The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

Dons snub saw Jimmy team up with Haynes

- By Brian Fowlie sport@sundaypost.com

It’s only a couple of weeks until the January transfer window opens.

English clubs are bound to be casting eyes towards Scotland in the hope of uncovering a bargain.

Premier League clubs now have incredibly extensive scouting networks.

It was a lot more random when Jimmy Weir’s football journey was rerouted from one end of the country to the other.

He recalled: “I was 17 in 1956, and had been playing juvenile at Barshaw Park in Paisley, when a gentleman tipped his hat and introduced himself as a scout for Aberdeen.

“He congratula­ted me on my performanc­e and asked if I’d like a trial for them.

“I said that would suit me nicely, so I arranged to meet the Aberdeen manager at Queen Street railway station in Glasgow.

“We had a chat and I was to go to Pittodrie for a fortnight’s trial.

“They were to make the arrangemen­ts and let me know when to go up.

“I don’t know what happened, but I’m still waiting for the phone call.

“Instead of heading for the Northern Lights, I went to the bright lights of London.

“I was with Clydebank Juniors when I got a firm offer to join Fulham the following year.

“They had a Scottish manager in Duggie Livingston­e.

“My mother’s sister lived in London, so having family down there was one of the reasons I didn’t have to be asked twice.

“The money was nothing like they get now, but it was trebling what I was on at the time.”

The London club have just announced they’re to demolish and redevelop the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage.

Fans who occupied that stand 60 years ago saw Jimmy go straight from junior football to lining up alongside England star Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Hill.

He went on: “Of all the games I played, the one I remember most is probably my Fulham debut.

“We played Ipswich Town at Portman Road and drew 1-1.

“I was an out-and-out winger. You were allowed to dribble with the ball.

“They don’t allow that these days, not unless you’re Messi!

“My first three games for Fulham were all draws, so I couldn’t have done too badly.

“But then Trevor Chamberlai­n came back from injury and went straight into the No. 11 shirt.

“He was built like a barn door and a real favourite at Craven Cottage.”

Modern footballer­s think it’s hard to make it in England now, but it was no easier back in Jimmy’s heyday.

He went on: “They had 40 or 50 players. If you weren’t in the first team, it would be a struggle to get a game for the reserves.

“I might have had more of a chance coming off the bench as a substitute, but they weren’t introduced until the late 60s.”

A change of management saw Bedford Jezzard take over at Fulham and Jimmy left after a threeyear spell at the club.

He said: “I joined York City and managed to score 29 goals in a season, without taking penalites.

“Moving to York was the start of a journey around English football.

“I’d seen guys I went to school with in Glasgow – like Paddy Crerand and Frank McLintock – do well but I wasn’t getting interest from the clubs at their level.

“York sold me to Mansfield, where I stayed for a season. I also played for Luton Town and Tranmere Rovers.”

Jimmy, now 79, then dropped out of the Football League to join Scarboroug­h, where he still lives.

He said: “I played for Scarboroug­h and got a job at Plaxton’s coachbuild­ers.

“A lot of lads in the factory came from Alexanders in Scotland. It’s why I’ve not lost my accent!”

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 ??  ?? Jimmy was a teammate of Fulham legends Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Hill
Jimmy was a teammate of Fulham legends Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Hill

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