White boots became the Bankies Babes’ trademark
THINK of Scottish football 50 years ago, and the Lisbon Lions immediately come to mind.
Clydebank’s scheme to develop new stars was a more modest success, but still significant in its own way.
The first player to be signed under Scotland’s new apprentice professional scheme was Jimmy Caskie.
He went on to become a star of the Bankies’ Babes and is now in the club’s Hall of Fame.
The times were changing at Kilbowie – the team even became the first to appear in coloured boots!
Jimmy’s signing was big news at the time because of his famous father.
His dad, also Jimmy, had been a star winger with Everton, Rangers and Scotland.
He hit the headlines when Moscow Dynamo objected to him playing in a 1945 challenge match because he’d only signed on the eve of the game.
Clydebank knew nothing of his footballing pedigree when they spotted Caskie Jnr playing in a trial match.
Jimmy recalled: “There were a few teams interested but I thought it looked like there was an early chance of getting into the Clydebank first team. That’s the way it turned out.
“I was signed in 1967 at the age of 17, stayed with my youth team, Dumbreck Amateurs, for a few weeks and was then called up.
“At the time, I was studying to become a printer and, as I recall, the wage from football was £6-a-week.
“My first-team debut came at the beginning of 1968 and that started the introduction of other teenagers into the team.
“Guys like Dougie Hay, Denis Ruddy, Jim Fallon, Alan Munro and Gerry O’Brien all formed the Bankies Babes.
“By the end of the season, we had half of the team who were 17 or 18 years old.
“The Steedman brothers, who ran the club, stuck with the young players despite us initially struggling to get results.
“Ultimately they got a bit of stick for the way Clydebank eventually went out of business as a professional club. But I have to say they treated me very well.
“They had some very good ideas that were ahead of their time.
“We were one of the first to have a sponsorship deal for our footwear. We all got white boots from Hummel at a time when that was very unusual.
“I’m sure the idea was to make a bit of money by selling on the young players.
“They did sell Gerry O’Brien to Southampton and goalkeeper Mike McDonald to Stoke City, but most of us stayed plying our trade in Scotland.
“One of the games that sticks in my mind is playing Aberdeen when they went on to win the Scottish Cup in 1970.
“Although we lost 2-1, we really made them work for their victory.”
Jimmy ended his first spell with Clydebank in 1973 and signed for Partick Thistle.
He went on: “I was struggling after a cartilage operation and then Davie McParland took me to Firhill.
“Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get past established players such as Dennis McQuade and Bobby Lawrie.”
After a short spell with Stirling Albion, Jimmy made a return to the Bankies.
He said: “Davie Cooper was coming through and we won the Second Division Championship.
“That was followed up by winning promotion to the Premier Division as runners-up to Alex Ferguson’s St Mirren.”
Jimmy, now 67, retired from his job in the printing industry four years ago.