Local football umpiring legend Jimmy Ainsworth dies at age 84

Jimmy Ainsworth, who handled more than 2000 games as an umpire, is being remembered as a much-loved and respected figure in local football.

Veteran football umpire Jimmy Ainsworth has died just short of his 85th birthday.

Local football lost a legend with the death of umpiring stalwart Jimmy Ainsworth just shy of his 85th birthday.

Ainsworth played football in the 1940s before taking up the whistle because he was too small to make the big leagues of the VFL or VFA.

Ainsworth started umpiring in the Northern Football League in 1954, moving to the Metropolitan and Footscray District leagues before completing his last 40 seasons in the Essendon District Football League.

Jimmy spent 62 years umpiring in all three facets – field, boundary, and goal – before poor health forced his retirement.

Ainsworth finished with 2140 games to his name.

His three sons also played in the EDFL, at Oak Park Football Club, where his wife June rarely missed a game.

With such dedication to the game at local level, it’s little wonder tributes have come for Ainsworth.

Coburg Districts, Hadfield and Northern Saints Football Clubs were among the first to pay their respects on the EDFL Umpires Association Facebook page.

Glenroy coach Ross Terranova, who has known Ainsworth for all his 35-plus years in the EDFL, was among current league identities along with Aaron Kite and Mo Kaakour to post tributes to the umpiring great.

“He was a much-loved figure of the EDFL community and a stalwart of the umpiring fraternity,” EDFL chief executive Ian Kyte said in a statement.

“Umpiring three senior games in the 2021 season is an outstanding example of Jimmy’s commitment to the game throughout his 62 years of service.

“The league sends its condolences to Jim’s family, friends and anyone who was touched by Jim’s life.”

The EDFL put out a flag at Windy Hill to mark the passing of Jimmy Ainsworth.

EDFL board member Ian Price said Ainsworth’s generosity stretched beyond football.

Price worked with Jimmy for 22 years as chair of the EDFL Umpires’ Appointment Board before eventually taking board roles, including chair of the league, over ensuing years.

“You could ask him to do absolutely anything, and he wouldn’t whinge, and he wouldn’t complain, he just did it for you,” Price said.

“He would umpire the kids of a morning; he’d do a reserves game and he’d do a senior game for you on a Saturday afternoon, and he’d do the same on Sunday.

“If ever you were short, he was always there to help.

“At our finals, be it at Essendon or Coburg or wherever, he’d do things like pick up the dais and take it to wherever it needed to go and assemble it for us, and he’d pull it down again and take it back to headquarters at seven or eight o’clock on a Saturday or Sunday night.

“That’s the sort of bloke he was.

“He was a little stirrer as well to wind you up. He’d do things like pinch your beer and hide it on you and watch you walk around looking for it and laugh his head off.

“The funny thing about that was he never drank.

“But if you were on the bones of your backside, Jimmy would be the first on there to help you.”

Price said the EDFL board would decide on an award to honour Ainsworth in the coming weeks.