James Valentine

James Valentine (29 July 1866 – 25 July 1904), also known by the nickname of "Jim Val", as a centre and club level rugby league (RL) for Swinton, as a forward. Prior to 2 June 1896, Swinton was a rugby union club.

Early life and family Valentine was born in 1866 in Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire, the second son of Robert Valentine, who was in the Navy, and Ann Wallwork Valentine. At age 15, he had already left school and was working as a soap boiler. His younger brother was Bob Valentine, a rugby league footballer (Swinton) and football (Manchester United) goalkeeper. In 1891, he was working as a licensed victualler, and was also listed as operating a pub in 1898, when he married Ada James Worthington, a schoolteacher. He operated the Duchy Inn on Brindle Heath Road, in Pendleton. He was first selected for England while at Swinton in 1888, but due to internal arguments with the other Home Nation unions, England failed to play an international game until 1890. A prolific scorer, during the 1889–1890 season he scored 61 tries, kicked 5 drop goals and kicked 35 goals. He also played at county level making 60 appearances for Lancashire. A club favourite, he led Swinton with a 16–8 victory over local rivals Salford in their first Northern Union Challenge Cup Final in 1900, at Fallowfield in Manchester. He remained with the club until 1901. According to one report, Valentine, his wife and his two sisters-in-law were walking on a hill overlooking Barmouth and Cardigan Bay in mid-afternoon when they were suddenly caught in the storm. The first lightning strike lit the gorse-covered hill on fire, and then a second bolt struck Valentine, his wife and her sister Nellie Worthington. Her other sister, nurse Mary Worthington, was walking a few yards behind them and was able to summon immediate help. However, a doctor who arrived within minutes found Jim Valentine already dead.

A Manchester newspaper reported the news with sorrow:

"The event has cast gloom over Barmouth. "Jim" Valentine was known to all footballers as one of the best players who ever donned a jersey. There has been, indeed, no more popular figure in Northern Rugby football. His name primarily, of course, is associated with the Swinton club, of which he was captain for a great number of years—years when the club, perhaps, was in the zenith of its fame. But he was one of the mainstays also of Lancashire County, and in the days of the Rugby Union of the English International team. In his day he could not be beaten as a three-quarter, and was a certain scorer when near the line. His tackling was about his strongest point, and for his club and county he possessed a wonderful record as a try-getter. Though three-quarter was his proper position."

He was buried on 29 July 1904, on what would have been his 38th birthday, at St. John's churchyard in Pendlebury.

Valentine is also believed to be one of two people after whom the Valentine Cup, a long running amateur rugby competition in the Manchester area, is named.