Matchday Memories: On This Day 2006 – Jimmy Hill At Wimbledon (Not For Footy)!

Jimmy watches the Wimbledon action

Thanks to CCFPA’s former committee member Dean Nelson for reminding us that, on this day (July 6th) in 2006, legendary former Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ and later CCFC MD (and Association member) Jimmy Hill was attending a match at Wimbledon, but being the close season this was not for a footy match between the Sky Blues and the Wombles! Instead he was spotted watching the Quarter Final match between top star and 2nd seed Rafael Nadal of Spain and 22nd seed Jarkko Nieminen of Finland at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club.

Sky Blue fans will never forget JH not just in relation to Highfield Rd where he led the sixties ‘Sky Blue Revolution’ from Third to First Division in six years but at the Ricoh for two reasons.

Jimmy leads the singing of SBS at statue unveiling

First, for Nicholas Dimblebee‘s statue outside the main entrance unveiled personally by JH (left) on 28 July 2011 but also the Garden of Remembrance there containing a memorial stone to JH and some of his ashes (below).

Jimmy’s memorial stone at the Ricoh

Sadly JH died on 19 December 2015, aged 87 and many footballing fans from all over the world, but particularly the Sky Blue family, remember the celebration of Jimmy’s life which took place at Coventry Cathedral on 12 February 2016 (below).