Planet Swans ArchivesJimmy Rimmer was born in 1948 and joined Manchester United as a 15-year old schoolboy in 1963 turning professional two years later although he spent much of his professional career at Old Trafford as understudy to Alex Stepney. He did pick up a European Cup winners title in 1968 but as a substitute but first team opportunities were always limited and in 1973 he spent the first of two spells at Swansea, making 17 appearances in a loan spell at the Vetch.
The loan spell got him some first team action through and it was enough to persuade Arsenal to buy the keeper as a long term replacement for Bob Wilson who was nearing the end of his career. Three years and 117 appearances followed but when Terry Neill arrived at Arsenal from Spurs he bought Pat Jennings with him and Rimmer was on the move again to Aston Villa.
He made over 200 appearances for the Villans including a brief spell in the European Cup final of 1982 where he had to go off through injury to be replaced by Nigel Spink. However, he had enough to win a medal and became – at that time – only the second player to win the European Cup with two different clubs.
Rimmer left Villa in 1983 to join the Swans again and a further 66 appearances followed before he retired from playing in 1986 when he became the goalkeeping coach at the Swans. He also had a brief spell as manager after the farcical Kevin Cullis episode but he was soon replaced by Jan Molby.
He won one England cap against Italy in May 1976.
The Swans and Manchester United also faced each other in his testimonial match in 1987.
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