Even conservative estimates pitched his winnings at 1,800. . But most of all they had a Baxter in magisterial and unstoppable form. In the 1967 match against England, who had won the 1966 World Cup, he taunted the opposition by ball juggling while waiting for his teammates to find good positions. [8], Baxter joined Sunderland for a transfer fee of 72,500, the highest ever paid to a Scottish club at the time. 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. How did it end up? Jim Baxter is hugged by fans as Scotland beat England in 1967. How do I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? It was Baxter at his most charming. A Working Class Hero? He's on to his second transplant by now. "[37], In February 2001, Baxter was diagnosed as suffering from cancer of the pancreas, and he died at his home on Glasgow's South Side on 14 April 2001, with his partner Norma and his sons Alan and Steven at his bedside. What a player! In his prime, Baxter was known for his ability to raise a team's morale, his good tactical vision, precise passing and ability to send opponents the wrong way and for being a joker on the pitch. You could hardly get a more sad, Scottish answer to my question about what happened next, after April '67. A team in navy blue toying with the Auld Enemy, then the official world champions, in their own fortress. 'Nothing can ever be the same.' Police working with the FBI say they have found the body of Cheyann Klus, 22, who was last seen at her home in November 2017. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The Swiss frontman struggled for form during his two year spell in the Scottish Premiership. Get5 copies of the world's greatest football magazine for just 5 (opens in new tab) the game's greatest stories and finest journalism direct to your door for less than the cost of a London pint. I dont need Google to reel off that team Drummond, Polland and Mochan; Young, McNaught and Baxter; Wallace, Conn, Kerry, Spence and Urquhart. HMRC has also confirmed the new rates and thresholds for Child Benefit and Tax Credits. The pub was situated at the corner of Paisley Road and Admiral Street. Thank you for signing up to Four Four Two. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared a response to Jeremy Clarkson's latest statement. Tell us granddad Today, 19 years after his death, he remains a beguiling figure. Jim Baxter was our conductor in dark blue When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. His marriage to Jean broke down in 1981 and the two divorced. Flair is a much overused word these days in relation to football but Jim encompassed it. John Greig, who would captain Rangers and whose statue now stands outside Ibrox, recalled the times when (Baxter) came into training that he couldnt bite his fingers and he would just go through and lie in the bath trying to recover.. The story Tom Miller recounts is that when Brown asked Baxter to warm up, Jim first stretched out his left leg and then his right and quipped, Thats me warmed up! He then ran the show. [48][49], In 2003, a statue of Baxter was erected in his birthplace, Hill of Beath in Fife, after a campaign that raised 80,000. A year later, this time at Wembley, he was part of an even more unlikely 2-1 win the second tenet of his legacy. Rutherglen Glencairn 'made their own luck' to jump up three league places, says boss, Willie Harvey was delighted with the win over Neilston and wants to go on a run, Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao among TEN Chinese snooker players charged with match fixing. One of their coaches gave a Brazil pennant to each of us who was there. ', Scotland's talisman on football's most intense rivalry, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [23] Bobby Moore thought this was the best team Scotland ever fielded. he never showed any regret for his lifestyle and we should remember he left his elegant footprint on football more than most. The number six jersey was worn by Punishing them into submission. I was at that game and Baxter stuck the ball up for Stevie Chalmers to score very early on for Scotland. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers Ibrox Stadium. . He was born, educated and started his career in Fife, but his peak playing years were in the early 1960s with the Glasgow club Rangers, whom he helped to win ten trophies between 1960 and 1965, and where he became known as "Slim Jim". He had touch, balance, vision and just this wonderful aura" Rangers manager Willie Waddell said, "Jim was the finest left half ever produced by Rangers." He is generally regarded as one of the countrys greatest ever players. 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. He seemed to almost glide across the pitch and was always in the right place at the right time. French nun Lucile Randon, who was also known as Sister Andr, passed away in her sleep at a nursing home in Toulouse yesterday. Jim will always be immortalised for that heroic display in 1967. 