Jim Holton

Jim Holton

Personal information
Full name	James Alan Holton
Date of birth	11 April 1951(1951-04-11)
Place of birth	Lesmahagow, Scotland
Date of death	5 October 1993(1993-10-05) (aged 42)
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Centre-back
Youth career
	Celtic
1968–1971	West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1971–1972	Shrewsbury Town	67	(4)
1972–1976	Manchester United	63	(5)
1976	Miami Toros	16	(1)
1976–1977	Sunderland	15	(0)
1977–1981	Coventry City	91	(0)
1980	Detroit Express	21	(3)
1981–1982	Sheffield Wednesday	0	(0)
National team
1973–1974	Scotland	15	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

James Alan "Jim" Holton (11 April 1951 – 5 October 1993) was a Scottish football player.

Born in Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire, Holton began his playing career with West Bromwich Albion in 1968, but left three years later without having played a first-team game. He spent a season at Shrewsbury Town before making the big move to Manchester United. He played in their Second Division championship winning side in 1975 but was sold to Sunderland a year later.

In 1976, he played for the Miami Toros of the North American Soccer League (NASL). He returned to the NASL with the Detroit Express in 1980. He finished his career with Coventry City, enjoying a four-year spell at the club before injury brought his career to an end at the age of 30 at the end of the 1980-1981 season.

Holton played in all three initial group games for Scotland in the 1974 World Cup competition in Germany, in which the team did not lose, winning 2-0 against Zaire and drawing twice, including a memorable 0-0 draw with then reigning champions Brazil, yet still failing to progress to the second round due to goal difference. Scotland's third game resulted in a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia.

Holton stayed in Coventry after retiring from professional football, working as a pub landlord. He died on 5 October 1993, aged 42, after suffering a heart attack at the wheel of his car.

External links

• Jim Holton at scottishfa.co.uk
• Jim Holton, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database