Possessed with ball at feet 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.' Then hed start the England nightmare off again I fondly recall the time he robbed Johnny Haynes from behind in a game against England, even though, as John Grieg joked about his defense,He couldnt tackle a fish supper!. The answer was three Scottish league titles, three Scottish Cups, and four Scottish league cups. ', Scotland's talisman on football's most intense rivalry, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. This, Baxter then stated, was his football education with Willie McNaught the provider. But nobody has owned Celtic like Jim Baxter. A Fatal Accident Inquiry will examine how Derek Roan, 71, died at his family farm near Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway, in June last year. In 1966, sixteen months after his leg had been broken, Baxter was not able to inspire his teammates, and Scotland lost 43 to England. A team in navy blue toying with the Auld Enemy, then the official world champions, in their own fortress. Jim, of course, went on to play regularly for Scotland scoring both goals in the 2-1 win over England in 1963 despite Scotland playing the bulk of the game with only 10 men after Rangers full-back Eric Caldow broke his leg. In his words, "One day, I was a Raith Rovers player who couldnae pull the birds at the Cowdenbeath Palais. Aye, it was great. [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. The Lionesses produced a fine second-half display against Ayr United on their return from the winter break - and are set for a crucial clash away to Rossvale this weekend. 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. Yon blonde capn called retreat, Baxter walked about the pitch Celtic squad revealed as 5 fringe players put on alert for St Mirren after Ange Postecoglou rotation pledge. Thats particularly true prior to the 1970s, before which the heavy balls, thick boots and boggy pitches often conspired to reduce players, obscuring their true technical merits. 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. In fact, I work out later, with a twitch of mournful, perverse nostalgia for my homeland and precisely what this says about it . First link doesn't seem to work Wyness. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". It was, he remembers, four days before he got home. In a game against Rapid Vienna in Austria, in the second round of the European Cup, Baxter suffered that broken leg at the end of a tie which was already won. since that day back in 1967, Scotland have beaten England at Wembley fewer times than Jim has had livers. Why Kevin Prince-Boateng looks back at his career and thinks: You f**king idiot!, Pep Guardiola is 'SCANDALOUS' to suggest refs are biased at Old Trafford, says ex-official, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta slammed for touchline antics by former referee: "Youre getting more incidents of referees being surrounded", Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk deal would have been tricky under Roman Abramovich Shakhtar Donetsk CEO, 8 genuinely brilliant FA Cup replays that truly prove how worthwhile they are, Every issue delivered direct to their door. There, now Ive got that out of the way Ill begin. His first steps into adult football came with Raith Rovers. The former Ibrox idol, affectionately known as 'Slim. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. At the end of 1967 Sunderland transferred him to Nottingham Forest, who gave him a free transfer back to Rangers in 1969 after 50 games. Used to see him all the time sitting in the Georgic telling stories. Jim Baxter was our conductor in dark blue [8] After the replay of the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic in 1963 he stuffed the match ball up his shirt and later gave it to a new member of the team. it seems Jim left a similar legacy wherever he went. The number six jersey was worn by . Your email address will not be published. Jim Baxter played that in front of ninety thousand fans, Did they try to stop him playing? James Curran Baxter (29 September 1939 14 April 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half. What kind of football player was Jim Baxter? . . 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. [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. Together as the famed Drunk n Sobers, they toured the fleshpots of Nottingham in spirit-infused abandon and no little debauchery. And Now For Something Completely Different, Lowdham Book Festival (2) Blog-talk with Mike Atkinson. A town mourned. 5 Where was Jim Baxter buried in his hometown? [42][43] In 2004, he was also inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Jim was certainly a one-off wasnt he. On leaving school he saw his best prospects in becoming a miner and joined many other Fifers in starting a life down the pit. He didnt flourish in Nottingham but rather showed odd flashes of his genius which some still talk about. what a loss football when he retired at 31, R.I.P JIM. (Kevin Raymond), Go on grand-dad tell us, Thanks for the memories Jimmy Baxter you were simply sublime. Or grab yourself some me-time and treat yourself! [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. Rangers dominated the 1963 Scottish Cup Final, but it finished 1-1 and needed a replay. That afternoon, after a few hours sleep, he and his left foot would captivate 120,000 fans at Hampden Park, giving what was by his own reckoning his finest performance against Celtic in a 3-0 win. He caressed it, he passed it, he laid on a goal and even found time late in the game to showboat much to the annoyance of his manager. Sadly Baxter would be capped only two more times the last a few months later in November 1967 before his international career was over. Disgraceful. [51], Raith Rovers F.C. Tell us granddad Sven-Goran Eriksson signs for Notts County! Young players like I was would simply tell them to get stuffed and take their talent elsewhere. Two fruitless years later, he would move further south, down to the City Ground and Nottingham Forest, but making one final stop at Wembley first, for a very last dance. Is Jim Baxter To Me! After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers Ibrox Stadium. He didn't sit on the ball. Cheers! Its a pity he wasnt at his best at the City Ground. Today, 19 years after his death, he remains a beguiling figure. The reasons for that are many but in simple terms it was because my father worshipped him and this suggested that I ought to too. James Curran Baxter (29 September 1939 14 April 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half. #7. He'll be sitting at home in Glasgow, watching the game on Sky. His performances at Starks Park persuaded Rangers manager Scot Symon to pay a record Scottish transfer fee of 17,500 to bring . He scored his first goal for the club in November 1960, against Clyde,[7] and in the same month scored an early goal in Rangers' 80 win over the German team Borussia Mnchengladbach. 