Legendary County striker Jim Fryatt has sadly passed away this afternoon at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 79.
The fearless six-foot striker with the balding head and distinctive bushy sideburns was renowned for being able to head a ball as far as most players could kick one.
Signed by Charlton at the age of 17, he made his professional debut with the Addicks before moving to Southend United. 24 goals in 61 appearances earned him further moves to Bradford Park Avenue, Southport FC and Torquay United.
The Hatters paid £7,500 to bring him to Edgeley Park in October 1967, and within a year Jim hit 29 goals in 46 appearances for County before being snapped up by Second Division Blackburn Rovers for £30,000. His goal scoring exploits made him County’s most prolific front man since Jack Connor.
After a spell at Oldham, Jim won the Fourth Division title with Southport and then briefly returned to Edgeley Park where he scored the final League goal of his career in his single appearance.
He finished his League career just two games short of 500 appearances having amassed an incredible 187 League goals, including a record-breaking strike for Bradford, which is still credited as the fastest league goal ever, just four seconds after kick-off against Tranmere. It’s a record that is unlikely to ever be taken from him.
After retiring as a player, Jim served briefly as the assistant manager of the Las Vegas Quicksilvers, settling permanently in Nevada with wife Val, and working at casinos before becoming a mechanic for a golf course.
In 2002, County reunited Jim Fryatt with his legendary strike partner Bill Atkins at the launch of the club’s Hall of Fame. The pair had not seen each other for more than 30 years and, with arms around each other, they literally brought tears to the eyes of every County fan in the room. The dynamic duo are jointly included in the club’s Hall of Fame.
County fan Gordon Cundill has been a regular visitor to the USA to see the man affectionately known as ‘Pancho’. Gordon said: “Jim was an iconic figure with County fans during the 1960s and his partnership with Bill Atkins has rightly gone down in Edgeley Park folklore. He was always an entertaining and charming host whenever I went to visit him and Val at his home in Vegas and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends.”
RIP Pancho.
