Memories Of Jimmy Hagan

kenneth clayton wrote:

As good a player as any I saw in almost 70 years of watching football. he was magical !

Tim wrote:

I lived next door to Jimmy Hagan when he was manager of WBA. The club owned the house and it was often full of footballers. Unfortunately I’m not into football so the names meant nothing to me but I did baby sit for him and his wife Iris many times.

Gus Kennedy wrote:

I saw Jimmy Hagan play, aged 47, in a testimonial game for another great United stalwart, Joe Shaw. This was in March, 1965. It was the day before my seventh birthday and my Dad took me and my year-older brother and made a point of telling us that we should always remember that we saw the great Jimmy Hagan play.

It was a game between a United team (including Hagan) and an All Stars XI which included Jimmy Greaves and Stan Matthews. I have a distinct memory of Matthews’ every touch being greeted with applause from the crowd but I have an even clearer recollection of the delight on my Dad’s face when Hagan scored direct from a free kick past Ron Springett, Wednesday’s England international keeper.

I’ve supported United since September 1964 and I’ve always regarded Tony Currie as the best player to have played in Sheffield since then but my Dad would have none of it. He saw them both and was in no doubt that Hagan was the better. If he was, he was some player.

Geoff Howden wrote:

Between 7 and 15 years of age I saw Jimmy many times at Bramall Lane and whenever my dad asked if I wanted to go to the match, always my response was “Is Jimmy Hagan playing?”. He was the entertainer par excellence (and/or non-pareil).

One of the things I remember is that when running from the tunnel at the start of a game, he would play two-footed ‘keepy-uppy’ as he ran on to the pitch – not easy to do. I seem to remember one incident (although after nearly 60 years I still can’t believe that its true) when he went down with the ball at his feet. Two men were on him but he shuffled the ball with his feet, giving him time to stand up facing his own goal, hook the ball over his head and take off leaving his opponents floundering.

He had a sports shop in Sheffield and I longed to see him there. I once did when I went in for a Subbuteo set with my Christmas money (7/6d). He said that amount would only buy me the cheapest set which was made of cardboard and which he felt was not worth buying, so he had refused to stock it. I went away disappointed but elated at the same time.

A man of principle, my football hero, has given me my best-ever memories of football. Today he would have been bigger than Ronaldo and a world star.

ALAN WHITTAKER wrote:

Jimmy Hagan was a consummate inside left who orchestrated a fine Sheffield United side just after World War 2. A superb passer he could also shoot and was unfortunate, as was another great player Len Shackleton, to be around at the same time as Raich Carter and Wilf Mannion. If he had played for a more glamorous club than Sheffield United he would have won many England caps.

I was a boy when I first saw Hagan- at Ewood Park- and can still see the sly smile as he slipped past defenders and pinpointed a pass to Cillindrige.

An elegant player who graced the game.

Peter Alec Jackson wrote:

Jimmy Hagan and the Blades turned out against Manchester United at Bramall. Tommy Taylor and Duncan Edwards were playing. Hagan was showing Manchester United what he could do and eventually he was injured but carried on through the match (There was none of this stupid substitution rule then).

Man United tried all ways to score but Ted Burgin, the Blades goalkeeper, was in superb form.

Man Utd were pressing hard, and Hagan was in the centre circle. The ball went to him and he set off, limping badly, with Man Utd defenders chasing. The goalkeeper came out, and Hagan chipped him for a wonder goal.

Hagan had a body swerve that eased him past defenders.

A great player – a legend at the Lane.

Terence smith wrote:

I first saw Jimmy Hagan play in 1946 when I was 9 years old. He quickly became a living legend at Bramall Lane due to his silky skills and terrific ball control.

As well as scoring regularly one of his favourite tricks was to score “in – offs” (as per a snooker game) mostly off team mates or opponents legs or bodies.

Truly a very gifted footballer, two footed, not a great header of the ball but didn’t have to be.
How he would delight us today!

Ashley Hagan wrote:

I’ve just stumbled on this site and started reading up about my granddad. i never knew him as a footballer or manager, but he was a top granddad.

it’s nice to know that people thought a lot of him as a footballer and manager. thanks for the memories.

Frank Turner wrote:

Subject: FA Cup and that wall.

I remember one particular 3rd round FA Cup tie at Bramall Lane, Ithink in 1953, against New Brighton who were in Div. 3 North at the time and at best could be described as a modest club.

Unbelievably they were leading 3-0 when Hagan took charge, dribbled from the centre circle into the goalmouth past almost everybody, ended up facing the wrong way and calmly back heeled the ball into the net. He smiled at Harold Brook who was centre forward as if to say “that’s how to do it”. The final score was 5-3 to United. Happy memories of a great player with perfect ball control.

At the back of the cop end he had a rough wall built with the goalposts outlined on it and four 2′ squares drawn in the corners. He would spend hours hitting balls at those squares which came off at random angles which he then hit first time on the rebound. Legend has it that he never missed. I believe the legend.

Damian Astley

Jimmy Hagan was my great uncle, and i really mean GREAT. I have some lovely memories of kicking the ball about in the back streets of Washington with him, thinking he’s not a footballer he’s a magician.

The things he could do with the ball any footballer today would love to copy, and uncle Jim was in his 60’s when he was kicking the ball about with me, i was 18 and found it hard to keep up with him.

His brother, my great uncle Colin Hagan, has a portrait of uncle Jim with his England shirt on, hanging in his living room, in Auckland New Zealand,when i see it the hairs on my neck stand on end, i am so proud of my uncle Jim, not only as a great footballer but as a GREAT MAN.