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{{short description|English footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jim Towers
| name = Jim Towers
| image =
| image =
| caption = Towers pictured while playing for Brentford.
| caption =
| fullname = Edwin James Towers<ref name="Hugman">{{Cite web |url=http://hugmansfootballers.com/player/19810 |title=Barry Hugman's Footballers – Jim Towers |website=hugmansfootballers.com |access-date=26 November 2017}}</ref>
| fullname = Edwin James Towers<ref name="Hugman">{{Hugman|19810|access-date=26 November 2017}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1933|04|15}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1933|04|15}}
| birth_place = [[Shepherd's Bush]], England
| birth_place = [[Shepherd's Bush]], England
Line 11: Line 12:
| death_place = [[Hounslow]], England
| death_place = [[Hounslow]], England
| position = [[Centre forward]]
| position = [[Centre forward]]
| youthyears1 = 1948–1954
| youthyears1 = 1948–1954
| youthclubs1 = [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
| youthclubs1 = [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
| years1 = 1954–1961
| years1 = 1954–1961
| clubs1 = [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
| clubs1 = [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
| caps1 = 262
| caps1 = 262
| goals1 = 153
| goals1 = 153
| years2 = 1961–1962
| years2 = 1961–1962
| clubs2 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
| clubs2 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
| caps2 = 27
| caps2 = 27
| goals2 = 15
| goals2 = 15
| years3 = 1962–1963
| years3 = 1962–1963
| clubs3 = [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]]
| clubs3 = [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]]
| caps3 = 19
| caps3 = 19
| goals3 = 7
| goals3 = 7
| years4 = 1963
| years4 = 1963
| clubs4 = [[Gillingham F.C.|Gillingham]]
| clubs4 = [[Gillingham F.C.|Gillingham]]
| caps4 = 8
| caps4 = 8
| goals4 = 6
| goals4 = 6
| years5 = 1963–1964
| years5 = 1963–1964
| clubs5 = [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]]
| clubs5 = [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]]
| caps5 = 32
| caps5 = 32
| goals5 = 15
| goals5 = 15
| years6 = 1964–1965
| years6 = 1964–1965
| clubs6 = [[Romford F.C.|Romford]]
| clubs6 = [[Romford F.C.|Romford]]
| caps6 = 30
| caps6 = 30
| goals6 = 17
| goals6 = 17
| years7 = 1965–1968
| years7 = 1965–1968
| clubs7 = [[Ebbsfleet United F.C.|Gravesend & Northfleet]]
| clubs7 = [[Ebbsfleet United F.C.|Gravesend & Northfleet]]
| caps7 = 77
| caps7 = 77
| goals7 = 46
| goals7 = 46
| totalcaps = 428
| totalcaps = 428
| totalgoals = 274
| totalgoals = 274
}}
}}


'''Edwin James Towers''' (15 April 1933 – 16 September 2010) was a professional English [[Association football|football]] [[centre forward]], best remembered for his time in the [[The Football League|Football League]] with [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer and in 2013 was voted the club's greatest ever player.<ref name="Timeless" /><ref name="FL125">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fl125.co.uk/brentford |title=Brentford – Football League 125 |last=The Football League |accessdate=15 November 2014}}</ref>
'''Edwin James Towers''' (15 April 1933 – 16 September 2010) was an English professional [[Association football|footballer]], best remembered for his time as a [[centre forward]] in the [[The Football League|Football League]] with [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer and in 2013 was voted the club's greatest ever player.<ref name="Timeless" /><ref name="FL125">{{Cite web |title=Brentford |url=http://www.fl125.co.uk/brentford |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310181300/http://fl125.co.uk/brentford |archive-date=10 March 2016 |access-date=15 November 2014 |website=Football League 125}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Brentford ===
=== Brentford ===
⚫
Born in [[Shepherd's Bush]], Towers began his career as a schoolboy, playing for his local [[Gaumont British|Gaumont]] cinema team.<ref name="Timeless">{{Cite book |title=Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 |last=Haynes |first=Graham |last2=Coumbe |first2=Frank |publisher=Yore Publications |year=2006 |isbn=978-0955294914 |location=Harefield |pages=186–188}}</ref> He frequently played against another boy, the [[Acton, London|Acton]] [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon]] cinema team's [[George Francis (footballer)|George Francis]], with whom Towers' future professional career would be intertwined.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers, along with Francis, progressed through the Acton and Brentford & Chiswick school teams.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers also had a try-out at [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] before signing for the junior team at [[Football League Division Two|Division Two]] side [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] in 1948,<ref name="Lane" /> after being spotted by manager Alf Bew while playing for his local [[Shepherd's Bush]] schoolboys team versus Brentford in [[Boston Manor Park]].<ref name="Bruzon">{{Cite web |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0%2C%2C10421~2052664%2C00.html |title=Brentford {{!}} News {{!}} Where Are They Now? {{!}} Where Are They Now? {{!}} WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JIM TOWERS – PART 1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206165403/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0%2C%2C10421~2052664%2C00.html |archive-date=6 February 2011 |dead-url=yes |access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> Towers was offered a professional contract in 1951, prior to departing to undertake his [[National Service in the United Kingdom|National Service]].<ref name="Lane" />


