Jimmy Brown spent six years with Aston Villa and still holds a club record to this day
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Former Aston Villa captain Jimmy Brown with the Terrace Trophy
Former Aston Villa captain Jimmy Brown with the Terrace Trophy
A fundraiser has been set up to raise money to keep a former Aston Villa captain from spending the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair.
Jimmy Brown spent six years with Aston Villa, becoming their youngest-ever first-team player at 15 years and 349 days old, a record that still stands today.
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The defender made his debut in 1969 and would go on to make 75 league appearances for the Villains, eventually being named club captain at the age of 19.
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The now-71-year-old played alongside football greats such as Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles during his time away from Villa at Preston North End before playing in Greece and his native Scotland for Hibernian.
"Jimmy lived in Birmingham for a big chunk of his post-playing career before moving out to Spain seven years ago," A JustGiving page set up to help the former Villa captain explained.
"Unfortunately for Jim, since moving his health has deteriorated and as such can only walk one or two steps. He desperately needs an operation on his hips.
"The waiting list out there is very long and due to financial constraints, Jimmy cannot go private, so that's where we come in."
The fundraiser has set the goal of raising £15,000 to help finance the medical help Jimmy needs to avoid spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
The page continues: "I'm asking for any donation you can afford to keep Jimmy out of a wheelchair. It does not matter how small, it all helps and hopefully, between us, we can raise the money Jimmy needs to literally get back on his feet.
"I went to visit him late last year and it was awful to see him in so much pain. With Jimmy too proud to ask for help himself, I have taken it upon myself to try and raise some money for him.
"So c'mon on you football fans, especially the Villains, all over the globe, let's help another Villain. A Villain whose name will be forever etched into the history books of Aston Villa FC as the youngest appearance maker and captain."
As of April 2, 80 donations have been made to the effort, raising £1,096. To donate to Jimmy Brown, visit the JustGiving page here.