Jim Towers facts for kids

Edwin James Towers (born April 15, 1933 – died September 16, 2010) was an English professional footballer. He was a fantastic centre forward, known for playing in the Football League. Jim, as he was often called, is especially remembered for his time with Brentford. He scored more goals than anyone else for Brentford. In 2013, fans even voted him the club's greatest player ever!

Jim Towers' Football Journey

Playing for Brentford

Early Days and Youth Football

Jim Towers was born in Shepherd's Bush. He started playing football as a schoolboy. Jim played for his local cinema team, Gaumont. He often played against another young player, George Francis, from the Acton Odeon cinema team. These two would later become a famous duo in professional football.

Jim and George both played for their school teams. Jim also had a try-out with Fulham. In 1948, he joined the junior team at Brentford. A manager saw him playing for his school team. Jim was offered a professional contract in 1951. After this, he left to do his National Service for the country.

Making a Mark: 1953–1958

Jim returned to Griffin Park in 1953 and signed another contract. He made his first professional appearance on August 30, 1954. Jim played as an outside forward and scored a goal in his very first game! It was a 2–2 draw against Shrewsbury Town.

Soon, he moved back to his natural position as a centre forward. In the 1954–55 season, he played 37 games and scored 16 goals. Brentford finished in the middle of the league table. The team aimed for promotion in the 1955–56 season. They finished sixth, with Jim scoring 22 goals in 41 games.

George Francis joined the team in the 1956–57 season. This started a very successful partnership between Jim and George. A newspaper even called them 'the Terrible Twins'! After a slightly slower season (13 goals), Jim found his amazing form again. In 1957–58, he scored 29 goals in 36 games. This set a new club record for goals in a season after World War II.

Record-Breaking Season: 1958–1959

Jim Towers had his best goal-scoring season in 1958–59. He scored 37 goals in 50 games! He was just one goal short of the club's all-time record set in the 1932–33 season. Jim was the top scorer in the Third Division that year with 32 goals.

The 'Terrible Twins' partnership was incredible. Jim and George scored 61 of Brentford's 83 goals that season. A big moment was when Jim scored four goals in a 6–0 win against Southampton. This happened at The Dell on March 9, 1959. Other bigger clubs wanted to sign Jim, but he stayed with Brentford.

Leaving Brentford and Legacy

Jim played two more seasons for Brentford. His last season was 1960–61. The club made a surprising decision to sell both Jim and George Francis. Jim later said he was "almost begged" to leave Brentford.

In 1986, Jim had a special match called a testimonial. He shared it with Johnny Rainford, a former teammate who helped set up many of Jim's goals. Jim Towers is Brentford's all-time top scorer. He scored 163 goals in 282 games. In a poll for the Football League's 125th anniversary, Jim was voted Brentford's greatest player ever. He was also added to the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.

Playing for Other Clubs

Queens Park Rangers

In May 1961, Jim Towers and George Francis joined Queens Park Rangers. This was a rival team in West London. They moved for £8,000. Jim scored his first goal for Rangers against Brentford! It was a 3–0 win in the West London derby. He scored 16 goals in 32 games, helping Rangers finish fourth. He left the club in August 1962.

Millwall

Jim then signed with Millwall in August 1962 for £5,000. He scored eight goals in his first 21 games. He left Millwall in January 1963.

Gillingham

In January 1963, Jim joined Gillingham to play with George Francis again. He scored six goals in just eight games. However, Gillingham just missed out on promotion that season. Jim left the club in July 1963.

Aldershot

Jim joined Aldershot in July 1963. He had a good season in 1963–64. He scored 15 goals in 32 games. This included a goal in a big FA Cup win against Aston Villa. He left Aldershot after that season.

Romford

In 1964, Jim moved to non-League football and joined Romford. He scored 31 goals, which was a club record! But his goals couldn't help Romford finish higher than 14th place. He left the club at the end of the 1964–65 season.

Gravesend & Northfleet

Jim joined Gravesend & Northfleet in July 1965. He played for three seasons with this club. He scored 46 goals in 77 games. Jim retired from football at the age of 35, at the end of the 1967–68 season.

Jim Towers' Life Outside Football

Before playing for Brentford, Jim supported their rival team, Fulham. He did his National Service in Germany with George Francis. They were part of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. Jim also played for the British Army of the Rhine team.

Jim was married to Betty and had three children. After he stopped playing football, he worked for 25 years. He was a baggage handler for British Airways at London Heathrow Airport. Jim Towers passed away in September 2010 after a serious illness.

Career Statistics

Awards and Recognition

• Brentford Hall of Fame