Jimmy Ferris (28 November 1894 – 10 October 1932) was an Irish footballer who played as a

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Club career

Ferris, an inside forward, began his career with

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during World War I. After making his debut in January 1915, Ferris was part of the team which won the County Antrim Shield the same year, and the following season scored the only goal as Distillery won the

Belfast Charity Cup The Belfast Charity Cup was a football competition which ran from 1883 to 1941, and was based on a similar tournament in Scotland, the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup The Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup was a knockout football tournament open ...

against Linfield. After joining

Belfast Celtic Belfast Celtic Football Club was a football club. Founded in 1891 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was one of the most successful teams in Ireland until it withdrew permanently from the Irish League in 1949. The club left the league for polit ...

in 1917, Ferris won the Irish Cup with Celtic in his first season, and the League title the following season. Celtic would then withdraw from the League in 1920, shortly after Ferris had scored their final goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against

Glenavon Glenavon Football Club is a Northern Irish semi-professional football club that competes in the NIFL Premiership. Founded in 1889, the club hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park. Club colours are blue and white. Gar ...

. With Celtic not in action, Ferris signed for English side Chelsea in September 1920, scoring on his debut in a 3-1 defeat against

Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pike's ...

. He would go on to make 39 appearances for the Stamford Bridge club, scoring 6 goals in total before leaving for

Preston North End Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional football club in Preston, Lancashire, England, who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league syste ...

in 1922. Ferris made 53 appearances for Preston, scoring 11 goals, and would go on to make two appearances for Pontypridd in the Southern League before returning to Belfast in October 1924. After rejoining Celtic, Ferris was part of a very successful side who won the Irish League four seasons in succession between 1925 and 1929, as well as the Irish Cup in the 1925–26 season.

Retirement and death

Ferris was forced to retire from football in 1930 after being diagnosed with a heart condition, but remained with Celtic in a

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capacity, where he was credited with bringing Davy 'Boy' Martin to the club. Ferris died on 10 October 1932 and was buried in Milltown Cemetery. His son, Raymond would later go on to follow in his father's footsteps as an Ireland international.

International career

Ferris made his Ireland debut against England during the 1919-20 British Home Championship, scoring a 70th minute equaliser. He would make 6 international appearances in total.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferris, Jimmy Irish association footballers (before 1923) NIFL Premiership players Men's association football forwards Northern Ireland men's amateur international footballers Pre-1950 IFA men's international footballers 1894 births 1932 deaths Lisburn Distillery F.C. players Chelsea F.C. players Pontypridd F.C. players Preston North End F.C. players Association footballers from Belfast Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland