[45], The Tartan Army unsuccessfully attempted to get the new Wembley Stadium footbridge named after him,[46][47] and on 24 February 2005 Scottish National Party MP Pete Wishart presented an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons supporting this campaign. Please refresh the page and try again. How many liver transplants did Jim Baxter have? Whatever the exact truth, by the time he was sitting down for breakfast at his parents house, he had earned almost as much in a night as he would from a years salary. You could hardly get a more sad, Scottish answer to my question about what happened next, after April '67. Watching The Football Years a few weeks back, nothing was said about him sitting on the ball but footage of him doing keepy-ups for the crack was shown. During the four months in which he was unable to play he began drinking to his detriment; this ultimately was to curtail his playing career and his life. [17][7], In December 1967, English First Division club Nottingham Forest signed Baxter from Sunderland for a club record 100,000 fee, but his rapidly declining fitness and troubled personal life meant the move was unsuccessful. [8], In the 1967 British Home Championship, Baxter produced a dominating but controversial performance for Scotland, tantalising England, who had won the World Cup in 1966,[8] by playing "keepie uppie" (ball juggling) while waiting for teammates to get into good positions. [13] This was to be a watershed for Baxter. Peter Barr Cormack Rock and Roll Footballer! That exactly. He was. In 2003, a statue was erected in his honour at his hometown, Hill of Beath . Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Bill McLaren -Theyll be sad in the streets of Hawick tonight. "most memorably in 1967 when he toyed with the English defence at Wembley - sitting on the ball and playing "keepie-uppie" - as Scotland defeated the World Cup winners 3-2. [17] After Baxter's performance in the 1963 "rest of the world" vs England match, Ferenc Pusks asked, "Where has this fellow been hiding? Breaking his leg in Austria didn't help matters. Did find loads of clips of Baxter doing keepie-ups against the Auld enemy tho :-). It was also symbolic. Another Baxter story was of him addressing the apprentice boys in the Nottingham Forest dressing room, requesting them to fetch my magic wands to bring his boots to him! This, Baxter then stated, was his football education with Willie McNaught the provider. It was that word just that made all the difference. Although he was given most of the credit for the 32 win, some commentators wished he had made an effort to run up a bigger score. Gascoigne had that sense of fun, but he did something like that and they gave him a yellow card for it. . "[12] Allegedly Pel once said that Baxter should have been a Brazilian. The Binos have been one of the few sides not to play in the last couple of weeks. He started doing. Now years on I hope we can celebrate Jims genius by supporting the next generation of Fife footballers who will carry his legacy forward. Hibs open Easter Road on Christmas Day for those less fortunate, Lowdham Festival (1) The Brian Clough Evening, Notts County Nott$watch: The Sad Incidence of Ian McParlands Departure, Scrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. Where was Jim Baxter buried in his hometown? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. [20] He made his international debut in November 1960, when Scotland beat Northern Ireland. Jim also joked: If I dont turn it on here you can kick me up the backside.. The pub was situated at the corner of Paisley Road and Admiral Street. 6 Where did Jim Baxter get his leg broken? Together as the famed Drunk n Sobers, they toured the fleshpots of Nottingham in spirit-infused abandon and no little debauchery. 'You should never go back,' he has now decided. Now if there's a smile on my face (Image: Real Edinburgh). I had never been asked that before, but when pondering my answer, I realized there was only one obvious response. Jim Baxter Scottish footballer whose outstanding talents tormented England in two famous matches at Wembley Patrick Glenn Sun 15 Apr 2001 20.50 EDT The footballer Jim Baxter, who has died of. The Scots have found something else to do with their ice apart from putting it in drinks! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [44] In the December 1999 issue of World Soccer magazine he was voted by a readers' poll into a list of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century. [13] Rangers fans remember him as "Slim Jim", and in 18 "Old Firm" games against local rivals Celtic ten Scottish League, five League Cup and three Scottish Cup matches he was only twice on the losing side. The Statue is a good likeness and sits in front of Hill of Beath Ex-Serviceman's Club. He died on 14 April 2001. I remember seeing it in 1963, walking out on the Friday, looking at that pitch, and saying to a mate, "If I don't turn it on here tomorrow, you can kick my arse." [22] In the 1963 game Scotland were reduced to 10 men when their left back Eric Caldow's leg was broken in a tackle by Bobby Smith substitutions were not allowed