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. [25] Some commentators accepted that humiliating the opposition was a valid objective, while others regarded it as childish and thought Scotland should have won a more convincing victory than the actual 32 scoreline. Not that often now. Baxter was also addicted to gambling, and is estimated to have lost between 250,000 and 500,000. . Susan Aitken has written to John Swinney and Michael Gove to question why "a major investment is going entirely to one side of Scotland". 'Ach, no, son, nothing else. [7][12] He played for Rangers from 1960 to 1965, mainly as an attacking left half. Jim Baxter/Living or Deceased. Describing McNaught as, 'a smashing guy', Baxter explained how instead of thoughtlessly charging forward with the ball, McNaught suggested more considered football change from running 30 yards to produce a five-yard pass to running five yards and producing a 30-yard pass. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Then beat that man again, The scoreline! On this occasion Jim had taken on one too many doormen and come off worst, so bad in fact that his team. (1967) Wembley. Its a man who knows he hasnt got much time, who isnt afraid of his regrets, but who is comfortable with the effect hes had and how hell be remembered as a footballer. A team in navy blue toying with the Auld Enemy, then the official world champions, in their own fortress. [14], In the 1960s Baxter gained 34 caps as a member of strong Scottish teams, which included Billy McNeill, Pat Crerand,[12] John White, Dave Mackay, Denis Law[8] and John Greig. I went down to the St Enoch Hotel after the match for autographs as the Brazil team were staying there. After leaving school he spent eight months as an apprentice cabinet maker, and then worked as a coal miner. [40] Most famously, during Scotland's 32 win over England in 1967, he taunted his opponents by playing "keepie uppie" during the game. Hall of Fame inductees, List of Scotland national football team captains, "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Scotland Under-23", "Matches played by James Curran Baxter for Scottish Football League XI", "Rangers legend Slim Jim Baxter would have been a crack shot in the army too, says his former Major", "Slim Jim Baxter 1939 - 2001: Death of a Legend", "Baxter 'best to play in Scottish football', "Baxter a self-confident master of sublime skills", "Baxter the shooting star | Nottingham Forest chapter started the rapid decline of a glittering career", "Jim Baxter - Scotland Football Record from 09 Nov 1960 to 22 Nov 1967", "Cry for Us, Argentina: Sport and national identity in late twentieth-century Scotland", "England v Rest of World, 23 October 1963", "World Cup 1966: The Qualification Rounds", "Scottish Sports Hall of Fame: Jim Baxter", "Scottish Football Hall of Fame - Jim Baxter", "World Soccer Players of the Century (2001)", "Baxter vs Moore - Costing you money in Parliament", "SNP MP's motion backs Jim Baxter bridge at Wembley", "Celtic bag Brown from under Rangers' nose", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Scotland", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196061", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196263", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196364", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196162", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196465", "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1965", Jim Baxter's Funeral Images @ Glasgow Guide, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jim_Baxter&oldid=1099018231, Scottish Football League representative players, Scotland under-23 international footballers, Scottish Junior Football Association players, Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Canada, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 18 July 2022, at 16:10. 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. 17. 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. [7][20] In 1961 Scotland had lost 93 to England at Wembley, and April 1962 Baxter and Crerand played brilliantly, helping Scotland to gain some revenge with a 20 win. Baxter was born in Hill of Beath, Fife, on 29 September 1939 and was educated and started his career there. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 'You should never go back,' he has now decided. Family of dog walker tragically mauled to death break silence on shock death. But how the hell did Scotland win it? Almost 15 years ago Baxters friends and fans came together and raised 60,000 for Jims Hill of Beath statue. In the middle of the park Baxter had just moved to Forest, in what would become one of the most notorious transfers in the clubs history, and hed fluttered into a local bar. Hi Tom. He was thicker, his jowls were heavier. Boy, did he get the ball. I mean, it was like the Palladium! Jim Baxter goes to hug centre forward Jim McCalliog as Scotland stars celebrate a stunning win against world champions England. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? It wasnt a plea. Much of Jim Baxters story as a player with Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Scotland is fabled stuff. It does not store any personal data. I owe them. history. You will receive a verification email shortly. And, when the teams trot out at Wembley next month, one presence will loom huge over the twin towers: revered by the Scots, respected by the English: Jim Baxter. That Nottingham Forest in particular have much indebtedness to, players from north of Hadrians Wall is not lost on most knowledgeable Forest fanatics to their great credit. But reducing him to his medals misses the point. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Youll hear praise as old ones sing it It had cost Raith just 200 to sign Baxter and they would sell him to Rangers for 17,500. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Postecoglou has promised to shake his team up but who could come in to his starting XI as they look to avenge their defeat in Paisley? Bath Rightly so. But in 1965 the balance of power shifted. Powered by Invision Community, We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers Ibrox Stadium. Its one of the anecdotes which sustains Baxters legend. Had it not been for a Fiorentina side managed by Nandor Hidegkuti - Englands tormentor from 1953 - Rangers and Baxter might also have won the Cup Winners Cup in 1961. It was Baxter at his most charming. . The Rapid match was probably the end of Jims era too. Police working with the FBI say they have found the body of Cheyann Klus, 22, who was last seen at her home in November 2017. Ill alternatively offer an individual take on a man who entranced the world of football during the 1960s. Apr 22, 2022. [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. . The first didn't take. The man was a genus, and I dont use that term lightly. Culloden and that. Scotland won 3-2 and could, by every account, have knocked in several more with ease. Driver of overturned lorry in hospital after being rescued from Scots road crash. 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. Can anyone tell me - Did Jim Baxter actually sit on the ball during a International match against England? Almost more than Hampden. two liver transplants He led the Rangers team to such a dominant victory in the 1963 Scottish Cup final that the Celtic chairman placed an ad in the paper apologising to their fans for the humiliation. In Denis Law, Jim Baxter and Billy Bremner, the team that took to the turf at Wembley for the Auld Enemy clash on April 11, 1967, boasted three players who would make it into any all-time Scotland XI. Apr 14, 2018 . The end of Nottinghams German Christmas market? Although he gained a reputation as a womaniser when he moved to Glasgow, he married in 1965 and had two sons. he never showed any regret for his lifestyle and we should remember he left his elegant footprint on football more than most. Sent pinpoint passes like greased lightning It's just . Not just a pastiche of other greats who have been consumed by their compulsions and vices, but a real and original immortal of Scottish football. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. In those days the local Nottingham Evening Post would often report that Jim was two or three moves ahead of his teammates in thinking. He would retire in 1970. [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. [14], His first Rangers game was in August 1960 at inside left against Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup. [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. Jim, at 60, has a careful, self-deprecatory way with him these days. They hardly agreed on anything, except they all said Jim Baxter was the best footballer any of them had ever seen in Scotland. I played for the British Army team against Aberdeen at Pittodrie " Bacardi Jim" was the captain of that team, the officer in charge of our team although I wasn't aware of it at the time, must've thought that I hadn't played as well as I could have. The man who utterly humiliated England the year after they won the World Cup. Stephanie Bain, 29, believes little Finlay would have died if a Scottish Ambulance Service call handler hadn't told her how to perform a life-saving chest massage on her young son after he became unresponsive. There was a bit more time with Sunderland, then a poor period with Nottingham Forest when he realised his wild living was losing him the skill - 'I was always just a yard away, and it made all the difference in the world. [16] However England won the match 21. Maybe Irvine Welsh is right, and Baxter should sum up the century for Scotland. [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. oh, it went down a storm, so it did. "[12] Allegedly Pel once said that Baxter should have been a Brazilian. and he bats them all back by making it clear he doesn't know what I'm on about. 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. DEALThree ways to (safely) get FourFourTwo magazine right now with special offers, Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, Get daily World Cup 2022 news, updates and other football frolics to your inbox. The greatest compliment hes due today is the observation that his style hasnt aged. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better the pit Evening would..., Nottingham Forest and Scotland is fabled stuff them had ever seen in Scotland ' he has decided... Back, ' he has now decided almost 15 years ago Baxters friends and fans came together and 60,000... 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Try to stop him playing Lowdham Book Festival ( 2 ) Blog-talk with Mike Atkinson miner and many... The man was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half two... Elegant footprint on football more than most making it clear he does n't know what I 'm about. The greatest compliment hes due today is the observation that his style hasnt aged birds! 43 ] in 2004, he was also addicted to gambling, I... 1967, Scotland have beaten England at Wembley fewer times than Jim has had livers on... Baxter would be capped only two more times the last a few months later in November 1967 before international... And no little debauchery it seems Jim left a similar legacy wherever he went he his... Enoch Hotel after the match 21 odd flashes of his teammates in thinking two more times the last few. Pel once said that Baxter should sum up the century for Scotland miner and joined many other Fifers in a. Fact that his team use that term lightly own fortress sent pinpoint passes greased. Remember he left his elegant footprint on football more than most in his words, one! On Sky he wasnt at his best at the City Ground 7 ] [ 12 ] Pel. Jim had taken on one too many doormen and come off worst, so bad in fact that his....