Jim Steele

[9-3]

Nice feature on Jim Steele in Back Pass magazine.

Was man of match in 1976 FA Cup Final.

Ten months later he played his last match for Saints v Anderlecht in European Cup Winners match after making a mistake, he was 26. Never played for Saints again.

What a shame.

He still goes to St Marys.

Legend.

[lifeintheslowlane]

Jim was a real old style defender who never took prisoners...everyone loved Jim.

[ericofarabia]

Eyes of Blue

6 foot two

Jimmy Steele is after you

La lalalalala etc

 

Met him in one of the working men's clubs n Eastleigh last year, a true gent, genuinely loves SFC, and was more than happy to spend time chatting to us, and wouldn't accept our offers of beer!!!

[sadoldgit]

I meet Jim after a game once at a "do" arranged by a forum I was on at the time. He talked about the error he made and how that keeps coming up and seemed unhappy that he was remembered for that rather than any of the games when he played well. He talked about his transfer to Saints and that he was just told one day that he had been sold to us and to pack up his stuff and get to Southampton. He also talked about how they had to play through injuries and how so many players from that era are near cripples now. He struck me as a really decent guy and loved to talk football.

[suewhistle]

I always remembered it as Osgood making the mistake? Talking of memory - Eric, I always thought the first two lines were the other way round!

[TheCholulaKid]

I stumbled into the pub he owned in Moreton-In-Marsh a few years ago not knowing that he was the landlord. Asked the bloke behind the bar why there was loads of Saints memorabilia on the walls, 'I used to play for them' was the reply. Spent a very enjoyable couple of pints talking to him about Saints and his career in general - really friendly bloke more than happy to chat at length and always indulged my questions the couple of times I went in after that. Served decent ale too (Donnington brewery)

[John B]

Although Jim played well my man of the match was Mel Blyth always underated

[scotty]

I remember Jim Steele well, but don't recall this mistake he made at all. What happened?

 

Whatever it was, surely he doesn't need to beat himself up about it? All I remember was a terrific defender. One mistake shouldn't be haunting him.

[Gemmel]

He is at St Mary's now rallying the troops for the final hours of the world record bid .... Get your arses down here

[Saint Billy]

I remember just snippets of that game, a very wet night and Andelecht had the better of us. I do remember Jim being caught flat footed on a few occasions that night but the conditions were aweful and anyone was liable to make a mistake. More than likely it was to be saints who made the errors as they stretched us all night.

 

Jim Steele was a tough defender and went in hard. A true blood and guts player of whom I have great although fading memories.

[VectisSaint]

I always remembered it as Osgood making the mistake? Talking of memory - Eric, I always thought the first two lines were the other way round!

Agree with you Sue. It was also "Big Jim Steele is after you", IIRC.

Top bloke, shame he's not at the Black Bear in Moreton any more. Don't rememer anything particularly bad during the Anderlecht game, but really don't remember much about it at all other than the rain.

[GGalpin]

Top bloke, great to interview him too. http://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com/2015/5/6/8559567/exclusive-interview-with-jim-steele

[Mowgli]

We had lost the first leg 0-2 and when Anderlecht came back to the Dell we were all over them. Jim had a brilliant game and we were virtually camped in their half. Brought it back to 2-2 agg. And pressing for a winner. An innocuous ball broke to the half way line and Jim went to put his foot on the ball and play it back in. For some stranger reason the ball squirmed away under his foot and an Anderlecht player took it away. One on one with the keeper he scored to knock us out.

 

Great player. Honestly did not realise that was his last game for us. His partnership with Blythe was one of the best I can remember.

[WALK DMC]

I remember just snippets of that game, a very wet night and Andelecht had the better of us. I do remember Jim being caught flat footed on a few occasions that night but the conditions were aweful and anyone was liable to make a mistake. More than likely it was to be saints who made the errors as they stretched us all night.

QUOTE]

 

I remember the game well, and I always felt it was one of the 'nearly' great Saints performances. We were only a middling 2nd division team and 2-0 down from the first leg to a top European team as Anderlecht were in those days. I seem to recall that in the 2nd half against all the odds Saints managed to pull back the 2 goals (I think through Channon and MacDougall). Suddenly the momentum was with us, the Dell was rocking, the rain was streaming down and there looked likely to be only one winner. However my recollections was of Jim Steele going for a routine tackle on the edge of our area and I think the ball ran over his foot the ball broke and Anderlecht scored from a shot outside the box. As 2-1 with the away goal, the game was over.

 

Jim Steele was and remains one of my favourite players and you could forgive him for anything for his total commitment and also a surprising amount of skill for such an uncompromising defender. For me, his outstanding performance was against Man U in the FA Cup final and he was my clear man of the match. Always nice to hear about him.

[steveo]

I was fortunate to meet Jim Steele at Gatwick one evening. We were both staying at one of the North Terminal airports before getting early morning flights. What a gent. He came over to talk football as I was watching the FA cup results coming in (Forest were beating Man city that day) and he mentioned that it would be great if the same thing happened to the other Manchester club (we were playing them the next day). And that was that!!! So much for an early night!!! Spent 6 hours drinking beer with him (and his wife), listening to stories about his time with Saints, about his departure from Saints, how Ossie "stole" the FA cup, so many stories, what a great evening. A genuine bloke who loves football, and who still loves the Saints, and who can still drink a great deal of beer!! I was there for a number of his games (including the Final and the Anderlecht games) and could remember some of his "robust" tackles, when they were mentioned a broad smile appeared!!!