James Bye (footballer)

James Henry Bye (11 February 1920 – June 1995) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham.[4] He played as a right half.

This article is about the footballer. For the actor, see James Bye (actor).

James Bye
Personal information
Full name James Henry Bye[1]
Date of birth (1920-02-11)11 February 1920[1]
Place of birth Aston, Birmingham, England
Date of death June 1995(1995-06-00) (aged 75)[2]
Place of death Blackpool, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3]
Position(s) Right half
Youth career
193?–1934 Bournbrook Alliance
1934–1937 Birmingham
193?–1936 Shirley Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1937–1944 Birmingham 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

Bye was born in 1920 in the Aston district of Birmingham,[1] the son of Arthur Bye and his wife Lillian née Featherstone,[5][6] and attended St Peter's School in Harborne. He played youth football for Bournbrook Alliance,[7] from where he signed amateur forms with Birmingham as a 14-year-old.[8] He played for Shirley Juniors, a team "fostered" by Birmingham's vice-chairman, David Wiseman,[3] before turning professional with Birmingham "immediately on reaching 17".[8] He played for the youth team and for the Central League side before making his senior debut in the FA Cup third-round tie against Halifax Town on 7 January 1939, standing in at right half for the injured Don Dearson.[3] Birmingham won 2–0. He made his first appearance in the First Division three weeks later, in a 5–0 defeat away to Preston North End,[9] and played in the first three games of the 1939–40 Football League season, which was then abandoned when the Second World War started.[10]

Bye was called up in January 1940.[11] While not required by the Army, he played 36 games for Birmingham in the wartime competitions,[12] and also made guest appearances for Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion, before retiring from the game in 1944.[7]

At the start of the war, Bye was living with his parents in Vivian Road, Harborne, and working in a tobacconist's shop.[5] He married Margaret Moore in 1955.[13] Bye's death was registered in June 1995 in the Blackpool and Fylde district.[2]

References
  1. "Player search: Bye, JH (James)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. "James Henry Bye in the England & Wales Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007". Retrieved 1 January 2021 – via Ancestry.com.
  3. "Young Birmingham half back's big chance". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 5 January 1939. p. 14.
  4. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  5. "James H Bye in the 1939 England and Wales Register". RG 101/5524G QARY. Retrieved 1 January 2021 – via Ancestry.com.
  6. "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  7. Matthews (1995), p. 77.
  8. "F.A Cup teams still in doubt". Yorkshire Observer. Bradford. 6 January 1939. p. 10.
  9. Matthews (1995), p. 181.
  10. Matthews (1995), p. 236.
  11. Argus Junior (27 January 1940). "To-night's talk". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 1.
  12. Matthews (1995), pp. 236–238.
  13. "James H Bye in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916–2005". Retrieved 1 January 2021 – via Ancestry.com.

Sources
  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
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