James Olney

Jim Olney
Personal information
Full name	James Fred Olney
Date of birth	(1914-08-01)1 August 1914
Place of birth	Birmingham, England
Date of death	14 September 1944(1944-09-14) (aged 30)
Place of death	Belgium
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position	Centre half / Left half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Tyseley Rangers
	Newbridge Albion
1935–1936	Redditch
1936–1938	Birmingham	3	(0)
1938–1944	Swindon Town	13	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

James Fred Olney (1 August 1914 – 14 September 1944) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham and Swindon Town.

Olney was born in Greet, Birmingham. He played local football before joining First Division club Birmingham in May 1936. He made his debut in the last game of the 1935–36 season in a 3–1 home defeat against West Bromwich Albion. He played two more games during the following season, standing in for Tom Fillingham at centre half, but his playing style was considered too similar to that of Fillingham, and in December 1938 he moved to Third Division South club Swindon Town. He played ten games at left half in what remained of the 1938–39 season, and the first three of the next season, abandoned because of the Second World War.

Olney was killed while serving as a Lance-Serjeant in the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards on 14 September 1944, at the age of 30. He is buried in Geel War Cemetery and commemorated at the County Ground, Swindon.