The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. Theres oil in them thar Nottinghamshire hills! Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire. It was outrageous and ridiculous, provocative and cheeky. [14], His first Rangers game was in August 1960 at inside left against Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup. 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. . Full list of new DWP weekly payment rates from April for PIP, Universal Credit and other benefits. 20 July, 1994: Jim Baxter is just days from death in the liver transplant unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after decades of hard drinking. : Terms of Use : Guidelines : Privacy Policy, "The Parochial Kailyard That Is Central Scotland", 39Users were Online in the last 600 mins, most memorably in 1967 when he toyed with the English defence at Wembley. In 1966, sixteen months after his leg had been broken, Baxter was not able to inspire his teammates, and Scotland lost 43 to England. Unbeatable? [29], Scotland did not qualify for the final stage of the FIFA World Cup during Baxter's playing career. He had been spotted by Rangers manager Scot Symon when he inspired Rovers to beat Rangers 3-2 at Ibrox in November, 1959. 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. One of Scottish football's greatest ball players Jim was quickly noticed playing junior football by Raith Rovers. Baxter who died in 2001 at the age of only 61 is folklore in Fife. He thought his best international performance was a 21 win against England in 1963, when he scored both goals after Scotland were reduced to 10 players. Pancreatic cancer It was Baxter at his most charming. A team in navy blue toying with the Auld Enemy, then the official world champions, in their own fortress. Today, 19 years after his death, he remains a beguiling figure. A fully-fledged international, who would also appear for Rest of the World sides, he would regularly mix with players earning far in excess of his 35 a week. Baxter scored both goals in the 2-1 win over England in 1963, despite Scotland playing the bulk of the game . Jim Baxter was born at Hill O'Beath in Fife in 1939 just as war was breaking out across Europe. With a taunt, a feign, a pass, They tried hard to get the ball off him With the second - 'Well, aye, I do take a drink sometimes. Of course orchestrating two Scotland victories over England at Wembley in 1963 and 1967 (and humiliating them in the process in the latter game) elevated Jims standing in our house to astronomic status. Baxter, like all great players do, played at his own. [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. 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. And a lot of womanising. Albian Ajeti offers Celtic transfer solution as forgotten flop's revival could quell panic buy temptation. On a research study at my favourite watering hole The Woodlark at Lambley, (tours available), I nebbed in as they say in these parts, on a conversation between some worthies sitting in the bar who were talking of some sterling names from the local football fraternity. . All rights reserved. The Scotland jersey worn by Jim Baxter against world champions England at Wembley in 1967 could fetch a record 60,000 at auction next month. Interestingly Iit seemed lost on these local men after the decades had passed on how Jim struggled in the Garibaldi Red of their beloved team, (mainly due to the wonderful social life James Curran Baxter had sought out in the Lace city). Around 1984 Peter McCloy fumbled the ball to allow them to . The first didn't take. I dont think Ive ever seen a player with a finer touch, one so deft. Todd Cantwell and Morgan Whittaker to Rangers transfer latest as Championship bosses reshuffle edges deals forward. 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. Flair is a much overused word these days in relation to football but Jim encompassed it. . On leaving school he saw his best prospects in becoming a miner and joined many other Fifers in starting a life down the pit. [7] He undertook National Service with the Black Watch from 1961 to 1963.[9]. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Although he gained a reputation as a womaniser when he moved to Glasgow, he married in 1965 and had two sons. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Scotland won 3-2 and could, by every account, have knocked in several more with ease. 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. At the end of the season he would be sold to Sunderland, one of the few English teams who werent deterred by his reputation. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. World Football Jim Baxter - sitting on the ball Jim Baxter - sitting on the ball By stomach February 8, 2010 in World Football Share stomach 05: Full Members 283 Gender:Male Location:Inverness Posted February 8, 2010 Can anyone tell me - Did Jim Baxter actually sit on the ball during a International match against England? [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. We finish our pub soup and he gets up slowly, painfully, refusing anything else to eat or drink, and a rare smile starts to cross his face. what a loss football when he retired at 31, R.I.P JIM. 5 Where was Jim Baxter buried in his hometown? Hed beat one man, then turn around Jim Baxter, the legendary Scottish footballer, who humbled England at Wembley. His liking for the sauce shortened his career dramatically and led to two (aye, two) liver transplants. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. [16] However England won the match 21. [17] After retiring from football Baxter became a pub licensee, an unsuitable career for a problem drinker. Not Baxter, though. 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. Nov 10, 2011. 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. [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 owe them. [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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Its a pity he wasnt at his best at the City Ground. ', 'Aw, come on. One who passed through that decades football folklore like a shooting star. ", http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/braveheart.html. In a 1995 interview, he likened his upbringing to a scene from a Charles Dickens novel and recalled the forty-a-side playground matches which would have first demanded his delicate touch and technique. Not with those touches, those turns and all that elegance. Wembley this is the London Palladium, Baxter said according to Tom Miller in a marvellous book Slim Jim: Simply The Best. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. After leaving school he spent eight months as an apprentice cabinet maker, and then worked as a coal miner. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers Ibrox Stadium. Simply the Best. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers Ibrox Stadium. Now 50 years on I hope a Jim Baxter commemoration and celebration can serve a broader and noble purpose helping to raise money to nurture players of the future the next Jim Baxters. Apr 22, 2022. Hi Tom. 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. He also broke with Glasgow tradition by becoming friendly with several members of their major Glasgow rivals, Celtic. He was some player, John. The other twenty one? (Features) by "Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)"; News, opinion and commentary General interest 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. The end of Nottinghams German Christmas market? Let me declare, I wasnt there. What a player! He refused to conform with the "efficient" style that dominated British football or the energetic, physical style that was typical of Rangers at the time. That exactly. [8][26] Alex Ferguson said Baxter's performance "could have been set to music". The England team were overawed, A young man in his prime he was A former Scottish international footballer, Jim Baxter was granted a public house licence at the Licensing Court in Glasgow. The plaque has his birthdate 1939 to 2001 'I just loved Wembley. By 55 he needed a liver transplant. 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