==== Youth years ====
⚫
After returning to [[Griffin Park]] in 1953 and signing another contract,<ref name="Bruzon" /><ref name="Fleet">{{cite web|url=http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/fleet-mourn-jim-towers/|title=Fleet mourn Jim Towers|first=Ed|last=Miller|work=[[Ebbsfleet United F.C.]]|date=23 September 2010|accessdate=10 November 2010}}</ref> Towers made his professional debut on 30 August 1954 as an [[outside forward]], making a dream start and scoring in a 2–2 draw with [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]].<ref name="White">{{Cite book |title=100 Years Of Brentford |publisher=Brentford FC |year=1989 |isbn=0951526200 |editor-last=White |editor-first=Eric |pages=383–386}}</ref> He was soon moved back to his natural [[centre forward]] position by [[Bill Dodgin, Sr.|Bill Dodgin]] and made 37 appearances and scored 16 goals during the [[1954-55 Football League|1954–55]] season as the Bees finished in mid-table.<ref name="White" /> The Bees challenged for promotion during the [[1955–56 Brentford F.C. season|1955–56]] season, but ultimately finished in sixth place,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/history |title=Brentford Complete History - Statto.com |last=Ltd |first=Statto Organisation |website=Statto.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915044810/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/history |archive-date=15 September 2016 |dead-url=yes |access-date=20 December 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> with Towers scoring 22 goals in 41 games.<ref name="White" /> George Francis broke into the team in the following campaign and so began the most productive strike partnership in Brentford history, with one London evening newspaper dubbing the pair 'the Terrible Twins'.<ref name="Timeless" /> After a lean [[1956–57 Brentford F.C. season|1956–57]] season (scoring 13 goals), Towers found his form again in the following campaign, netting 29 goals in 36 games, to set a new single-season post-war club goalscoring record.<ref name="Timeless" /> The season ended in disappointment after Brentford were edged off the top of the Division Three South by [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1956-1957/table |title=Brentford League Table 1956-1957 - Statto.com |last=Ltd |first=Statto Organisation |website=Statto.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324081727/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1956-1957/table |archive-date=24 March 2016 |dead-url=yes |access-date=20 December 2016}}</ref>
⚫
Born in [[Shepherd's Bush]], Towers began his career as a schoolboy, playing for his local [[Gaumont British|Gaumont]] cinema team.<ref name="Timeless">{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 |last2=Coumbe |first2=Frank |publisher=Yore Publications |year=2006 |isbn=978-0955294914 |location=Harefield |pages=186–188}}</ref> He frequently played against another boy, the [[Acton, London|Acton]] [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon]] cinema team's [[George Francis (footballer)|George Francis]], with whom Towers' future professional career would be intertwined.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers, along with Francis, progressed through the Acton and Brentford & Chiswick school teams.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers also had a try-out at [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] before signing for the junior team at [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] club [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] in 1948,<ref name="Lane" /> after being spotted by manager Alf Bew while playing for his local Shepherd's Bush schoolboys team versus Brentford in [[Boston Manor Park]].<ref name="Bruzon">{{Cite web |date=24 July 2010 |title=Where Are They Now? Jim Towers – Part 1 |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0,,10421~2052664,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923163126/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0,,10421~2052664,00.html |archive-date=23 September 2018 |access-date=27 March 2017 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}</ref> Towers was offered a professional contract in 1951, prior to departing to undertake his [[National Service in the United Kingdom|National Service]].<ref name="Lane" />


