Jimmy Case joined Liverpool from local non-league side South Liverpool
in May 1973, the Reds paying a nominal fee of £500 as he was signed on
an amateur basis. He turned professional the following year and made his
debut in a 3-1 defeat of Queens Park Rangers in a League game at
Anfield on April 26, 1975. A tough tackling midfielder with a fierce
shot, Jimmy would play an important role on the right-hand side of
Liverpool's midfield for six trophy-laden seasons. He described himself
as 'a bread and butter player, a fetcher and carrier to fill in the
spaces on the right hand side and work hard.' Tough in the tackle, he
was adept at breaking up opponents' moves and then passing the ball to
flair players, such as Kenny Dalglish or Terry McDermott.
Case scored
his debut goal for Liverpool in his first game of the 1975-76 season, a
3-2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on August 23, and followed this up
by netting in League wins at Anfield against Aston Villa (3-0 in
September) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (2-0 in October). However, he
appeared in only five of Liverpool's first 19 League games and did not
establish his place in the side until ousting Brian Hall from his
midfield berth in December. He played in the next 21 games, scoring
three goals, including the second in a 2-0 home win over Newcastle
United in February 1976. In total, he made 27 League appearances that
season, scoring a handy six goals, and picked up the first winners'
medal of his career as Liverpool won the League championship for a
record ninth time.
Jimmy also proved his value to the side in Europe,
scoring five times in nine UEFA Cup ties, including a hat-trick in a 3-0
3rd round 2nd leg win over Polish side Slask Wroclaw at Anfield. He
also scored in the first leg of the two-legged final (after coming on as
a half-time substitute for John Toshack), as Liverpool staged a
thrilling comeback, overturning a 0-2 deficit to beat FC Bruges of
Belgium 3-2 at Anfield in late April. A 1-1 draw in the return leg three
weeks later meant Liverpool had triumphed 4-3 on aggregate, completing a
second League-UEFA Cup double in four seasons. It also meant that Case
had collected his second major medal in the space of three weeks. Jimmy
featured regularly in Liverpool's bid for a unique League-FA
Cup-European Cup treble in the unforgettable season of 1976-77, one in
which he made 42 appearances in all competitions and scored seven goals.
Surprisingly, just one of these came in the League, the equaliser in a
1-1 draw at QPR on May 7, 1977, part of an unbeaten 11-match run towards
the end of the campaign that gave Liverpool back-to-back titles and saw
Case pick up his second championship medal in two seasons.
He was more
prolific in cup competitions, however, scoring four times in seven FA
Cup ties, including both games of the semi-final against Everton, the
Reds overcoming their city rivals 3-0 in a replay on April 27 after a
2-2 draw four days earlier (both games being played at Manchester City's
Maine Road ground). He also scored Liverpool's goal in the final itself
at Wembley, cracking home a spectacular shot from outside the box to
draw Liverpool level, but the club's dreams of the Treble were ended by a
2-1 defeat to Manchester United. That left the European Cup to play
for, Case having helped Liverpool's progress to the final by scoring a
brace in a 3-0 semi-final second leg win against FC Zurich at Anfield.
They won that tie 6-1 on aggregate and, in their first appearance in the
final of Europe's top club competition, defeated Borussia
Moenchengladbach 3-1 in Rome's Olympic Stadium. Jimmy failed to get on
the scoresheet that night but played his part in a historic triumph with
a typically battling display on the right side of midfield. He had now
won four major medals in just two seasons. (Martin Greensill)
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