Jimmy Melia

Liverpool

Melia joined the Reds straight from St. Anthony's School as a 15-year-old, when manager Don Welsh saw the potential in the young schoolboy international's feet. Melia signed professional forms on his 17th birthday, 1 November 1954. After 23 appearances for Liverpool's reserve team, Melia made his début aged 18 on 17 December 1955 at Anfield in a 2nd Division fixture against Nottingham Forest. The visitors came up against an in-form Billy Liddell who scored a hat-trick in the 5–2 victory. Melia also scored his first goal for the club in the 48th minute, John Evans got the other. It wasn't until the following season that he got a real run in the side starting 27 matches. Melia followed this up with a 36-match season scoring 10 goals. Melia did well in the first Division and played 39 times as Liverpool finished in eighth place. Unfortunately for the red half of Merseyside Everton won the league and were 17 points better. During this spell Melia caught the eye of England manager Alf Ramsey who gave him his debut on 6 April 1963 in the 2–1 British Championship loss at Wembley to Scotland. Melia's one and only goal came in his second and final appearance for his country, on 5 June 1963 at St. Jakob Park, Basel as England beat Switzerland 8–1. The next season Liverpool won the championship by four points from Manchester United. Melia, now aged 27, could add a championship medal to the second division title medal he already owned. By this time, however, he had…

Aldershot and Crewe Alexandra

Melia joined Aldershot as player-coach in November 1968, taking the management position in April 1969. Melia moved on from Aldershot in February 1972 to take up a similar role at Crewe Alexandra; after retiring as a player in May 1972, he took on the managerial role at Gresty Road full-time. While at Aldershot, Melia gained a reputation for his hard-hitting and occasionally controversial column in the club's match day programme.

United States

Melia moved to the United States of America as an assistant to Laurie Calloway with the Southern California Lazers in 1978 and became head coach of the Cleveland Cobras in 1979.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Melia became Brighton & Hove Albion's chief scout. When Mike Bailey left as manager in December 1982, Melia was promoted to jointly manage Albion with reserve team manager George Aitken. They shared the duties for three months with Aitken taking more of a background role. His greatest managerial feat occurred when he took Albion to the 1983 FA Cup Final. The run took Melia back to his old stomping ground of Anfield where a goal from another ex-Liverpool player Jimmy Case won the game. During the cup run Melia became famous for his 'disco' style of dress and his glamorous younger girlfriend, Val Lloyd. Melia was appointed permanently as manager in March 1983 after Albion reached the FA Cup semi-final for the first time, beating Norwich City. They beat Sheffield Wednesday in the…

As a player

Liverpool

Football League First Division: 1963–64 Football League Second Division: 1961–62 Southampton

Football League Second Division runner-up: 1965–66

As a manager

Brighton & Hove Albion

FA Cup runner-up: 1982–83