Jimmy Garside from Manchester, a fringe player when Liverpool were league champions in 1906, played over a hundred games for Exeter City in the Southern League between 1909 and 1913 having signed from Accrington Stanley. He later returned to Lancashire.

Although he played as a defender as a schoolboy, Jimmy became a winger or inside-forward once he progressed to the senior ranks. After playing for Darwen in the Lancashire League, he joined Preston North End in 1902 but swiftly moved on without featuring in the first-team to sign for Accrington Stanley of the Lancashire Combination. Subsequently ageeing terms with Liverpool in 1904, where he made five league appearances (including four in the 1905/06 Division One championship season), Jimmy returned to Accrington after two seasons at Anfield.

Becoming one of manager Arthur Chadwick’s many Lancastrian players, Jimmy joined Southern League Exeter City in May 1909 ahead of competition from other clubs. Appearing for the first time in the third fixture of the season against Bristol Rovers on 11 September 1909, Jimmy made 35 league appearances (four goals) during his first season with City followed by 32 games (eight goals) in 1910/11 and seven strikes from 24 starts in his third season. During this time he also appeared for the Southern League against the Irish League at Windsor Park, Belfast on 30 September 1911. 

Appearing in just ten league games in 1912/13, Jimmy was released at the end of the season to join Horwich RMI.