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. Horror as dozens of Scots find 'Do Not Resuscitate' notices on medical files. Jim Baxter Baxter during his time at Nottingham Forest Personal information Full name James Curran Baxter[1] Date of birth (1939-09-29)29 September 1939 Place of birth Hill of Beath, Fife, Scotland Date of death 14 April 2001(2001-04-14)(aged 61) Place of death Glasgow, Scotland[2] Position(s) Left-half Youth career Halbeath Juveniles 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. Hibernian Football Club: The Easter Road Tour, Hibernian: A team to match The Tornadoes (1), Hibernian: A team to match The Tornadoes (2), Hibernian: A team to match The Tornadoes (3). Officers raced to the single-vehicle crash on the A830 between Fort William and Mallaig after being alerted at around 1:35pm on Tuesday. And even now I can watch the grainy black and white highlights again and again and watch him. James Curran Baxter was born in Hill of Beath on 29 September 1939. [14] He described his approach to playing football as "treating the ball like a woman. Rangers squad revealed as Robbie Ure sent SOS call amid three-pronged striker struggle. I hear your dad's wee Jimmy Clitheroe?" It wasn't a plea. But Baxter tantalized and sucked them in Now years on I hope we can celebrate Jims genius by supporting the next generation of Fife footballers who will carry his legacy forward. [7][11][12] Baxter regarded his performance in 1963 as the better of the two. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. On leaving school he saw his best prospects in becoming a miner and joined many other Fifers in starting a life down the pit. Jims pass, timed to perfection 12 minutes from the end, allowed Lennox to steer the ball beyond Englands Gordon Banks. [8][39] During this period the team won the Scottish League Championship in 1961, 1963 and 1964,[12] and were winners of three Scottish Cups and four League Cups from as many finals, Baxter playing in all seven ties. Right along the Wemberly touchline By 55 he needed a liver transplant. Give it a cuddle, caress it a wee bit, take your time, and you'll get the required response". The Left Lion and Nottinghams Old Market Square, The Nags Head, Woodborough, Nottinghamshire, The Nottingham Robin Hood Beer Festival 2009. The Press Association arent known for breathless flair in their reporting, but they were captivated. Disgraceful. Seb Stafford-Bloor is a football writer at Tifo Football and member of the Football Writers' Association. Jun. But 1967, the year after England won the World Cup, was an even better platform upon which Baxter could stand tall and shine. The man who utterly humiliated England the year after they won the World Cup. As a young man growing up in Hill O Beith he was a Hibernian fan, admiring the stellar forward play of the Hibees Famous Five. . Never more so than against England. Bill McLaren -Theyll be sad in the streets of Hawick tonight. The phone call was about as unexpected as Alex Ferguson ringing up to ask my views on his latest signing . Susan Aitken has written to John Swinney and Michael Gove to question why "a major investment is going entirely to one side of Scotland". Baxter scored both goals. well done . 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. I've just spent the last two hours watching England v Scotland in 1967 for my Sports Journalism class. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. But in 1965 the balance of power shifted. Pancreatic cancer Wembley this is the London Palladium, Baxter said according to Tom Miller in a marvellous book Slim Jim: Simply The Best. 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. That would become a guaranteed 9 a week when he made Bert Herdmans first team and, with his pit days behind him, Baxters professional career was underway. [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. BA1 1UA. He out played them, Grown men were seen to cry the tears DEALThree ways to (safely) get FourFourTwo magazine right now with special offers, Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, Get daily World Cup 2022 news, updates and other football frolics to your inbox. Cheers! Boss Brown bristled. Scotland legend "Slim Jim" famously humiliated the previous year's World Cup winners on their own hallowed turf, capping his performance with an iconic keepy-uppy display considered one of the most memorable moments in Scottish football history. Hi Stuart.. Bath rangers, scotland Powered by Invision Community, We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. It was certainly a change and I wasn't letting it go by." But perhaps the performance which really retains its gleam comes ironically from the shadow of Baxters own decline. 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? Baxter had just moved to Forest, in what would become one of the most notorious transfers in the clubs history, and hed fluttered into a local bar. Together with former Hibees Centre Forward, Neil Martin, they were 2 of the leading lights of Sunderlands scots imports. [8] In this game Baxter also conspired with Billy Bremner against Alan Ball, sending Bremner a "50-50" pass, which allowed Bremner to "hit Ball like a train" when Ball contested possession. [7] He undertook National Service with the Black Watch from 1961 to 1963.