at that time. [7] His return to Rangers was brief, as he retired from football in 1970, aged only 31. [17][37] Fellow footballer and midfielder Scott Brown, who would become Scotland captain in the 2010s, was also raised in the village and attended the same school, with the Baxter statue across the street from his childhood home,[50] although Brown chose to sign for Celtic rather than Rangers. Rutherglen Glencairn 'made their own luck' to jump up three league places, says boss, Willie Harvey was delighted with the win over Neilston and wants to go on a run, Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao among TEN Chinese snooker players charged with match fixing. French nun Lucile Randon, who was also known as Sister Andr, passed away in her sleep at a nursing home in Toulouse yesterday. Wembley this is the London Palladium, Baxter said according to Tom Miller in a marvellous book Slim Jim: Simply The Best. He was a master, Pete. What kind of football player was Jim Baxter? What is the formula for calculating solute potential? Baxter who died in 2001 at the age of only 61 is folklore in Fife. All rights reserved. One of the greatest talents Scottish football has ever seen, Jim Baxter's years at the top were curtailed by his lifestyle which saw him fade from view by his thirtieth birthday. A Fatal Accident Inquiry will examine how Derek Roan, 71, died at his family farm near Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway, in June last year. Jim was certainly a one-off wasnt he. [8][26] Alex Ferguson said Baxter's performance "could have been set to music". [7] In his time at the Kirkcaldy club he orchestrated a 32 win over Rangers at Ibrox Park; Scot Symon decided he wanted to sign him for Rangers from that performance. Hooded prowlers caught on camera stealing parcels from Giffnock home, The men can be seen entering the driveway of a property in Ayr Road, Giffnock before peering in the windows and making off with packages in shocking footage, Scots mum forced to perform CPR on her tiny baby urges parents to learn vital skills. The club did too. Always a team I like to see do well. I think I devoured every joyful word in every Sunday newspaper. Nonchalant, cocky and deeply reassuring. Tell us granddad Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This was world champions England. There was something about the . He came into the pub and sat on a high wooden stool, as if he owned the room. since that day back in 1967, Scotland have beaten England at Wembley fewer times than Jim has had livers. The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. But before then 'Slim Jim' was instrumental not only for Rangers - where . HMRC has also confirmed the new rates and thresholds for Child Benefit and Tax Credits. A very rare smile, for he has seen a lot of sadness, and he carries it carefully. So I'd trap the ball with my arse, or shy it off some boy's back at a throw-in, and we'd all have a smile.' He didnt flourish in Nottingham but rather showed odd flashes of his genius which some still talk about. Jim Baxter/Living or Deceased. what a loss football when he retired at 31, R.I.P JIM. oh, playing on that pitch, it was what I was born for!' For Jim, a one-time-miner who learnt his football on the ash-pitches of Fife, is and always has been staunchly apolitical. . Driver of overturned lorry in hospital after being rescued from Scots road crash. so when he left sunderland and came to nottingham forest my local team i was elated. According to legend, Scot Symon manager at Ibrox between 1954 and 1967 became determined to sign the left-half after watching him orchestrate a win over his side in late 1959. His frequent brilliance in spite of a decadent, nocturnal lifestyle had convinced him of his talents invulnerability and, unfortunately, the club did little to dissuade him of that assumption. [8][39] This was Banks, Moore, and Charlton's England and, as Kenneth Wolstenholme observed on commentary, Baxter "was taking the mickey". It was certainly a change and I wasn't letting it go by." Hi Stuart.. Hugh Drysdale, 67, said changing his medical status was the last thing on his mind when he booked the emergency trip from Aberdeen to Florida earlier this year. Ten days before he died, he recorded an interview with Chick Young which, until very recently, could be found online. It was, he remembers, four days before he got home. Slim Jim Baxter was .. He started doing keepie-uppies in the middle of the park. the inferiority complex that is the Scottish Cringe; the Thatcher years; the infuriating English capacity to seem to win every argument by simply ignoring us . Legacy benefit claimants will not receive 20 weekly uplift back payments following new appeal outcome. As Baxter and his Scottish peers Scotland had a new manager, Bobby Brown, and a new goalkeeper the 36-year-old Ronnie Simpson and few gave Scotland much hope of winning. He chose the shirt God wore that day as the one object which should sum up the twentieth century. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown flew across the room to shake his hand. England 2, Scotland 3 never to be forgotten. Jim Baxter. When I spoke at the inauguration of the statue I well remember the pride I saw in Baxters parents faces as their son was honoured in his home village and made immortal. He was born, educated and started his career in Fife, but his peak playing years were in the early 1960s with the Glasgow club Rangers, whom he helped to win ten trophies between 1960 and 1965, and where he became known as "Slim Jim". [17] He was noted for accurate passes, for sending opponents the wrong way with a swivel of his hips, and for inspiring teammates with his confident approach. He'. the new-born riot of self-expression that bubbled freely from Baxter, (Dave) Mackay, (John) White and (Denis) Law, the all-important quadrilateral that formed the heart of the Scottish effort.". Another Baxter story was of him addressing the apprentice boys in the Nottingham Forest dressing room, requesting them to, Jim was known to be fond of the odd Bacardi and Coke and found a terrific ally in Garfield Sobers, the greatest cricket player that ever lived and also a world class drinker. Scotland legend "Slim Jim" famously humiliated the previous year's World Cup winners on their own hallowed turf, capping his performance with an iconic keepy-uppy display considered one of the most memorable moments in Scottish football history. Sun Apr 15 2001 - 01:00 Former Rangers and Scotland legend Jim Baxter has died at the age of 61, the Scottish Premiership club said today. A football match has its own rhythm. When did Jim Baxter sit on the ball? Pancreatic cancer And what football! And I hadn't gone to Glasgow to find out about the drink. I can understand entirely why he would be anybodys favourite player, such panache and style. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Were it not for a broken leg in Vienna, he and they might have won the European Cup in 1965. Something went wrong, please try again later. Remembering Red Star Belgrades European Cup winners, 29 years on from their greatest victory. One while at university, I had a summer job working on a farm near Dunfermline. Rangers squad revealed as Robbie Ure sent SOS call amid three-pronged striker struggle. What player would do keepy ups when moving dow the wing . When you drank the heavenly elixir You shouldn't, really.'. Even conservative estimates pitched his winnings at 1,800. Boy, did he get the ball. He had been spotted by Rangers manager Scot Symon when he inspired Rovers to beat Rangers 3-2 at Ibrox in November, 1959. The Scottish Labour leader said it was up to Keir Starmer to judge how the controversial law looks in the rest of the UK. [7][12] He played for Rangers from 1960 to 1965, mainly as an attacking left half. and he bats them all back by making it clear he doesn't know what I'm on about. He was earning 7 a week sorting the stone from the coal at Fordel Colliary and 3 a week in Raiths reserves. I remember Slim Jim from Roker Park in the mid 1960s. A return to Ibrox, almost on compassionate grounds, ended his misery in England, but his second verse would last just a few short and unhappy lines. Remains of young woman found more than five years after she disappeared. Across the next 50 years whether at home or in Downing Street Id watch either on TV, or in person, most of Scotlands internationals and cheer as I did when we qualified for tournament after tournament and sat head in hands in the stand when Gary McAllister missed that famous Euro 96 penalty and watched in disbelief as Paul Gascoigne scored for England a minute later. Raith Rovers youth development manager Craig Easton needs 60,000 a year simply to pay the bills for modern apprenticeships the team offer. [28], In October 1963, which may have been Baxter's best year overall, he played for the "Rest of the world" in a match against England to celebrate the centenary of The Football Association. My bonnie wee lad, the story gos like this I cried the day he was transferred to Forest and shortly after Baxter and martins departures well Sunderland were relegated. 'Slim' Jim Baxter died 19 years ago today, but the Scottish icon's legacy as a player has only grown in the years since he graced a pitch. Jim Baxter was my boyhood hero, I bought a poster of him the week before he was transferred to Forest and like Neil Thompson I cried the day he left. James Curran Baxter (29 September 1939 14 April 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half. Slim Jim Baxter Rangers football team fame took over the licence in 1970. From 1960 to 1967, he was a leading member of a strong Scottish international team that lost only once to England, in 1966, shortly after he recovered from the leg fracture. [7][12] Later in his life, when asked if earning the huge incomes of footballers in later decades would have made a difference, he replied, "Aye, I would have gambled 50,000 a week on the horses instead of 100. But I did a bit of keepie-uppie. [18], Baxter moved back to Rangers. I will always remember his great tuoch on the ball and smooth passing precision. Its 50 years ago yet still we smile. He was thicker, his jowls were heavier. [26][27] Teammate Denis Law expressed opinions on both sides of this debate, saying