==== 1953–1958 ====
⚫
Towers' most lethal season in front of goal came in [[1958–59 Brentford F.C. season|1958–59]], scoring 37 goals in 50 appearances and finishing one goal shy of [[Jack Holliday]]'s goals-in-a-season record set in the [[1932–33 Brentford F.C. season|1932–33]] season.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers was the top scorer in [[Football League Division Three|Division Three]] in 1958–59 (with 32 goals) and the Towers-Francis partnership yielded 61 of Brentford's 83 goals for the entire season.<ref name="Timeless" /><ref name="Lane" /> A highlight of the campaign was a four-goal haul in a 6–0 thrashing of [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] at [[The Dell (Southampton)|The Dell]] on 9 March 1959.<ref name="White" /> Towers' profile rose and he was the subject of bids from higher league clubs [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] and [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], but he turned the offers down, as due to the [[Football maximum wage|maximum wage]], he was unwilling to move for what would only have been a £2 per week increase to his £18 per week wages.<ref name="Lane" /> Two further seasons followed, with Towers' last at Griffin Park being [[1960–61 Brentford F.C. season|1960–61]].<ref name="Timeless" /> In a bizarre move by the club's hierarchy (in response to the removal of the maximum wage), Towers and Francis were deemed surplus requirements and sold.<ref name="Timeless" /> In 2005, Towers revealed that he was "almost begged" to leave Brentford.<ref name="Lane" /> A potential deal for Towers to return to the Bees during the [[1961–62 Brentford F.C. season|1961–62]] season collapsed.<ref name="Timeless" /> He was given a [[Testimonial match|testimonial]] in 1986, which he shared with [[Johnny Rainford]] (a former teammate who laid on many of the passes for Towers and Francis to score from)<ref name="Timeless" /> and the pair shared the £1,100 proceeds.<ref name="Lane" /><ref>{{cite book |last= |first= |year=1996 |title=Griffin Gazette: Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Crewe Alexandra 06/04/96 |url= |location=
⚫
After returning to [[Griffin Park]] in 1953 and signing another contract,<ref name="Bruzon" /><ref name="Fleet">{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Ed |date=23 September 2010 |title=Fleet mourn Jim Towers |url=http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/fleet-mourn-jim-towers/ |access-date=10 November 2010 |website=[[Ebbsfleet United F.C.]]}}</ref> Towers made his professional debut on 30 August 1954 as an [[outside forward]] and made a dream start, by scoring in a 2–2 [[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]] draw with [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]].<ref name="White">{{Cite book |title=100 Years Of Brentford |publisher=Brentford FC |year=1989 |isbn=0951526200 |editor-last=White |editor-first=Eric |pages=383–386}}</ref> He was soon moved back to his natural [[centre forward]] position by [[Bill Dodgin, Sr.|Bill Dodgin]] and made 37 appearances and scored 16 goals during the [[1954-55 Football League|1954–55]] season as the Bees finished in mid-table.<ref name="White" /> The Bees challenged for promotion during the [[1955–56 Brentford F.C. season|1955–56]] season, but ultimately finished in sixth place,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brentford Complete History |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915044810/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/history |archive-date=15 September 2016 |access-date=20 December 2016 |website=Statto.com}}</ref> with Towers scoring 22 goals in 41 appearances.<ref name="White" />


George Francis broke into the team during the [[1956–57 Brentford F.C. season|1956–57]] season and so began the most productive strike partnership in Brentford history, with one [[London]] evening newspaper dubbing the pair 'the Terrible Twins'.<ref name="Timeless" /> After a lean 1956–57 season (scoring 13 goals), Towers found his form again in [[1957–58 Brentford F.C. season|1957–58]], scoring 29 goals in 36 games to set a new single-season post-[[World War II|war]] club goalscoring record.<ref name="Timeless" /> The season ended in disappointment after Brentford were edged off the top of the Third Division South by [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brentford League Table 1956-1957 |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1956-1957/table |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324081727/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1956-1957/table |archive-date=24 March 2016 |access-date=20 December 2016 |website=Statto.com}}</ref>
|publisher=Quay Design of Poole|page=20|isbn= |accessdate= }}</ref> Towers is the club's all-time top scorer with 163 goals in 282 games.<ref name="Timeless" /> In a [[The Football League|Football League]] 125th anniversary poll, Towers was voted as the club's greatest ever player.<ref name="FL125" /> He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.<ref name="Wickham">{{Cite web |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/brentford-fc-hall-of-fame-2438544.aspx |title=Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame |last=Chris Wickham |website=brentfordfc.co.uk |accessdate=14 June 2015}}</ref>

==== 1958–1959 ====
⚫
Towers' most lethal season in front of goal came in [[1958–59 Brentford F.C. season|1958–59]], scoring 37 goals in 50 appearances and finishing one goal shy of [[Jack Holliday]]'s goals-in-a-season record set in the [[1932–33 Brentford F.C. season|1932–33]] season.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers was the top scorer in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] in 1958–59 (with 32 goals) and the Towers-Francis partnership yielded 61 of Brentford's 83 goals for the entire season.<ref name="Timeless" /><ref name="Lane" /> A highlight of the season was a four-goal haul in a 6–0 thrashing of [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] at [[The Dell (Southampton)|The Dell]] on 9 March 1959.<ref name="White" /> Towers' profile rose and he was the subject of bids from higher league clubs [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] and [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], but he turned the offers down, as due to the [[Football maximum wage|maximum wage]] he was unwilling to move for what would only have been a £2 per week increase to his £18 per week wages.<ref name="Lane" />

