Jimmy Ball (football manager)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1975 or 1976 (age 48–49)[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AFC Totton (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Exeter City | |||
| Southampton | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| BAT Sports | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021 | Forest Green Rovers (interim) | ||
| 2022– | AFC Totton | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jimmy Ball (born 1975 or 1976) is an English football coach who is the manager of AFC Totton. Previously Ball had been employed with Forest Green Rovers as an under-18 team coach and interim manager of the first team.
Playing career
[edit]Ball was a youth player at Exeter City and Southampton during his father's managerial stints at the clubs. Ball later played senior football for BAT Sports.[1]
Coaching career
[edit]Following his playing spell, Ball moved into coaching, coaching at Christchurch and Winchester City.[1] In 2014, following coaching spells at Portsmouth and Irish club Shelbourne, Ball moved to the United States, to coach Puget Sound Gunners.[2] Ball later returned to England, coaching in the academies at Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.[3]
On 11 April 2021, following the sacking of Mark Cooper and whilst working as the club's under-18 manager, Ball was appointed interim manager of Forest Green Rovers until the end of the 2020–21 season.[4] After having narrowly missed out on promotion to League One through the playoffs, Rob Edwards was appointed head coach, and Ball went back to coach the under-18s team. He left the club with mutual consent in September 2021.[5]
Ball was appointed first-team coach at League Two club Stevenage on 4 January 2022.[6]
In March 2022, Ball was appointed as manager of Southern Football League side AFC Totton.[7] In January 2024, he was linked to a return to former club Forest Green Rovers. [8]
Personal life
[edit]Ball is the son of former 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball Jr. and the grandson of Alan Ball Sr. All three family members have managed in the Football League.[3]
Managerial statistics
[edit]- As of match played 23 May 2021
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Forest Green Rovers | 11 April 2021 | 27 May 2021 [9] | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 |
| Total | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Ball aims to 'give something back to football'". Daily Echo. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ "Puget Sound Gunners reveal PDL coaching staff". goalWA. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Jimmy Ball 'had to take' Forest Green chance after winning first game in charge". NewsChain. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ "Club Statement: Mark Cooper". Forest Gate Rovers F.C. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ FGR Media. "Jimmy Ball leaves". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ "Jimmy Ball appointed First Team Coach". www.stevenagefc.com. Stevenage F.C. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "BALL BECOMES STAGS' BOSS!". A.F.C. Totton. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ^ O'Brien, Chris (19 January 2024). "Exclusive: Non-League Manager Could Make Forest Green Rovers Return". Look Sports Media. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Rob Edwards named Forest Green Rovers head coach". Forest Gate Rovers F.C. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
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- 1970s births
- Living people
- Association football coaches
- English football managers
- Totton & Eling F.C. players
- English expatriate men's footballers
- English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- English expatriate sportspeople in Ireland
- Forest Green Rovers F.C. managers
- English Football League managers
- Portsmouth F.C. non-playing staff
- Blackburn Rovers F.C. non-playing staff
- Stoke City F.C. non-playing staff
- Forest Green Rovers F.C. non-playing staff
- Stevenage F.C. non-playing staff
- English men's footballers
- A.F.C. Totton managers
- Ball family (association football)
- English football manager stubs