Melrose: James Millsopp (Jim)

1987-1988 (Player Details)

Forward

Born: Glasgow: 07-10-1958

Debut: v Manchester City (h): 26-09-1987

5’9” 10st (1987)

A Scottish Schoolboy International, who went to Whitehill School, Glasgow, Melrose began with Eastercraigs and Sighthill Amateurs, before joining Partick Thistle in 1975, making his Scottish League debut as a sixteen-year-old. He won eight Under-Twenty-One caps and made one appearance for the Scottish League, scoring the second goal in a 4-2 win in March 1980. He also got both goals as Partick went down 4-2 to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Hampden in April 1978. He moved to Leicester City for £25,000 in July 1980. In his five years at Firhill he scored thirty-one goals in one hundred and twenty-two games. He became an instant hero as he scored the winner in one of his first games for the Foxes in front of Liverpool’s famous Kop. After twenty-one goals in seventy-two League appearances, including fifteen as a substitute, in September 1982 he was involved in a player-exchange with Coventry City’s Tom English, and again soon found favour with his new fans, scoring a hat-trick on his home debut for the Sky Blues. He scored eight goals in twenty-four League appearances, three as a substitute, at Highfield Road before a £100,000 transfer in March 1983 took him to Celtic, following the departure of Hoops striking hero Charlie Nicholas to Arsenal. The pacy Melrose made his debut for the Bhoys in a 1-0 Glasgow Cup defeat to Rangers on 13th August 1983. Despite impressive performances for the reserves and steady first team outings Melrose was never able to establish himself as a regular starter. The move did not prove particularly successful and he had a loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 1984, where he scored two goals in seven League games, one as a substitute, before returning to Parkhead. Manchester City, managed by Billy McNeill, moved to take the player on a permanent deal and after forty-eight appearances and eleven goals in all games for the Bhoys Melrose departed for Maine Road for £40,000 on 7th November 1984. He had made thirty League appearances and scored seven goals while at Celtic. He helped City get promotion to Division One in 1984-85. He did not stay long at Maine Road and, after eight goals in thirty-four League games, including seven as a substitute, he joined Charlton Athletic in March 1986, also helping them to win promotion to Division One in 1985-86. Charlton did not fare well in the First Division and were involved in play-offs to maintain their top status. Two Melrose goals gave them victory over Ipswich Town in the semi finals and Melrose was on target again as the two legged final with Leeds United ended 1-1 on aggregate. He scored a last-minute winner in the first leg at the Valley against Leeds, which helped Charlton scrape through the play-offs at the end of the dramatic 1986-87 season. In the replay at Birmingham's St Andrews ground Charlton fell behind in extra time but still managed to recover to win 2-1 with both goals coming from the centre half Peter Shirtliff. However, within months of condemning United to more Second Division football, he joined Leeds for £50,000. He had played forty-eight League games, four as a substitute, and scored nineteen goals at the Valley. He became a Leeds player in September1987, but was mainly confined to the Reserves and his brief stay at Elland Road was not a particularly happy one and he joined Shrewsbury Town for £45,000 in March 1988, after a month on loan. At Shrewsbury he received a fractured cheekbone in an on-field assault by another former Leeds player, Chris Kamara, then at Swindon Town, which saw Kamara become the first professional player to be prosecuted for such an act, for which he received a £1,000 fine. He scored three goals in forty-nine League appearances, including twenty-two as a substitute, at Gay Meadow but in August 1990 he left Shrewsbury for Macclesfield Town, moving to Curzon Ashton two months later, after a trial with St Mirren. In 1992 he went to Hailsowen Harriers and later Managed Cheshire side, Bollington Athletic. He later became chief scout at Leicester City.