==== Final years and departure ====
Two further seasons followed, with Towers' last at Griffin Park being [[1960–61 Brentford F.C. season|1960–61]].<ref name="Timeless" /> In a bizarre move by the club's hierarchy (in response to the removal of the maximum wage), Towers and Francis were deemed surplus requirements and sold.<ref name="Timeless" /> In 2005, Towers revealed that he was "almost begged" to leave Brentford.<ref name="Lane" /> A potential deal for Towers to return to the Bees during the [[1961–62 Brentford F.C. season|1961–62]] season collapsed.<ref name="Timeless" /> He was given a [[Testimonial match|testimonial]] in 1986, which he shared with [[Johnny Rainford]] (a former teammate who [[Assist (football)|laid on many of the passes]] for Towers and Francis from which to score)<ref name="Timeless" /> and the pair shared the £1,100 proceeds.<ref name="Lane" /><ref>{{Cite book |title=Griffin Gazette: Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Crewe Alexandra |date=6 April 1996 |publisher=Quay Design of Poole |page=20}}</ref> Towers is the club's all-time top scorer with 163 goals in 282 games.<ref name="Timeless" /> In a [[The Football League|Football League]] 125th anniversary poll, Towers was voted as the club's greatest ever player.<ref name="FL125" /> He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford [[List of Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame members|Hall of Fame]] in 2015.<ref name="Wickham">{{Cite web |last=Wickham |first=Chris |title=Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/new-additions-to-brentford-fc-hall-of-fame_70938 |access-date=14 June 2015 |website=brentfordfc.com}}</ref>


=== Queens Park Rangers ===
=== Queens Park Rangers ===
Towers and Francis joined Brentford's Division Three West London rivals [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] in an £8,000 deal in May 1961.<ref name="Timeless" /> He opened his Rangers goalscoring account by breaking Brentford hearts, scoring in a 3–0 victory in the [[West London derby]] on the opening day of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qprnet.com/index.php/features2/thetops/142-top-five-season-openers|title=QPRnet – Top Five – Season Openers|author=Ron Norris|work=QPRnet|accessdate=15 November 2014}}</ref> He fired in 16 goals in 32 appearances to help Rangers to a fourth-place finish and departed the club in August 1962.<ref name="IndyRs">{{Cite web |url=http://www.indyrs.co.uk/2010/10/edwin-james-towers-professional-footballer-1954-to-1965-rip/ |title=Edwin James Towers – Professional Footballer – 1954 to 1965 – R.I.P. – Independent Rs |website=Independent Rs |accessdate=15 November 2014}}</ref>
Towers and Francis joined Brentford's Third Division West London rivals [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] in an £8,000 deal in May 1961.<ref name="Timeless" /> He opened his Rangers goalscoring account by breaking Brentford hearts, when he scored in a 3–0 victory in the [[West London derby]] on the opening day of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris |first=Ron |date=16 August 2012 |title=Top Five – Season Openers |url=http://www.qprnet.com/index.php/features2/thetops/142-top-five-season-openers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915034819/http://www.qprnet.com/index.php/features2/thetops/142-top-five-season-openers |archive-date=15 September 2016 |access-date=15 November 2014 |website=QPRnet}}</ref> He fired in 16 goals in 32 appearances to help Rangers to a fourth-place finish and departed the club in August 1962.<ref name="IndyRs">{{Cite web |title=Edwin James Towers – Professional Footballer – 1954 to 1965 – R.I.P. |url=http://www.indyrs.co.uk/2010/10/edwin-james-towers-professional-footballer-1954-to-1965-rip/ |access-date=15 November 2014 |website=Independent Rs}}</ref>


=== Millwall ===
=== Millwall ===
Towers signed for Division Three side [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] in August 1962 for a £5,000 fee.<ref name="Timeless" /> He scored eight goals in his opening 21 games,<ref name="millwall-history">{{Cite web |url=http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats62-63.htm |title=Millwall Season 62/63 Stats |website=www.millwall-history.org.uk |access-date=26 May 2017}}</ref> but departed in January 1963.<ref name="Timeless" />
Towers signed for Third Division club [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] in August 1962 for a £5,000 fee.<ref name="Timeless" /> He scored eight goals in his opening 21 games,<ref name="millwall-history">{{Cite web |title=Millwall Season 62/63 Stats |url=http://www.millwall-history.org.uk/Millwall-Stats62-63.htm |access-date=26 May 2017 |website=www.millwall-history.org.uk}}</ref> but departed in January 1963.<ref name="Timeless" />


