| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James John Weston[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1955-09-16)16 September 1955 (age 69) | ||
| Place of birth | Prescot,St Helens, Lancashire | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 19??–1974 | Skelmersdale United | ||
| 1974–1980 | Blackpool | 105 | (8) |
| 1980–1981 | Torquay United | 38 | (1) |
| 1981–1983 | Wigan Athletic | 66 | (2) |
| 1983–19?? | Morecambe | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James John Weston (born 16 September 1955) is an English former professionalfootballer. He spent five years atBlackpool in the early 1970s and 1980s, making over one hundredFootball League appearances for the club. He also played for two other Football League clubs, namelyTorquay United andWigan Athletic. He played as amidfielder.
Signed fromSkelmersdale United in January 1974, Weston made his debut forHarry Potts' Blackpool midway through the1975–76 season, as a substitute in a single-goal victory overNotts County atBloomfield Road on 29 November. He went on to make a further ten league appearances that campaign, scoring once — in a 1–1 home draw withFulham on 20 December. He also appeared in both of the club'sFA Cup ties.[3]
In1976–77, under new managerAllan Brown, Weston made nine league appearances and oneLeague Cup appearance (the latter in the first of two third-round replays againstArsenal on 28 September).[4]
Weston made nineteen league appearances in1977–78, the majority prior to Allan Brown's departure. Brown was replaced, ascaretaker manager, byJimmy Meadows. Meadows gave only three starts to Weston before the end of the season, at which point Blackpool were relegated toDivision Three.[5]
Bob Stokoe was installed as Blackpool's new manager prior to the1978–79 season, his second time in the role. Weston made 31 league appearances that season, scoring four goals.[6]
Stan Ternent replaced Bob Stokoe in the Blackpool hot seat during the close season, and in the following1979–80 campaign, Weston made 35 league appearances and scored three goals.Alan Ball succeeded Ternent two-thirds of the way through the season, making it six managers Weston had played under in five years at the club.[7]
Weston made his final appearance for Blackpool in the final league game of the 1979–80 season, a 2–0 victory atRotherham United on 6 May.[7]
Weston left Blackpool to joinTorquay United in June 1980, making his league debut in a 1–0 win at home toCrewe Alexandra on 16 August, the opening day of the season.[8] He played 35 times in the league that season, also playing both games in theLeague Cup and in all four games as Torquay reached the third round of theFA Cup. He started the first two games of the following season before losing his place, initially toMaurice Cox.[9] He played once more before moving back to the north-west of England in September 1981, when he joinedWigan Athletic. He was Wigan's Player of the Year for the 1982–83 season,[10] but returned tonon-League football withMorecambe in 1983.