Jim had to score to be on time for Christmas dinner
Scotland’s footballers haven’t been in action on Christmas Day since 1976.
There seems little prospect of them ever playing on December 25 again – unless the television companies decide differently.
Back in 1973, Clydebank played East Stirling in a Scottish Cup First Round match on Christmas Eve.
They drew 0- 0, and that meant they had to play again the following day, when everyone else was celebrating Santa’s arrival.
Arranging to be at a relatives’ house in time for the turkey dinner can always be a problem, but Bankies’ defender Jim Fallon came up with a solution.
It looked like he was facing soggy sprouts when still a goal hadn’t been scored in the Cup tie as full-time approached.
He recalled: “We were due to meet East Stirling about 10 days before we first played on Christmas Eve, but the game kept being postponed because of freezing weather.
“SFA rules meant we had to keep trying to play the game to a quick conclusion.
“The draw at Firs Park saw us back in action 24 hours later at Kilbowie.
“It was a 2pm kick-off, and I dropped my wifeto-be off at her relatives on the way to the game.
“I said I’d definitely be back for Christmas dinner by 5.30, but it wasn’t looking likely when it was still 0-0 with two minutes to go. “Extra-time was looming.
“I said to my team-mates that something had to happen for me to make the dinner.
“I’d either have to score an own goal or, the preferred option, get us a winner.
“So I made a rare foray up front, took a pass from Billy Mccoll and hit the net from 20 yards.
“It was a pretty good goal, won the tie and made sure I was back in time for dinner.”
Jim didn’t score very often in more than 800 games for the Bankies between 1968 and 1986.
But he converted a penalty kick as his team drew with Inverness Clachnacuddin in the next round of the competition.
They won the replay 3- 2, and were drawn against Celtic at Parkhead, one of the first Scottish Cup ties to be played on a Sunday.
Jim recalled: “We were beaten 6-1, but I scored another penalty right at the end of the match.
“I remember Billy Mcneill being far from pleased because Celtic had gone six competitive games without conceding a goal.
“Dixie Deans got a hat- trick, and murdered me that afternoon. I’d rather have had Kenny Dalglish as my direct opponent!”
Jim was part of the Clydebank team that grew up together and took the club all the way to the top flight.
He said: “We did really well, considering that we were a part-time club.
“Davie Cooper was the exceptional talent in our team. Our front two of Mike Larnach and Joe Mccallan were real workhorses. Jim Gallacher was a top goalkeeper.
“There were four games against Rangers in the League Cup in 1976. We lost the quarterfinal second replay 2-1 at Firhill.”
Jim had another day of action on Christmas Day – the last game to date that has clashed with the Queen’s Speech.
He said: “We played St Mirren in front of a crowd that must have been over 10,000.
“It was quite a contrast to three years before when only 133 people left their dinner to watch the Cup tie against East Stirling.
“We were vying for the First Division title with St Mirren, so there was a big rivalry.
“It was a pretty wild occasion. Bottles were thrown and a few fans got arrested.
“We were 2-0 ahead, but had to settle for a 2-2 draw. It meant I preserved my unbeaten record on Christmas Day.”
Jim, now 70, had coaching and management roles at Clydebank, Dumbarton and Airdrie.
He has now retired after many years running a well- known physiotherapy clinic at Hampden Park.