=== Gillingham ===
=== Gillingham ===
Towers dropped down to [[Football League Division Four|Division Four]] to reunite with George Francis at [[Gillingham F.C.|Gillingham]] in January 1963.<ref name="Timeless" /> He showed good form (scoring six goals in just eight games),<ref name="gillinghamfcresults">{{Cite web|url=http://gillinghamfcresults.atspace.cc/DisplayPlayer.php?Player=Towers,Jim|title=Gillingham FC Career Details|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=26 May 2017}}</ref> but had an agonising end to the season after the Gills missed out on promotion with a fifth-place finish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fchd.info/GILLINGH.HTM|title=Football Club History Database – Gillingham|website=fchd.info|accessdate=24 August 2016}}</ref> He departed the club in July 1963.<ref name="Shots">{{Cite web |url=http://archive.theshots.co.uk/news/Aldershot49892.ink |title=Jim Towers – R.I.P. |date=20 September 2010 |website=[[Aldershot Town F.C.]] |access-date=9 November 2010}}</ref>
Towers dropped down to the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] to reunite with George Francis at [[Gillingham F.C.|Gillingham]] in January 1963.<ref name="Timeless" /> He showed good form (scoring six goals in just eight games),<ref name="gillinghamfcresults">{{Cite web |title=Jim Towers |url=http://gillinghamfcscrapbook.co.uk/DisplayPlayer.php?playername=Towers%2CJim |access-date=26 May 2017 |website=Gillingham FC Scrapbook}}</ref> but had an agonising end to the season after the Gills missed out on promotion with a fifth-place finish.<ref>{{Fchd|id=GILLINGH|name=Gillingham F.C.}}</ref> He departed the club in July 1963.<ref name="Shots">{{Cite web |date=20 September 2010 |title=Jim Towers – R.I.P. |url=http://archive.theshots.co.uk/news/Aldershot49892.ink |access-date=9 November 2010 |website=[[Aldershot Town F.C.]] |archive-date=6 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906224212/http://archive.theshots.co.uk/news/Aldershot49892.ink |url-status=dead }}</ref>


=== Aldershot ===
=== Aldershot ===
Towers joined Division Four side [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]] in July 1963.<ref name="Shots" /> Despite a mid-table finish in the league, he enjoyed a good [[1963-64 Football League|1963–64]] season at the [[Recreation Ground (Aldershot)|Recreation Ground]], scoring 15 goals in 32 games, including a goal in the [[FA Cup]] third round [[Upset|giant-killing]] of [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]].<ref name="Shots" /> He departed the club after the season.<ref name="Shots" />
Towers joined Fourth Division club [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]] in July 1963.<ref name="Shots" /> Despite a mid-table finish in the league, he enjoyed a good [[1963-64 Football League|1963–64]] season at the [[Recreation Ground (Aldershot)|Recreation Ground]], scoring 15 goals in 32 games, including a goal in the [[FA Cup]] third round [[Upset (competition)|giant-killing]] of [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]].<ref name="Shots" /> He departed the club after the season.<ref name="Shots" />


=== Romford ===
=== Romford ===
Towers dropped into [[Non-League football]] and signed for [[Southern League Premier Division]] side [[Romford F.C.|Romford]] in the summer of 1964.<ref name="Shots" /> His 31 goals (a club record) could not help Boro to better than a 14th-place finish in the league and he departed the club in the summer of 1965.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=246}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fchd.info/ROMFORD.HTM|title=Football Club History Database – Romford|website=fchd.info|accessdate=11 August 2016}}</ref>
Towers dropped into [[non-League football]] and signed for [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Premier Division club [[Romford F.C.|Romford]] during the 1964 off-season.<ref name="Shots" /> His 31 goals (a club record) could not help Boro to better than a 14th-place finish in the league and he departed the club at the end of the [[1964–65 Southern Football League|1964–65]] season.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=246}}<ref>{{Fchd|id=ROMFORD|name=Romford F.C.}}</ref>


=== Gravesend and Northfleet ===
=== Gravesend & Northfleet ===
Towers joined [[Southern Football League|Southern League Division One]] strugglers [[Ebbsfleet United F.C.|Gravesend & Northfleet]] in July 1965.<ref name="Fleet" /> He spent three seasons with the club, racking up 46 goals in 77 appearances.<ref name="Fleet" /> He retired from football, aged 35, at the end of the [[1967–68 Southern Football League|1967–68]] season.<ref name="Fleet" />
Towers joined Southern League First Division strugglers [[Ebbsfleet United F.C.|Gravesend & Northfleet]] in July 1965.<ref name="Fleet" /> He spent three seasons with the club and scored 46 goals in 77 appearances.<ref name="Fleet" /> He retired from football, aged 35, at the end of the [[1967–68 Southern Football League|1967–68]] season.<ref name="Fleet" />