that Baxter was "the best player on the park" and the main reason for the Scots' victory,[13] but complaining that Baxter's lack of urgency had prevented Scotland from thoroughly avenging the 93 defeat in April 1961. The way that Job stroked the ball around was just inimitable. One of Scottish football's greatest ball players Jim was quickly noticed playing junior football by Raith Rovers. After a further year with Rangers Baxter retired from football in 1970, at the age of 31. It wasn't quite as simple as that, of course. [32] Four years later Baxter played in only two of the qualifying games, (however one of these games was against Italy where he made John Greig's winning goal after starting the move by taking the ball from Scotland's keeper)[20] before breaking his leg in a club game in Vienna. The idea had been to talk to this icon of Anglo-Scots rivalry about the forthcoming games, and try to work out quite why the two nations love to hate each other so. So next month . But Baxter? Jim Baxter, the legendary Scottish footballer, who humbled England at Wembley. [38], Baxter played most of his best football in his early twenties, before the leg fracture against Rapid Vienna in December 1964 and the start of his heavy drinking that made his nickname "Slim Jim" less appropriate. By 55 he needed a liver transplant. Baxter was such a majestic player, if you look at his ball control at that goal it gives you an idea of how goal he was. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium. But I did a bit of keepie-uppie. And it's clear, when he talks about that big game, that there's no anti-English bitterness. Meghan and Harry release statement after Jeremy Clarkson's latest public apology. [36] At the age of 55 he needed two liver transplants in four days,[7][36] and promised to quit drinking. . At the end of the season he would be sold to Sunderland, one of the few English teams who werent deterred by his reputation. rangers, scotland Baxter was entertainment and flair. [12] His funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral, where a reading was given by Gordon Brown, a long-time fan of Raith Rovers F.C., where Baxter began his career. There are more important results beating Czechoslovakia in 1973 to qualify for the World Cup in West Germany, beating Holland in Argentina in 1978, twice beating France in recent years. Scotland won 3-2 and could, by every account, have knocked in several more with ease. We always said when Baxter plays well, Sunderland play well. In particular, the disparity between what a parsimonious Rangers board would pay and what could be earned south of the border rankled and would help to create an impasse. And even now I can watch the grainy black and white highlights again and again and watch him. ", http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/braveheart.html. In the 1967 match against England, who had won the 1966 World Cup, he taunted the opposition by ball juggling while waiting for his teammates to find good positions. Required fields are marked *. There was the wee heart problem a couple of years ago. He appears briefly in The Footballer Who Could Fly, Duncan Hamiltons memoir. Jim was known to be fond of the odd Bacardi and Coke and found a terrific ally in Garfield Sobers, the greatest cricket player that ever lived and also a world class drinker. Get5 copies of the world's greatest football magazine for just 5 (opens in new tab) the game's greatest stories and finest journalism direct to your door for less than the cost of a London pint. In most cases, footballers are prisoners of their own era. Not with those touches, those turns and all that elegance. The SFA insisted that the ball should be returned, and Rangers sent them a ball, but possibly not the match ball. The pair look to be high on the agenda for Michael Beale and his Ibrox recruitment drive. He is generally regarded as one of the country's greatest ever players. However, he started drinking heavily during a four-month layoff caused by a leg fracture in December 1964, his fitness suffered, and he was transferred to Sunderland in summer 1965. He will always be remembered. And as a Raith Rovers fan I will always proudly think of him as ours. Right along the Wemberly touchline At Sunderland his cross field passes and at time his vision were superb . [16] However England won the match 21. But how the hell did Scotland win it? A few observations on Hibs v Killie, Being Hibs: Spending some time with the family. Scotland made the trip to Wemberly in 67 Boss Brown bristled. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. By Raith Rovers lot of sadness, and he carries it carefully 3-2 at in... Broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship lasted! To play in the mid 1960s overturned lorry in hospital after being rescued from Scots Road.. Touches, those turns and all that elegance last couple of years ago Scottish football & # x27 ; greatest! Playing on that pitch, it was that word just that made all the.... The park had n't gone to Glasgow to find out about the drink that and they gave him a card. 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