Jimmy Chambers

Name: Robert James Chambers
Born: 5 January 1897, Mullaghglass, Co. Armagh
Died: 1977 (reportedly aged 78)
Height:
Weight:Position: Winger

Representative Honours: Ireland: 12 Full Caps / 2 Goals (1921-1931), 1 Amateur Cap / 1 Goal (1921); Irish League: Caps.
Club Honours: (with Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion 1919/20; (with Distillery) Belfast Charities Cup Winner 1920/21; County Antrim Shield Runner-Up 1920/21.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Bessbrook Athletic		-	-	-	-	-
Belfast Celtic	-	-	-	-	-	-
Distillery	-	1920	Amateur	-	-	-
Newry Town	23/24-24/25	-	-	-	-	-
Bury	25/26-29/30	1925	£625	28/7	3/0	-
Nott'm Forest	31/32	-	-	9/1	-	-
TOTALS	-	£625		37/8	3/0	-

Biography:
A native of Bessbrook, Jimmy Chambers was spotted by Belfast Cetic playing in the Newry & District League. A "nippy winger, able to perform equally well on both flanks", he aided Celtic to the Gibson Cup in 1920 before they withdrew from the Irish League. Chambers then joined Distillery. It was as a centre-forward that Chambers made his international bow in 1921, finding the net in Ireland's 2-1 defeat by Wales. That same season he played for the Whites in both the Co. Antrim Shield and Belfast Charities Cup finals, finishing with a winners' medal in the latter.

Chambers moved closer to home with Newry Town and won Inter-League honours in the 1923/34 season, the club’s first season in the Irish League. He finally took his chances across the Irish Sea when signed by Bury in 1925. Although he added a further eight caps during his time with Bury, Chambers struggled to make an impact in the Football League, playing just 28 games in six seasons. A move to Nottingham Forest in August 1931 brought a brief resurgence in Chambers' international career, and he added three caps during his time at the City Ground. Injuries began to affect his game, and Chambers left Forest after just one season.

In a ten year international career, Jimmy Chambers won 12 caps, and scoring twice. The highlight of his career was undoubtedly his role in the 7-0 crushing of Wales in February 1930, the match in which Joe Bambrick scored six times.

Ireland Cap Details:
09-04-1921 Wales... A L 1-2 BC 1 goal
22-10-1927 England. H W 2-0 BC
04-02-1928 Wales... H L 1-2 BC 1 goal
25-02-1928 Scotland A W 1-0 BC *
22-10-1928 England. A L 1-2 BC
02-02-1929 Wales... A D 2-2 BC
23-02-1929 Scotland H L 3-7 BC 
01-02-1930 Wales... H W 7-0 BC 
22-02-1930 Scotland A L 1-3 BC 
19-09-1931 Scotland A L 1-3 BC 
17-10-1931 England. H L 2-6 BC 
05-12-1931 Wales... H W 4-0 BC 

Summary: 12/2. Won: 4, Drew: 1, Lost: 7. 

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
08-02-1921 France.. A W 2-1 1 goal 

Summary: 1/1. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 0.

* Chambers has traditionally been credited with this goal but it has since been established that Sammy Curran was the scorer.
With thanks to Red Warrior from the ILS Forum.