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Prior to signing for Brentford, Towers grew up a supporter of arch-rivals Fulham.<ref name="Lane">{{Cite book |title=Cult Bees & Legends: Volume Two |last=Lane |first=David |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=0954368282 |location=Hampton Hill |pages=118–129 |asin=B00NPZL58S}}</ref> Towers undertook his National Service alongside George Francis in Germany with the [[Royal Irish Fusiliers]] and he represented the [[British Army of the Rhine#1945–1994|British Army of the Rhine]] team.<ref name="Timeless" /> After his retirement from football, Towers worked for 25 years as a [[baggage handler]] for [[British Airways]] at [[London Heathrow Airport]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0%2C%2C10421~2055344%2C00.html |title=Brentford {{!}} News {{!}} Where Are They Now? {{!}} Where Are They Now? {{!}} WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JIM TOWERS – PART 2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206165431/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0%2C%2C10421~2055344%2C00.html |archive-date=6 February 2011 |dead-url=yes |access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> He was married to Betty and had three children.<ref name="Fleet" />
Prior to signing for Brentford, Towers grew up a supporter of arch-rivals Fulham.<ref name="Lane">{{Cite book |last=Lane |first=David |title=Cult Bees & Legends: Volume Two |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=0954368282 |location=Hampton Hill |pages=118–129}}</ref> He undertook his National Service alongside George Francis in Germany with the [[Royal Irish Fusiliers]] and he represented the [[British Army of the Rhine#1945–1994|British Army of the Rhine]] team.<ref name="Timeless" /> Towers was married to Betty, had three children and after his retirement from football,<ref name="Fleet" /> he worked for 25 years as a [[baggage handler]] for [[British Airways]] at [[London Heathrow Airport]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2010 |title=Where Are They Now? Jim Towers – Part 2 |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0,,10421~2055344,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923163216/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/WhereAreTheyDetail/0,,10421~2055344,00.html |archive-date=23 September 2018 |access-date=27 March 2017 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}</ref> He died in September 2010, after suffering with a serious illness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 September 2010 |title=Jim Towers |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2160353,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923164502/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2160353,00.html |archive-date=23 September 2018 |access-date=13 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}</ref>

⚫
== Honours ==
⚫
* [[Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame|Brentford Hall of Fame]]<ref name="Wickham" />


== Career statistics ==
== Career statistics ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Season
! rowspan="2" |Season
Line 103: Line 109:
| rowspan="8" |[[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
| rowspan="8" |[[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]
|[[1954–55 Brentford F.C. season|1954–55]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1954–55 Brentford F.C. season|1954–55]]<ref name="White" />
| rowspan="4" |[[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]]
|[[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]]
|31
|31
|15
|15
Line 113: Line 119:
|-
|-
|[[1955–56 Brentford F.C. season|1955–56]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1955–56 Brentford F.C. season|1955–56]]<ref name="White" />
|Third Division South
|39
|39
|21
|21
Line 122: Line 129:
|-
|-
|[[1956–57 Brentford F.C. season|1956–57]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1956–57 Brentford F.C. season|1956–57]]<ref name="White" />
|Third Division South
|24
|24
|12
|12
Line 131: Line 139:
|-
|-
|[[1957–58 Brentford F.C. season|1957–58]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1957–58 Brentford F.C. season|1957–58]]<ref name="White" />
|Third Division South
|36
|36
|29
|29
Line 140: Line 149:
|-
|-
|[[1958–59 Brentford F.C. season|1958–59]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1958–59 Brentford F.C. season|1958–59]]<ref name="White" />
| rowspan="3" |[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|46
|46
|32
|32
Line 150: Line 159:
|-
|-
|[[1959–60 Brentford F.C. season|1959–60]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1959–60 Brentford F.C. season|1959–60]]<ref name="White" />
|Third Division
|44
|44
|23
|23
Line 159: Line 169:
|-
|-
|[[1960–61 Brentford F.C. season|1960–61]]<ref name="White" />
|[[1960–61 Brentford F.C. season|1960–61]]<ref name="White" />
|Third Division
|42
|42
|21
|21
Line 179: Line 190:
|-
|-
|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|[[1961–62 Football League Third Division|1961–62]]<ref name="QPRnet">{{Cite web |url=http://qprnet.com/misc/seasonalstats/excels/QPR1961.xls |title=QPRnet – Seasonal Stats – 1961–62 |access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>
|[[1961–62 Football League Third Division|1961–62]]<ref name="QPRnet">{{Cite web |title=Seasonal Stats – 1961–62 |url=http://www.qprnet.com/uploads/1/2/0/8/120823999/qpr1961.xls |access-date=4 December 2017 |website=QPRnet}}</ref>
|Third Division
|Third Division
|27
|27
Line 222: Line 233:
!193
!193
|}
|}

