A MAN has paid tribute to a Middlesbrough physiotherapist on the 40th anniversary of his death.
Jimmy Headrige a trainer-physio for Middlesbrough Football Club died 40-years ago on August 24.
Mr Headrige became the youngest trainer in the Football League at the age of 28.
Gavin Blackwell, a physiotherapist and who has been involved with football for decades, said: "During his time Boro had the best medical facilities in the country not only a treatment room, a doctors consultancy room and a fully equipped remedial gymnasium.
"The injured players would work seven days a week morning and afternoon to get back to fitness, blood tests, warm-ups, fitness testing and up to inoculation all part of looking after players. What is standard in the modern game nowadays.
"[Jimmy] was also the physio that taught the physios both nationally and local running regular FA Treatment of injury courses for local trainers.
"Jim would later work in the Arab Emirates,Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United. The ‘best in the business’ who Ron Atkinson described him in taking him to United 1981/82 season having failed to take to West Bromwich Albion.
"Sadly though just a few short weeks and days before the start of that season Jim collapsed at the Cliff training ground and died aged 42. A fulfilment of a lifetime ambition going to United.
"Highly regarded not only on Teesside but throughout football."
Back in the 60s Boro was considered at the forefront of the medical side of football.
Mr Blackwell added: "Jimmy was revolutionary in the field of physiotherapy.
"His was the modern day approach of trainers, t-shirts and shorts and working physically with the players on a day to day basis. He was very hands on in an era when club physios was more a white coat and very clinical rather than a tracksuit - he was very knowledgeable and forward thinking. It seems rather trivial and expected in 2021 but you only have to look at England's success having relatively injury free during the tournament itself.
READ MORE: Popular pub gets approval for café conversion
"Back in the 60s and 70s Headrige was way ahead of his time with his thinking as he helped develop strategy of care for all players through routine medical examinations, clinical examination and heart and lung function tests, blood tests would be carried out at regular intervals and immunisations and vaccinations would be routinely kept up to date.
"It seems incredible today but even things such as diets and warm up and stretching routines before games were things Boro did thanks to Headrige when so few others did. Preventing injury became Headrige’s main focus.
"He was one of the first to look at treatment of injury and rehabilitation plus maintaining fitness levels whilst out.
"Developing a modern thinking of getting players back in the shortest safest possible time.
"Headrige can also be declared ‘the Physio who trained the physios' both nationally and local running many treatment of injury courses in and around Teesside."
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here