Norman Rimmington (29 November 1923 – 29 December 2016) was an English footballer who played in

the Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

for

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. As the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. In Barnsley, the population was 96,888 while the wider Borough has ...

and

Hartlepool United Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. They were founded in 1908 as Hartle ...

Career

Rimmington was born in

Staincross Staincross is a village in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with West Yorkshire. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it formed part of the defunct Barnsley West and Penistone borough constituency, following the Boundary ...

and began work in the local pit whilst playing amateur football with Mapplewell Town. He joined

in 1945 on 'amateur terms' but signed professionally for the Tykes upon the resumption of league football (following WW2's conclusion) in 1946. He spent one season with Barnsley before joining

. He spent five years at Hartlepool making 124 league appearances before returning to Yorkshire to play for Denaby United. After end his playing career Barnsley manager Tim Ward handed Rimmington a coaching role at the club. From then he worked as groundsman, then became a chartered physio before taking up the role as kit man at

Oakwell Oakwell is a multi-purpose sports development in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England used primarily by Barnsley Football Club for playing their home fixtures, and those of their reserves. While the name 'Oakwell' generally refers to the main s ...

. Rimmington was still working at Oakwell in the laundry room past his 90th birthday. On 29 December 2016, Rimmington died at the age of 93. He was known as Rimmo or Mr Barnsley for his services to the local community. On 30 December 2016, Barnsley announced that Rimmington was aware that he was to be awarded a

British Empire Medal The British Empire Medal (BEM; formerly British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to ...

for services to the local community and football in the

2017 New Year Honours The 2017 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours were awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

List. His family will receive the medal on his behalf.

Honours

* Barnsley Hall of Fame

References

External links

*
BBC Article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rimmington, Norman 1923 births 2016 deaths English men's footballers Denaby United F.C. players English Football League players Barnsley F.C. players Hartlepool United F.C. players Recipients of the British Empire Medal Men's association football goalkeepers Barnsley F.C. non-playing staff Sportspeople from the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley Footballers from South Yorkshire