⚫
== Honours ==
⚫
* [[Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame|Brentford Hall of Fame]]<ref name="Wickham" />


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}


{{English Third Division top scorers}}{{Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{English Third Division top scorers}}
{{Brentford F.C. Hall of Fame}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Towers, Jim}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Towers, Jim}}
Line 232: Line 247:
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Shepherd's Bush]]
[[Category:People from Shepherd's Bush]]
[[Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
⚫
[[Category:English footballers]]
[[Category:Association football forwards]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Brentford F.C. players]]
[[Category:Brentford F.C. players]]
Line 243: Line 259:
[[Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Southern Football League players]]
[[Category:Southern Football League players]]
[[Category:Royal Irish Fusiliers soldiers]]
[[Category:20th-century British Army personnel]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]

Latest revision as of 05:41, 6 December 2024

Jim Towers
Personal information
Full name Edwin James Towers[1]
Date of birth (1933-04-15)15 April 1933
Place of birth Shepherd's Bush, England
Date of death 16 September 2010(2010-09-16) (aged 77)[1]
Place of death Hounslow, England
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
1948–1954 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1954–1961 Brentford 262 (153)
1961–1962 Queens Park Rangers 27 (15)
1962–1963 Millwall 19 (7)
1963 Gillingham 8 (6)
1963–1964 Aldershot 32 (15)
1964–1965 Romford 30 (17)
1965–1968 Gravesend & Northfleet 77 (46)
Total 428 (274)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Edwin James Towers (15 April 1933 – 16 September 2010) was an English professional footballer, best remembered for his time as a centre forward in the Football League with Brentford. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer and in 2013 was voted the club's greatest ever player.[2][3]

Career

[edit]

Brentford

[edit]

Youth years

[edit]

Born in Shepherd's Bush, Towers began his career as a schoolboy, playing for his local Gaumont cinema team.[2] He frequently played against another boy, the Acton Odeon cinema team's George Francis, with whom Towers' future professional career would be intertwined.[2] Towers, along with Francis, progressed through the Acton and Brentford & Chiswick school teams.[2] Towers also had a try-out at Fulham before signing for the junior team at Second Division club Brentford in 1948,[4] after being spotted by manager Alf Bew while playing for his local Shepherd's Bush schoolboys team versus Brentford in Boston Manor Park.[5] Towers was offered a professional contract in 1951, prior to departing to undertake his National Service.[4]

1953–1958

[edit]

After returning to Griffin Park in 1953 and signing another contract,[5][6] Towers made his professional debut on 30 August 1954 as an outside forward and made a dream start, by scoring in a 2–2 Third Division South draw with Shrewsbury Town.[7] He was soon moved back to his natural centre forward position by Bill Dodgin and made 37 appearances and scored 16 goals during the 1954–55 season as the Bees finished in mid-table.[7] The Bees challenged for promotion during the 1955–56 season, but ultimately finished in sixth place,[8] with Towers scoring 22 goals in 41 appearances.[7]

George Francis broke into the team during the 1956–57 season and so began the most productive strike partnership in Brentford history, with one London evening newspaper dubbing the pair 'the Terrible Twins'.[2] After a lean 1956–57 season (scoring 13 goals), Towers found his form again in 1957–58, scoring 29 goals in 36 games to set a new single-season post-war club goalscoring record.[2] The season ended in disappointment after Brentford were edged off the top of the Third Division South by Brighton & Hove Albion.[9]

1958–1959

[edit]

Towers' most lethal season in front of goal came in 1958–59, scoring 37 goals in 50 appearances and finishing one goal shy of Jack Holliday's goals-in-a-season record set in the 1932–33 season.[2] Towers was the top scorer in the Third Division in 1958–59 (with 32 goals) and the Towers-Francis partnership yielded 61 of Brentford's 83 goals for the entire season.[2][4] A highlight of the season was a four-goal haul in a 6–0 thrashing of Southampton at The Dell on 9 March 1959.[7] Towers' profile rose and he was the subject of bids from higher league clubs Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City, but he turned the offers down, as due to the maximum wage he was unwilling to move for what would only have been a £2 per week increase to his £18 per week wages.[4]

Final years and departure

[edit]

Two further seasons followed, with Towers' last at Griffin Park being 1960–61.[2] In a bizarre move by the club's hierarchy (in response to the removal of the maximum wage), Towers and Francis were deemed surplus requirements and sold.[2] In 2005, Towers revealed that he was "almost begged" to leave Brentford.[4] A potential deal for Towers to return to the Bees during the 1961–62 season collapsed.[2] He was given a testimonial in 1986, which he shared with Johnny Rainford (a former teammate who laid on many of the passes for Towers and Francis from which to score)[2] and the pair shared the £1,100 proceeds.[4][10] Towers is the club's all-time top scorer with 163 goals in 282 games.[2] In a Football League 125th anniversary poll, Towers was voted as the club's greatest ever player.[3] He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.[11]

