Jimmy Melia

[9-3]

Who can remember him?

Saints and Brighton.

Best known for taking Brighton to the FA Cup Final in 1983 when "Smith must score"!

He wore white shoes to the Cup Final, was an helicopter involved?

After being born in Liverpool and played 269 times for them and played twice for England. Transferred to Wolves and played only 24 games when Ted Bates bought him to Southampton for £30000.

Jimmy played 139 games for Saints and for what I can remember was very often booed for playing too many square balls.

After we got promoted to Division One he left and went Aldershot and played 135 games.

He was a staunch Catholic as I was, he always attended the village hall in Fair Oak on a Sunday morning for mass.

[Badger]

I remember him although his playing time with us was before I started following. His name often cropped up when talking Saints history with older members of my family, and if I recall his playing style was considered neat, but lightweight, and he was regarded as someone who shirked a tackle , or 50:50 ball.

 

Yes, remember him in Brighton's cup run.

[eurosaint]

Has he just died ?

[Just a Fan]

I remember him. Wasn't exactly a favourite from what I recall. Thinking player I think someone called him.

[Trader]

Bald as a coot, never took a shot when in a scoring position, but preferred to spray beautiful passes out to the wings.

 

Frustrating player to watch.

[Lets B Avenue]

I remember him. Wasn't exactly a favourite from what I recall. Thinking player I think someone called him.

 

"One of the games deep thinkers" was the line in the pen-pic in every away program. For which read "he is sh ite".

 

Over our local field, you would run home crying if you were called a "Melia".

[Toomer]

I remember when he punched the ball into The Milton Road goal when he could have headed it, needless to say it was not allowed.

[rooney]

The crowd were always on his back, but I thought him to be a good ball player with a football brain. If only we had someone today that could put balls through as he did.

[John B]

The crowd were always on his back, but I thought him to be a good ball player with a football brain. If only we had someone today that could put balls through as he did.

 

I agree with you he was a very important player in 1966 when we got to Div 1 but yes he was bald but so what

[Paul.Studio]

Worse player I watched from that era. His square passing I suppose could fit today's team but I would hope not to see the likes of him again. My uncle's neighbour used to rate him and I can still remember them arguing while coming home from the Dell across the floating bridge at woolston. We don't want that back - and no more Jimmy melias thanks saints!

[Norm]

I mustn’t let my wife know of the negative comments on here as JM was one of her all time favourite players. We had many a disagreement about Jimmy and she would tell me I knew nothing about ‘good’ football.

[Nordic Saint]

I remember when he punched the ball into The Milton Road goal when he could have headed it, needless to say it was not allowed.

 

Heading was one of the many things he didn't do much: tackling, shooting and long passes being others. He averaged 1 goal every 13 games, which for an attacking player (inside forward as he was known in those days) was pretty poor. He had a stuttering run and looked like a middle aged dad playing football. It's hard to believe he'd only just turned 27 when he joined us. He was one of those unathletic people who would't get into professional football nowadays but in the 60s it was a much slower game. I think it's fair to say, fans rarely take to attacking players who don't score goals.

[Mowgli]

Was in the team when I first stsrted wathcing Saints. Good player but always the brunt of abuse from some fans (nothing changes really....) who did not understand how important he was to the midfield. It's funny how many really good midfield players keep a play going with a couple of square passes and then get knocked by the fans for not being forward thinking...

[Toomer]

That's two sideways Jim's we have had, Jimmy Melia and Jim Magilton we've got a few in the current side that could be called sideways Jim.

[Winnersaint]

That's two sideways Jim's we have had, Jimmy Melia and Jim Magilton we've got a few in the current side that could be called sideways Jim.

 

Hughie Fisher??

[Forester]

My memory doesn't go further back than him managing Brighton to the cup final, but is great to see how many regular posters we have that have been watching the Saints for over fifty years. Respect!

[sandwichsaint]

Your just a bryl-creamed Ward-Prowse

A bryl-creamed Ward-Prowse.

[striker]

He's coaching youth football in the USA now, for a club called Liverpool America.

[9-3]

Brilliant response. Yes I can remember that bald headed midfield player being booed because after all the midfield play towards the goal he would never shoot at the goal.

Mmmmm...yeh know the feeling!

[Tom & Gerry]

I well remember his goal at Plymouth which wasn't a classic, in fact it was the opposite of a classic - he miss hit it and the keeper dived over the ball - but it was of vital importance in the history of the club.

[ericofarabia]

Always the target of the boo boys with his distinctive bald head.

 

I remember a wet and very muddy night match at The Dell and he had a muddy imprint of the ball on his glistening pate after making a rare header.

 

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/ba7bdf198af647a3b9ba5ba4fc576818/jimmy-melia-southampton-league-division-one-g8j22y.jpg

 

Loved his white disco shoes in Brighton's Cup Run to the final

[Badger]

Always the target of the boo boys with his distinctive bald head.

 

I remember a wet and very muddy night match at The Dell and he had a muddy imprint of the ball on his glistening pate after making a rare header.

 

http://http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/ba7bdf198af647a3b9ba5ba4fc576818/jimmy-melia-southampton-league-division-one-g8j22y.jpg

 

Loved his white disco shoes in Brighton's Cup Run to the final

 

Watneys Ales displayed prominently on the old West Stand.

 

Memories...

[derry]

Turned out against Wolves at the Dell wearing 9 instead of usual 10 completely nonplussed Wolves defence. Saints won 9-3 then signed Dave McLaren the Wolves goalkeeper.

[edprice1984]

I am apparently distantly related to him. 4th cousins or something like that. Courtesy of my Grandparents being Scousers.

[9-3]

We never signed McLaren until the following season when Campbell Forsyth broke his leg on November.

[Lets B Avenue]

We never signed McLaren until the following season when Campbell Forsyth broke his leg on November.

 

I think you will find he broke it on Ian Callaghan.

 

And it was in September. McLaren signed virtually a year to the day after the 9-3, which I'm sure Derry knew anyway.

[derry]

I think you will find he broke it on Ian Callaghan.

 

And it was in September. McLaren signed virtually a year to the day after the 9-3, which I'm sure Derry knew anyway.

 

I did, but I couldn't be bothered to say when as I thought it was irrelevant.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

Hughie Fisher??

 

Absolutely not. Hughie never hid from receiving the ball, no matter how much the crowd were on his back. Melia on the other hand seemed to me to want not to be playing ... and shot-shy come nowhere close to describing his abhorrence of giving it some wellie.

 

And I think £30k was our record signing at the time. Was he the replacement for David Burnside? My memory is fading.............

[9-3]

Loved Hugh Fisher. He's till goes to St Mary's occasionally. Lives in Bishops Waltham I believe.

Always likes being recognised and has time to speak. A true gentleman.

And of course by your user name, the last minute goal at The Dell in the third round of the FA Cup against Aston Villa to make it a 2-2 draw. Which we went on to win the replay and go on to win the F.A. Cup.

[Toomer]

Hughie used to come into the Saints Supporters Club when he retired from playing he was a rep for Watneys at the time.

[Lets B Avenue]

Loved Hugh Fisher. He's till goes to St Mary's occasionally. Lives in Bishops Waltham I believe.

Always likes being recognised and has time to speak. A true gentleman.

And of course by your user name, the last minute goal at The Dell in the third round of the FA Cup against Aston Villa to make it a 2-2 draw. Which we went on to win the replay and go on to win the F.A. Cup.

 

1-1.

[9-3]

Oooops! Correct, Lets B Avenue