game in charge". NewsChain. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.


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