Sid Kimpton

Kimpton was born in Leavesden, near Watford and, after playing for his local village team, had an unsuccessful trial with Watford in 1909. He joined Southern League Southampton in September 1910; after one match for the reserves, he made his first-team debut on 22 October, taking over the centre-forward's role from Percy Prince, in a 3–0 defeat by Crystal Palace. Kimpton scored in his next match a week later, in a 3–2 defeat at Brentford. By the end of the season, Kimpton had made 29 appearances, scoring seven goals, as the "Saints" finished one point above the relegation places. According to Holley & Chalk, Kimpton's "main value was his reliability and versatility"; he was "never thought of as a great player (but) had plenty of pluck and bustle which made him hugely popular." For the 1911–12 season, Southampton's new manager George Swift recruited eleven new players, including centre-forward Henry Hamilton from Huddersfield Town. Kimpton retained his place in the side, but moved back to right-half where he played for the first half of the season, before being replaced by John Denby in December. Kimpton returned to the side in March, when he took over the outside-right berth from Jack Wilcox for the rest of the season, at the end of which Southampton were once again just above the relegation zone. George Swift resigned in the summer of 1912 and Jimmy McIntyre was recruited as "trainer" with Ernest Arnfield returning as "secretary" (manager). The Saints started the 1912–13…

Kimpton led the first coaching lessons of the FFFA in 1934. He was then called up to help the France national team for the 1934 World Cup, played in Italy. He had only an advisory role, as the triumvirate Gaston Barreau, Jean Rigal and Maurice Delanghe still led the team. He brought the WM formation in France. Interviewed by L'Auto magazine about the level of French football players: "The French team could do better. (...) The French players must follow the discipline of football." Before the World Cup match France-Austria played on 27 May 1934 in Turin, Kimpton asked French midfielder Georges Verriest to do a very tight individual marking on Austrian striker Matthias Sindelar. He said: "You can follow Sindelar everywhere... even to the toilet! ". France lost 3–2 "doubtful goal" against the Wunderteam and more than 4000 people welcomed players and staff at the Gare de Lyon. Kimpton was even acclaimed. Kimpton left the coaching staff of the France national team just after the World Cup. Gaston Barreau expressed relief, because he did not appreciate Kimpton's tactical options. He returned to his coaching lessons held on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays in several stadia of Paris. Alongside his lessons, he became the manager of RC Paris and again brought the WM formation with sport director of les Pingouins, Victor Mestre. After the defeat of the France national team 3–1 versus Germany on 17 March 1935, the FFFA called up Kimpton to an assistant position to teach WM to French…

As a manager

RC Paris

Division 1: 1935–36 Coupe de France: 1936, 1939