‘Greatest within the enterprise’ Boro physio, Jimmy Headrige, remembered 40-years after his demise
A MAN paid tribute to a physiotherapist in Middlesbrough on the 40th anniversary of his death.
Jimmy Headrige, a physio coach for Middlesbrough Football Club, died 40 years ago on August 24th.
Mr. Headrige became the Football League’s youngest coach at the age of 28.
Gavin Blackwell, a physical therapist who has been involved in soccer for decades, said: “Boro had the best medical facilities in the country in its day, not just a treatment room, doctor’s consultation room and fully equipped physical therapy facility.
“The injured players worked mornings and afternoons seven days a week to get fit again, blood tests, warm-up exercises, fitness tests and vaccinations, all part of taking care of the players.
“[Jimmy] was also the physical therapist who taught the physios at both national and local levels and ran regular FA Injury Treatment courses for local coaches.
“Jim later worked in the United Arab Emirates, at Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United. The ‘best in the business’ described by Ron Atkinson when he brought him to the 1981/82 United season after failing to make it to West Bromwich Albion .
“Unfortunately, just weeks and days before the start of this season, Jim collapsed at the Cliff training ground and died at the age of 42. A lifelong desire to join United came true.
“Well respected not just in Teesside but in all of football.”
In the 1960s, Boro was considered to be the pioneer of the medical side of football.
Mr. Blackwell added, “Jimmy was revolutionary in physical therapy.
“It was the modern approach of coaches, t-shirts and shorts and the daily physical work with the players. It was very practical at a time when club physiotherapists were more white coats and very clinical than tracksuits – it was very knowledgeable It seems rather trivial and expected for 2021 but just look at England’s success, which was relatively injury free during the tournament itself.
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“In the 1960s and 1970s, Headrige was way ahead of his time when he helped develop a treatment strategy for all players through routine medical exams, clinical exams and heart and lung function tests, blood tests being done at regular intervals,” and Vaccinations and vaccinations would be routinely kept up to date.
“Today it seems incredible, but even things like dieting and warm-up and stretching before the games were things Boro did thanks to Headrige when so few others did. Injury prevention became Headrige’s primary focus.
“He was one of the first to address injury management and rehabilitation, as well as maintaining fitness levels in the absence.
“We’re developing a modern way of thinking to get players back in the safest possible time.
“Headrige can also be referred to as ‘the physical therapist who trained the physios’, both nationally and locally, who runs many injury treatment courses in and around Teesside.”
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