Queens Park Rangers

[edit]

Towers and Francis joined Brentford's Third Division West London rivals Queens Park Rangers in an £8,000 deal in May 1961.[2] He opened his Rangers goalscoring account by breaking Brentford hearts, when he scored in a 3–0 victory in the West London derby on the opening day of the season.[12] He fired in 16 goals in 32 appearances to help Rangers to a fourth-place finish and departed the club in August 1962.[13]

Millwall

[edit]

Towers signed for Third Division club Millwall in August 1962 for a £5,000 fee.[2] He scored eight goals in his opening 21 games,[14] but departed in January 1963.[2]

Gillingham

[edit]

Towers dropped down to the Fourth Division to reunite with George Francis at Gillingham in January 1963.[2] He showed good form (scoring six goals in just eight games),[15] but had an agonising end to the season after the Gills missed out on promotion with a fifth-place finish.[16] He departed the club in July 1963.[17]

Aldershot

[edit]

Towers joined Fourth Division club Aldershot in July 1963.[17] Despite a mid-table finish in the league, he enjoyed a good 1963–64 season at the Recreation Ground, scoring 15 goals in 32 games, including a goal in the FA Cup third round giant-killing of Aston Villa.[17] He departed the club after the season.[17]

Romford

[edit]

Towers dropped into non-League football and signed for Southern League Premier Division club Romford during the 1964 off-season.[17] His 31 goals (a club record) could not help Boro to better than a 14th-place finish in the league and he departed the club at the end of the 1964–65 season.[18][19]

Gravesend & Northfleet

[edit]

Towers joined Southern League First Division strugglers Gravesend & Northfleet in July 1965.[6] He spent three seasons with the club and scored 46 goals in 77 appearances.[6] He retired from football, aged 35, at the end of the 1967–68 season.[6]

Personal life

[edit]

Prior to signing for Brentford, Towers grew up a supporter of arch-rivals Fulham.[4] He undertook his National Service alongside George Francis in Germany with the Royal Irish Fusiliers and he represented the British Army of the Rhine team.[2] Towers was married to Betty, had three children and after his retirement from football,[6] he worked for 25 years as a baggage handler for British Airways at London Heathrow Airport.[20] He died in September 2010, after suffering with a serious illness.[21]

Career statistics

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1954–55[7] Third Division South 31 15 6 1 — 37 16
1955–56[7] Third Division South 39 21 2 1 — 41 22
1956–57[7] Third Division South 24 12 1 1 — 25 13
1957–58[7] Third Division South 36 29 0 0 — 36 29
1958–59[7] Third Division 46 32 4 5 — 50 37
1959–60[7] Third Division 44 23 2 1 — 46 24
1960–61[7] Third Division 42 21 2 0 3 1 47 22
Total 262 153 17 9 3 1 282 163
Queens Park Rangers 1961–62[22] Third Division 27 15 3 0 2 1 32 16
Millwall 1962–63[14] Third Division 19 7 1 0 1 1 21 8
Gillingham 1962–63[15] Fourth Division 8 6 — — 8 6
Career total 316 181 21 9 6 3 343 193

Honours

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Jim Towers". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 186–188. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  3. ^ a b "Brentford". Football League 125. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Lane, David (2005). Cult Bees & Legends: Volume Two. Hampton Hill: Legends Publishing. pp. 118–129. ISBN 0954368282.
  5. ^ a b "Where Are They Now? Jim Towers – Part 1". brentfordfc.co.uk. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e Miller, Ed (23 September 2010). "Fleet mourn Jim Towers". Ebbsfleet United F.C. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 383–386. ISBN 0951526200.
  8. ^ "Brentford Complete History". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Brentford League Table 1956-1957". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  10. ^ Griffin Gazette: Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Crewe Alexandra. Quay Design of Poole. 6 April 1996. p. 20.
  11. ^ a b Wickham, Chris. "Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  12. ^ Norris, Ron (16 August 2012). "Top Five – Season Openers". QPRnet. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Edwin James Towers – Professional Footballer – 1954 to 1965 – R.I.P." Independent Rs. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Millwall Season 62/63 Stats". www.millwall-history.org.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  15. ^ a b "Jim Towers". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  16. ^ Gillingham F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  17. ^ a b c d e "Jim Towers – R.I.P." Aldershot Town F.C. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  18. ^ White 1989, p. 246.
  19. ^ Romford F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  20. ^ "Where Are They Now? Jim Towers – Part 2". brentfordfc.co.uk. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Jim Towers". brentfordfc.co.uk. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  22. ^ "Seasonal Stats – 1961–62". QPRnet. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
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