Jimmy Rimmer: Former Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester United goalkeeper dies

Former Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester United goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer has died at the age of 78.

Rimmer was ever-present in the Birmingham side's championship-winning season of 1981 - and started the European Cup final the following year, when the Villans beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam.

Aston Villa said in a statement the club was "deeply saddened" by the news.

The club said: "Rimmer was one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, and arguably one of the unluckiest when it came to big occasions. Despite collecting two European Cup winners' medals, he wasn't on the pitch at the end of either final.

"He was on the bench at Wembley in 1968 as Manchester United beat Benfica 4-1 and played for just nine minutes for Villa against Bayern Munich in 1982 before a neck injury forced him to be substituted by Nigel Spink in Rotterdam.

"Rimmer was in tears in the dressing room as he received treatment from club doctor David Targett, although he was back in the dug-out in time to witness Peter Withe's winning goal and join in the post-match celebrations.

"Even so, he was one of just five Villa players to figure in the starting line-up in all nine of our European Cup matches that season - and had been one of seven ever-presents in the title-winning campaign of 1980-81."

The statement added: "The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Jimmy's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"Rest in Peace, Jimmy."

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Rimmer was born in Southport in February 1948, and joined Manchester United as a schoolboy in 1963, turning professional two years later.

He spent 11 years at Old Trafford, essentially working as understudy to Alex Stepney, and had a loan spell with Swansea City, before signing for Arsenal in 1974, making 146 appearances.

Three years later, Ron Saunders took him to Villa Park for £65,000.

After making his debut at Queens Park Rangers, he became the club's first-choice goalkeeper for six consecutive seasons, making 287 league and cup appearances.

After recovering from his neck injury, he was Aston Villa's regular goalkeeper for the first half of the 1982-83 season before playing his final game in a second-city derby just after Christmas.

He returned to Swansea in 1983, this time on a permanent basis, and later coached in China and Canada.

Rimmer played once for England, earning a cap against Italy in 1976.

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