Dunn: James (Jimmy)

1947-1960 (Player Details)

Right Back

Born: Rutherglen: 23-10-1922

Debut v Cardiff City (a): 01-11-1947

5’8” 11st 9lb (1951)

#73 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

He served with the Royal Marines in World War Two and played in the Services Cup Final at Home Park Plymouth. He then took a job labouring and played for the Scottish Junior club Rutherglen Glencairn. Several clubs were on his trail and although Arbroath were favourites to sign him, they were beaten by Leeds in June 1947, who paid £200. The consistant Dunn was manifestly unlucky not to win a Scotland cap. In eleven years at Elland Road he barely put a foot wrong, and although he was often tipped for full honours, he never received an International call. Dunn became a permanent fixture at right back, including four seasons when he was ever-present, indeed, from August 1952 to May 1957 he missed just one Football League match for the club. The high point of his career came in the 1955-56 campaign, when Jimmy was a key figure in the Leeds team that won promotion from the Second Division thanks to a magnificent late run that saw them win eight of their last nine games. The Leeds team of the time was built around the considerable talents of John Charles, who rated Dunn highly; Charles described Dunn as "one of the best full-backs I ever played with... at tackling and covering he was unbelievable. He was very fit, strong and hard." As befits a former Marine, Jimmy was a tough, uncompromising right back who took no prisoners in the tackle. His ability to halt opposing wingers was legendary, although he himself rarely ventured forward and throughout his United career he managed just one senior goal, netting against Blackburn in April 1950. Jimmy eventually left Leeds in the summer of 1959, having made a total of four hundred and forty-three first team appearances for the club. He stepped down to play in the Fourth Division with Darlington, but unfortunately a knee injury brought his full-time career to a close within twelve months. He subsequently had a very brief spell with Scarborough, then members of the Midland League, before retiring from the game. Jimmy continued to live in a house close to Elland Road, and was a regular visitor to the ground until shortly before his death. After first being a milkman, he worked for the Post Office for many years before retiring in 1987. He sadly passed away in Leeds on 24th January 2005 at the age of eighty-two after suffering a stroke.