Player Profile

Jimmy Drinkwater or ‘Drinky’ as he became known to Saints fans, signed from Northwich Amateurs in Cheshire in 1941.

He made his debut against Partick thistle on the 1st November that year and quickly showed his versatility by occupying both full back positions and also turning out at Inside right and centre half.

His first goal arrived in a War League Cup tie against Dumbarton in March 1942.

1942-43 saw him start off filling the right back slot for the first sixteen league matches, before he was posted to Germany . He returned for a spell at the start of 1943 and played his part in the victorious Summer Cup team.

After this he returned to Germany where he stayed for a couple of years. During this period he managed only 12 matches in three and a half seasons for Saints.

1946 saw him return from active service and he resumed his career at Love Street at left half for the opening matches of the 1946/47 season. Once again his versatility was used often with him playing at centre half, right half and inside right before the season was done.

Never noted as a goalscorer he managed to find the net on five occasions during this season, all the goals coming I just two matches!

On the 26th October he netted two against Queens Park in a 2-0 League Cup victory and then on the 5th April he went one better with a hat-trick against Kilmarnock in the Southern League.

For the next four seasons Drinky was a regular in the team playing along the half back line in his usual formidable style. He was known as a tough tackler and a good leader on the park.

He picked up a niggly injury during 1950-51 and missed several matches toward the end of the season. He only managed seven matches during 1951-52 as by this time Saints had defenders such as Lapsley, Nielson, Telfer and Cunningham and he found it hard to retain a place in the team. He left for Torquay United at the end of the year having played in 206 matches for St.Mirren.