Jimmy Ball (football manager)

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Jimmy Ball
Personal information
Date of birth 1975 or 1976 (age 47–48)[1]
Team information
Current team
 AFC Totton (manager)
Youth career
Exeter City
Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
BAT Sports
Managerial career
2021 Forest Green Rovers (interim)
2022– AFC Totton
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jimmy Ball (born 1975 or 1976) is an English football coach who is the current manager of AFC Totton. Previously Ball had been employed with Forest Green Rovers as an under-18 team coach and interim manager of the first team.

Playing career[edit]

Ball was a youth player at Exeter City and Southampton during his father's managerial stints at the clubs. Ball later played senior football for BAT Sports.[1]

Coaching career[edit]

Following his playing spell, Ball moved into coaching, coaching at Christchurch and Winchester City.[1] In 2014, following coaching spells at Portsmouth and Irish club Shelbourne, Ball moved to the United States, to coach Puget Sound Gunners.[2] Ball later returned to England, coaching in the academies at Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.[3]

On 11 April 2021, following the sacking of Mark Cooper and whilst working as the club's under-18 manager, Ball was appointed interim manager of Forest Green Rovers until the end of the 2020–21 season.[4] After having narrowly missed out on promotion to League One through the playoffs, Rob Edwards was appointed head coach, and Ball went back to coach the under-18s team. He left the club with mutual consent in September 2021.[5]

Ball was appointed first-team coach at League Two club Stevenage on 4 January 2022.[6]

In March 2022, Ball was appointed as manager of Southern Football League side AFC Totton.[7] In January 2024, he was linked to a return to former club Forest Green Rovers. [8]

Personal life[edit]

Ball is the son of former 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball Jr. and the grandson of Alan Ball Sr. All three family members have managed in the Football League.[3]

Managerial statistics[edit]

As of match played 23 May 2021
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
Forest Green Rovers 11 April 2021 27 May 2021 [9] 8 4 2 2 050.0
Total 8 4 2 2 050.0

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Ball aims to 'give something back to football'". Daily Echo. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Puget Sound Gunners reveal PDL coaching staff". goalWA. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Jimmy Ball 'had to take' Forest Green chance after winning first game in charge". NewsChain. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Club Statement: Mark Cooper". Forest Gate Rovers F.C. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  5. ^ FGR Media. "Jimmy Ball leaves". Forest Green Rovers F.C. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Jimmy Ball appointed First Team Coach". www.stevenagefc.com. Stevenage F.C. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  7. ^ "BALL BECOMES STAGS' BOSS!". A.F.C. Totton. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  8. ^ O'Brien, Chris (19 January 2024). "Exclusive: Non-League Manager Could Make Forest Green Rovers Return". Look Sports Media. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Rob Edwards named Forest Green Rovers head coach". Forest Gate Rovers F.C. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.


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