Jimmy Leadbetter

Midfield inspiration to Alf Ramsey

James Hunter Leadbetter, footballer: born Edinburgh 15 July 1928; married 1952 Janet Manson (one daughter); died Edinburgh 18 July 2006.

For a player who never represented his country, Jimmy Leadbetter provided a significant footnote in the history of international football. He was the journeyman left-winger who provided the creative wellspring of Ipswich Town's unlikely Championship triumph of 1961/62, and gave their manager, Alf Ramsey, the tactical inspiration that led to England's World Cup triumph of 1966.

Leadbetter, from Edinburgh, was an unheralded outside-left when Ramsey took over as manager at Portman Road in 1955. The Scot made the most out of his talents under Ramsey's leadership. He never possessed the pace to be a devastating wide-man, nor the physique to be an out-and-out front man. But Ramsey had the imagination to withdraw him into a more influential midfield role, and the prototype of England's 1966 Wingless Wonders was launched. The idea for the revolutionary formation was sparked by the singular abilities of the frail Scot. "Yes, he was Scottish," said Ramsey. "But I owed him so much."

He was a professional footballer for the best part of two decades, but Leadbetter's best days were spent in Suffolk. In 1957 Ipswich, a hitherto sleepy club with no record of achievement to speak of, won promotion from the Third Division. In 1961 they were Second Division Champions. And at their very first attempt they astonished England's élite by winning the First Division in 1962. Ipswich owed much to their free-scoring strikers Ray Crawford and Ted Phillips. But so many of their goals were made possible by the left foot of Jimmy Leadbetter, who turned 33 years of age in that title-winning season.

He had played for junior clubs in Scotland before coming to the attention of scouts from England. He signed professional forms for Chelsea in 1949, but struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge. In three seasons he made just three First Division appearances, and in 1952 he moved to Brighton & Hove Albion as an inside-forward and scored 33 goals in 115 games. After moving to Ipswich he made 344 appearances in a decade's service and scored 41 goals. He was renowned as a nerveless penalty-taker.

Leadbetter managed Sudbury Town in the Eastern Counties league for five years after leaving Ipswich in 1965. He then retired from football, joining his father's garage business in Edinburgh, and also driving a newspaper delivery van.

Alex Murphy