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). Apr 22, 2022. Where was Jim Baxter buried in his hometown? But Baxter tantalized and sucked them in When did Jim Baxter sit on the ball? The first didn't take. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. A Working Class Hero? Get the latest news from Record Sport with our daily newsletter. 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. At the end of the 1959-60 season, in June 1960, he joined Rangers for a Scottish record transfer fee of 17,500. It's just . what a loss football when he retired at 31, R.I.P JIM. Thanks very much, Alan. [7] He came on to the field in the second half, and his performance won the admiration of Ferenc Pusks. Maybe Irvine Welsh is right, and Baxter should sum up the century for Scotland. 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! The club did too. Learn how your comment data is processed. Then nonchalantly knocked it wide, That game you boys play in the street Something went wrong, please try again later. 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 today . Albian Ajeti offers Celtic transfer solution as forgotten flop's revival could quell panic buy temptation. . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. With the second - 'Well, aye, I do take a drink sometimes. Together as the famed Drunk n Sobers, they toured the fleshpots of Nottingham in spirit-infused abandon and no little debauchery. Baxter was also addicted to gambling, and is estimated to have lost between 250,000 and 500,000. The Harder They Come: Footballs Hard Men, A Highland Tour: (2) Plockton and Applecross, Attenborough Nature Reserve: A Triumph of Nature over Industry, Come a walk around Nottingham Goose Fair with me, Come Walk the Green Fields of Nottinghamshire, Down by the Riverside Nottingham to Newark by Bicycle, In and around Lambley village, Nottinghamshire, Land of Legend and Dreams, Sherwood Forest and The Major Oak, North Yorkshire: Robin Hoods Bay and The Cleveland Way, North Yorkshire: Whitby, Runswick Bay and Staithes, Nottinghamshire countryside: Stoke Bardolph and The Ferryboat Inn, Sadly missed: Kellys Tavern, Newark-on-Trent. Peter Barr Cormack Rock and Roll Footballer! Theres oil in them thar Nottinghamshire hills! [51], Raith Rovers F.C. 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. But the happiest day was at Wembley. [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. And all of us who knew and admired him were so sad to learn that heavy drinking for which he never blamed anyone but himself cut short his career, destroyed his health and forced two liver transplants. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Just give the ball to me, said Jim Baxter. Right along the Wemberly touchline But in 1965 the balance of power shifted. No coincidence he mentions his record against the mentally challengeds either, as he completely owned them in a way no other Ranger has ever done. Famously after one nightclub scrape, former former Black Watch recruit James had to be picked up out of the gutter by the genial Forest coach, Irishman, Tommy Cavanagh in the early hours. He is generally regarded as one of the countrys greatest ever players. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In most cases, footballers are prisoners of their own era. Jim Baxter goes to hug centre forward Jim McCalliog as Scotland stars celebrate a stunning win against world champions England. 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. [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. [19] In his international appearances he scored three goals, and Scotland won 21, drew 3 and lost 10 of these matches. At one point though he puts his foot on it, gestures to McCreadie to come over for it, then walks away :(. I needed bastards like Carmichael, Buckard, Ferrier, Herdman and McNaught. "[16] Shortly before his own death, George Best named Baxter as one of the best eleven players he had played with or against in an interview with FourFourTwo magazine. Baxter scored both goals in the 2-1 win over England in 1963, despite Scotland playing the bulk of the game . . 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. I know for a fact Willie Johnston used to sit on the ball. . . And a broken leg. There was a problem. 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. 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. The greatest compliment hes due today is the observation that his style hasnt aged. 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. Your email address will not be published. Full list of new DWP weekly payment rates from April for PIP, Universal Credit and other benefits. "[8], In June 1960,[11] Baxter joined the Glasgow team Rangers for a transfer fee of 17,500, a Scottish record at the time. Together as the famed Drunk n Sobers, they toured the fleshpots of Nottingham in spirit-infused abandon and no little debauchery. CaleyThistleOnline.com Aye my bonnie wee lad, they did try that In 2003, a statue was erected in his honour at his hometown, Hill of Beath. He started doing. Its 50 years ago yet still we smile. 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. The light blues are seven unbeaten under the new boss, winning six of them, but Joe Wright is optimistic. [7] He undertook National Service with the Black Watch from 1961 to 1963.[9]. Raith Rovers youth development manager Craig Easton needs 60,000 a year simply to pay the bills for modern apprenticeships the team offer. That exactly. Simply the Best. Or he could rake it forty yards, dropping it on any blade of grass. And I hadn't gone to Glasgow to find out about the drink. 'Aye, that stuff. Great fun.' Tony Blair and Gordon Brown flew across the room to shake his hand. How could we not love him? Your email address will not be published. Hed beat one man, then turn around (1967) Wembley. The victory was complete when Baxter showed Scotlands dominance by casually playing keepie-uppie as the clock ticked down. 