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Birchover-born Eddie Shimwell playing for Blackpool

EDDIE SHIMWELL was one of a select group of men born in Derbyshire to play association football for England. He won his sole cap in a 3-1 defeat against Sweden on 13 May 1949.

He was a right-back who made his name with Blackpool - so solid and dependable was he, that more than one football journalist fell to the temptation to dub him the 'Blackpool Rock' in match reports.

He was born Edmund Shimwell in Birchover, Derbyshire, on 27 February 1920. He began playing football seriously for Wirksworth FC, and was selected for the representative side North Derbyshire Amateurs.

In a game against South Derbyshire Amateurs at Matlock Town's Causeway Lane ground he was spotted by a scout from Sheffield United, and joined the club in 1939.

The outbreak of war curtailed the League programme and he was unable to make his League debut until 1946-47. After only 14 appearances he was transferred to Blackpool in December 1946 and made his name there.

In the 1948 FA Cup Final defeat to Manchester United he converted a penalty, thus becoming the first ever full-back to score at Wembley. He also played in Blackpool's losing 1951 Cup Final side, but finally earned his winner's medal in the famous 'Matthews Final' of 1953 - on that occasion Blackpool defeated Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in one of the most dramatic games ever staged at Wembley.

Shimwell left Blackpool in 1957 after 286 League games, signing for Oldham Athletic before a brief spell as player-manager at Burton Albion. He left there in December 1958 and played a number of games for Matlock Town before hanging up his boots in 1960.

Like many fomer footballers, he entered the pub trade, becoming licensee of the the Royal Volunteer in Clay Cross.

Eddie Shimwell died aged 68 on 3 October 1988, and is buried in Wirksworth churchyard.

• Three Lions On Their Shirt - England Footballers Born In Derbyshire

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County:  Derbyshire

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