Write a comment
James Andrew Davis, known universally as Jimmy Davis, tragically passed away on Monday, October 31.
On that Halloween morning the legendary sports journalist died suddenly at the Newry Bus station.
Jimmy, one of Newry’s sporting icons, deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as the likes of Newry heroes Pat Jennings and Peter McParland.
Jimmy was a true soccer saint.
Many people contributed greatly to football in the Newry region but none have even come near to matching the input of the man who lived in Mountainview Terrace.
Jimmy, virtually single-handedly, steered junior football in the Newry area through the good times and bad, his steadying influence always in evidence
The game in the border city and surrounding districts, along with all the thousands of players who played it, and indeed have played in it down through the years, owe a lot to the genial Jimmy Davis.
When there was a problem Jimmy was the man who sorted it out.
He spent many long hours, often well into the depth of night, sorting out fixtures, pitches and referees.
When a team was unable to fulfil a fixture, Jimmy was the man who inevitably apologised to the other side.
Fixture mix-up? See Jimmy.
No ref? See Jimmy.
And when things went wrong, who shouldered the blame?
Yes of course ... Jimmy Davis.
On a footballing Saturday his phone was always red hot with most of the calls bringing further problems.
Jimmy could you .... ?
Jimmy will you ....?
Jimmy can you tell me ... ?
Jimmy can we .... ?
And almost always the caller, at the door or on the phone, would have been answered in the same way. ‘Alright son (or daughter) I’ll sort it out.’
And he almost always did.
And with due respect to his good friends Brian Naughton and Niall Quinn, who themselves did a mountain of work behind the scenes in the Carnbane League, in many people’s opinion were it not for Jimmy Davis, our local league would not be in existence.
Jimmy was the Carnbane League secretary for nearly 55 years, starting his term of office in 1968. And was still secretary right up to his last day.
He was also the sports editor in the Newry Reporter for perhaps even longer than 55 years.
And despite his busy, busy lifestyle he was a man always willing to help others.
He was also a God-fearing man.
A man of the church.
A man who never used foul language.
And a man who never spoke ill of others.
In a nutshell Jimmy Davis was a true gentleman.
Surely if one man from Newry had to be nominated as a soccer saint that man would have to be James Andrew Davis.
In his long lifetime in sport Jimmy received many honours.
But foremost of these was the BEM awarded in 2013 for his dedication and hard work in the Carnbane League.
Another huge accolade came in 2008 when Jimmy was honoured by the IFA at the Association’s Football For All Awards ceremony at Belfast’s Ramada Hotel.
There he was was presented with The Boys Football Unsung Hero award for his work in the Newry area.
Meanwhile lots of nice words have been spoken about Jimmy Davis over the years and here are just a few of them.
“Jimmy Davis is a man who never seeks the limelight. He is one of the sporting world’s unsung heroes. He’s a quiet, humble, unassuming man.”
“Jimmy Davis should have been awarded a knighthood for his services to local football. I don’t know how he keeps doing it. Nobody would, or could, have done the job – and that despite all the abuse he has taken from players and managers over the years.”
“He’s a modest man and a very giving man too.
To finish with a couple of wee stories.
Way back in the early seventies Gerry Patton was ruled out of the Northern Ireland Youth Cup final as, despite playing in the early rounds, he was overage.
He has everlasting memories of a Rovers’ managerial delegation coming towards him four days before the final and telling him he wasn’t in the squad.
Jimmy Davis, part of that delegation, rubbed salt into the wound by saying: “But don’t worry son … you’ll get tea and buns like the rest of the team!!”
Here’s a wee personal story concerning Jimmy that showed his love for the Carnbane League.
One afternoon I was sitting at home, relaxing with a cup of tea after dinner. Earlier in the day we had our usual Sunday morning kick-about on the Hen Run as our own wee pitch was water-logged.
My door bell rang with my late wife Vivien answering it. And there was Jimmy Davis, with steam pouring out of his ears, brushing past her and shouting at me: “You and Paddy McCamley will never kick another ball in the Carnbane League.
“Youse played on the Hen Run this morning and cut it all up. We didn’t let any of the teams play on it yesterday as we were saving it for a cup final on Tuesday night. We can’t play that cup final on it now. Youse destroyed it!”
Needless to say the next time I met Jimmy, there wasn’t another word said about the incident – and Paddy McCamley and me continued to play in the Carnbane League.
And Jimmy continued to look after the Carnbane League and the players who played in it.
Monday was a sad day for sport in the locality. The Newry area lost a soccer saint with Jimmy’s sons Andrew and Mark plus daughters Maud, Elizabeth and Sylvia losing their much-loved father.
Deepest sympathies go to Davis family.
RIP Jimmy Davis.