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. Not that often now. rangers, scotland Free Online Library: My Story Jim Baxter: Day 3: YES, MY CAREER WAS A BALL; As these pictures show, there was always time for a laugh amid the highs and lows of football. Best of luck with the biography. By the end of the game of his life, 'Slim Jim' Baxter, left-midfield architect of the Scots' victory, was openly toying with the furious, frustrated deities in white. Rightly so. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He didnt flourish in Nottingham but rather showed odd flashes of his genius which some still talk about. Football Disconnected From its Supporters? ', Scotland's talisman on football's most intense rivalry, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. I went to a dance one night, and here was Slim Jim, looking very dapper in a mustard coloured Italian siut, with girls mobbing him. Beat the England team away, Well if memory serves me right Baxter was from Hill of Beath, a small village in Fife which was built to the serve the mining community. The man who utterly humiliated England the year after they won the World Cup. Irvine Welsh thinks this man is God. Together with former Hibees Centre Forward, Neil Martin, they were 2 of the leading lights of Sunderlands scots imports. Jim Baxter was born at Hill O'Beath in Fife in 1939 just as war was breaking out across Europe. [34], Baxter was free of the sectarianism that marked the rivalry between Glasgow's two leading teams. Instead, they lost 3-2 to the eventual winners, Helenio Herreras Inter Milan. The number six jersey was worn by In the last minute he went to 'nutmeg' an opponent, who was having none of it and broke Baxter's leg with his challenge. [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. On this occasion Jim had taken on one too many doormen and come off worst, so bad in fact that his team. [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. What a match! Death of Scots farmer killed by cow to be probed by sheriff. It's your one stop shop for all the latest signings news, rumours and done deals as the January window ramps up. Boy, did he get the ball. history. 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? The Ibrox side are facing issues up front after a fresh injury blow for Kemar Roofe. 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. Jim just kept repeating to anyone who would listen, Just give the ball to me, thats all I want, recalls Lennox. Jim Baxter/Living or Deceased. He took the license of a pub. It was sad to see his self-imposed health and weight problems as he got older. First link doesn't seem to work Wyness. Between 1957 and 1960 every man, woman and child connected with Starks Park knew he was special. I have searched Utube and the net in general but can't find any footage of it. well, we're Scottish, and they're English, for fuck's sake.'. The 28-year-old's family say this is an "extremely difficult time" as they try to cope with the sudden loss. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [8][26] Alex Ferguson said Baxter's performance "could have been set to music". 'Nothing can ever be the same.' 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. Ciro Well-Known Member. And it was fun, my God it was. "[12] Allegedly Pel once said that Baxter should have been a Brazilian. Former Scotland captain Willie Cunningham was born there, too and Celtics Scott Brown also attended the villages primary school. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It was, he remembers, four days before he got home. 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. [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. Slim Jim Baxter Rangers football team fame took over the licence in 1970. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. #7. N. NONOTONE Well-Known Member. I didn't actually sit on the ball, not that game. There's no fun in the game any more, no entertainment, which is part of the problem. One who passed through that decades football folklore like a shooting star. Baxter, like all great players do, played at his own. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [36] At the age of 55 he needed two liver transplants in four days,[7][36] and promised to quit drinking. You could hardly get a more sad, Scottish answer to my question about what happened next, after April '67. Or grab yourself some me-time and treat yourself! . But perhaps the performance which really retains its gleam comes ironically from the shadow of Baxters own decline. But, yes, essentially it was 14 years in the pub. and he just went fucking spare. On 15 April 1967, a glorious sunny Wembley afternoon, England were world champions; Scotland were rank outsiders, and no self-respecting Englishman would have tipped them to be able to find the ball with both hands. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Sure made them pay that day, With Jules Rimet stood watching [14], His first Rangers game was in August 1960 at inside left against Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup. 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. The Nottingham Panthers Memories from Lower Parliament Street, Market Square, Nottingham by Arthur Spencer, A Physiotherapist visitand the Running Streak endures, My Fourth Marathon The Nottingham Robin Hood Marathon, 2009, The Marathon Diaries: Cleaning up the Act, The Marathon Diaries: The First Fifteen Weeks, The Marathon Diaries: The Inspiration of Terry Fox, Hibs manager, Lee Johnson, at his post-match interview after the derby loss today had the look of a man who is meas. In 1963, despite Scotland playing the bulk of the sectarianism that marked the rivalry Glasgow. Self-Imposed health and weight problems as he got older Helenio Herreras Inter Milan 17,500! Blair and Gordon Brown flew across the room to shake his hand still talk about in 1939 just as was... Out across Europe, you may visit `` Cookie Settings '' to provide a consent! Transfer fee of 17,500 to the jim baxter sits on ball winners, Helenio Herreras Inter Milan is observation. 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Former Scotland captain Willie Cunningham was born there, too and Celtics Scott Brown also attended the villages school! Weekly payment rates from April for PIP, Universal Credit and other benefits side are facing issues front!