{{short description|Scottish footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}} {{Use British English|date=April 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jimmy Rolland | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|5|13|df=y}} | birth_place = Kirkcaldy, Scotland | height = 1.72 m | position = Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1970–1974 | clubs1 = Buxton | caps1 = 196 | goals1 = 74 | years2 = 1974–1976 | clubs2 = Northwich Victoria | caps2 = 81 | goals2 = 60 | years3 = 1976–1978 | clubs3 = Los Angeles Skyhawks | caps3 = 65 | goals3 = 41 | years4 = 1980 | clubs4 = Phoenix Fire | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1980 | clubs5 = California Sunshine | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 8 | years6 = 1980–1981 | clubs6 = San Francisco Fog (indoor) | caps6 = 12 | goals6 = 4 | totalcaps = 372 | totalgoals = 187 }} '''Jimmy Rolland''' (born 13 May 1945) is a Scottish football forward who spent four seasons in the American Soccer League. He was the 1978 league leading scorer and MVP.
In 1974, he signed for Northwich Victoria from Buxton. In his first season for Northwich, he scored 45 goals in 56 games; only two other Northwich players have better records in the club's history. However the lure of the growing football scene in the USA saw him sign for the Los Angeles Skyhawks in the American Soccer League. Despite being on the LA Skyhawks' books, he returned to Northwich in 1976, scoring a vital goal in the club's best modern-time FA Cup run.<ref>[https://archive.today/20121209125610/http://www.netspinners.co.uk/nvfc/files/system/main.htm Northwich Victoria F.C.- Club Info - Historical Info - Famous Players]</ref>
In the same season, his team, LA Skyhawks won the league championship and Rolland was the team and league's second leading scorer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1976.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer - 1977 |access-date=11 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520182556/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1976.html#ASL |archive-date=20 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1978, he led the league with 17 goals in 24 games, leading to his selection as league MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer - 1978 |access-date=11 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708090400/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#ASL |archive-date=8 July 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1980 he was contracted to play with ASL expansion team the Phoenix Fire, but the team folded in pre-season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://funwhileitlasted.net/2011/05/03/1980-phoenix-fire-soccer/|title=1980 Phoenix Fire • Fun While It Lasted|date=May 3, 2011}}</ref>
In 1980, he played for the California Sunshine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1980.html#ASL |title=The Year in American Soccer - 1980 |access-date=11 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203163031/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1980.html#ASL |archive-date=3 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He then played for the San Francisco Fog during the 1980–81 Major Indoor Soccer League season.<ref>[http://nasljerseys.com/Players/S/Smillie.John.htm John Smillie NASL/MISL page: Scroll to bottom of page for San Francisco Fog team photo]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.nasljerseys.com/MISL/Players/R/Rolland.Jimmy.htm MISL stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rolland, Jimmy}} Category:American Soccer League (1933–1983) players Category:Buxton F.C. players Category:California Sunshine players Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers Category:Los Angeles Skyhawks players Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players Category:Northwich Victoria F.C. players Category:San Francisco Fog (MISL) players Category:Living people Category:1945 births Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Footballers from Kirkcaldy Category:Phoenix Fire (soccer) players