Clubs: Crystal Palace

Palace's strong, tough central defender or left-back throughout most of the 1970s and 80s, Jim Cannon is one of those rarities in the modern game - a one-club footballer content to devote his career to the outfit which gave him his initial opportunity. As such it is the judgement of many Palace fans that Jim's contribution to Crystal Palace FC stand head and shoulders above of all the rest. Jim joined us as an apprentice in February 1970, signing as a full professional on 3rd May 1971.

By the end of the year Jim was an important member of Palace's Youth team and he scored the decisive goal to enable us to beat Spurs Juniors in a third round FA Youth Cup-tie on 15th December. Almost everybody connected with Palace knows that Jim made his senior debut for the club in the London derby against Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Saturday 31st March 1973. Jim scored the decisive second goal in a 2-0 victory over the Blues.

In 1975-76 Jim Cannon was appearing regularly for Palace's Third Division side at left-back and this season became the one in which our club made its really impressive impact upon the FA Cup competition. Palace disposed of Walton and Hersham, Millwall after a replay, Scarborough, Leeds, Chelsea and Sunderland (the last four all away and with the defence absolutely outstanding in the games against more senior League opposition), although regrettably we were unable to reproduce such form in the semi-final itself against Southampton.

With the departure of Derek Jeffries, Jim Cannon took over in the centre of our back four alongside Ian Evans, and his partnership was a prime reason for our promotion from Division Three in 1976-77 when both men made full appearances. Naturally, Palace's plans for Division Two the following term focussed around the two defensive bulwarks.

In 1978-79 Palace's boss, Terry Venables, developed a truly superb defence for us, one that has never been bettered, and it had Jim Cannon at the heart. Statistically it remains our best ever: it conceded only 16 goals in the first half of the season and a bare eight in the final 22 matches, keeping a clean sheet in exactly half of our games. This was the biggest single reason why Palace won the Second Division championship, and enabled Jim to become the first man at the club to skipper a side into the top flight as champions.

Taken overall, Jim Cannon's career with Palace presents an amazing catalogue of magnificent service. He remains the only man to have been Palace's Player of the Year on three occasions (1978, 1985 and 1987) and has fully earned the undying admiration and gratitude of Palace fans of every generation.

Statistics

Player of the Year: 1978, 1985, 1987

Source: Crystal Palace FC, Player by Player Since 1960, Rev. Nigel Sands, (1996, Sporting and Leisure Press)