[9]. In Denis Law, Jim Baxter and Billy Bremner, the team that took to the turf at Wembley for the Auld Enemy clash on April 11, 1967, boasted three players who would make it into any all-time Scotland XI. It's your one stop shop for all the latest signings news, rumours and done deals as the January window ramps up. Heres how it works. 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. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium. Next month, Baxter won't be there. The night before the second game, Jim Baxter didnt sleep. In 1966, sixteen months after his leg had been broken, Baxter was not able to inspire his teammates, and Scotland lost 43 to England. He will always be remembered. That afternoon, after a few hours sleep, he and his left foot would captivate 120,000 fans at Hampden Park, giving what was by his own reckoning his finest performance against Celtic in a 3-0 win. "He was arguably the best player to play in Scottish football and the greatest player I ever played with.he had touch, balance, vision and just this wonderful aura" (Alex Ferguson about Jim. Get the latest news from Record Sport with our daily newsletter. Raith Rovers youth development manager Craig Easton needs 60,000 a year simply to pay the bills for modern apprenticeships the team offer. In those days the local Nottingham Evening Post would often report that Jim was two or three moves ahead of his teammates in thinking. [8][26] Alex Ferguson said Baxter's performance "could have been set to music". Bingtao is one of 10 snooker players from China suspended pending investigation from the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Its 50 years ago yet still we smile. I had never been asked that before, but when pondering my answer, I realized there was only one obvious response. James Curran Baxter (29 September 1939 14 April 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half. Did they try to stop him playing? 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. You just wanted him to play football forever but that was never his style. It was outrageous and ridiculous, provocative and cheeky. Symon, by all accounts a disciplinarian, made exceptions for his No.6. While you're here, why not take advantage of our brilliant new subscribers' offer? The reasons for that are many but in simple terms it was because my father worshipped him and this suggested that I ought to too. [38], Baxter played most of his best football in his early twenties, before the leg fracture against Rapid Vienna in December 1964 and the start of his heavy drinking that made his nickname "Slim Jim" less appropriate. His liking for the sauce shortened his career dramatically and led to two (aye, two) liver transplants. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Football Disconnected From its Supporters? "[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. [7] In his time at the Kirkcaldy club he orchestrated a 32 win over Rangers at Ibrox Park; Scot Symon decided he wanted to sign him for Rangers from that performance. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Hed beat one man, then turn around The next day Scotland played most of the game with 10 men after Eric Caldow broke a leg, and won 2-1. I used to watch him playing for Rangers and Scotland in the sixties. . Jim Baxter, the legendary Scottish footballer, who humbled England at Wembley. The SFA insisted that the ball should be returned, and Rangers sent them a ball, but possibly not the match ball. Thanks very much, Alan. Rangers dominated the 1963 Scottish Cup Final, but it finished 1-1 and needed a replay. Glasgow council leader attacks east coast bias after Clyde fails in freeport bid. [20] He made his international debut in November 1960, when Scotland beat Northern Ireland. Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Were it not for a broken leg in Vienna, he and they might have won the European Cup in 1965. He came into the pub and sat on a high wooden stool, as if he owned the room. Brought cheers that echoed loud, Jim Baxter sat upon the ball The Scots have found something else to do with their ice apart from putting it in drinks! Jim Baxter/Cause of death. A Fatal Accident Inquiry will examine how Derek Roan, 71, died at his family farm near Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway, in June last year. the new-born riot of self-expression that bubbled freely from Baxter, (Dave) Mackay, (John) White and (Denis) Law, the all-important quadrilateral that formed the heart of the Scottish effort.". till i die. He took the license of a pub. Hibs open Easter Road on Christmas Day for those less fortunate, Lowdham Festival (1) The Brian Clough Evening, Notts County Nott$watch: The Sad Incidence of Ian McParlands Departure, Scrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. . It was, he remembers, four days before he got home. Jim Baxter: remembering an immortal of Scottish football By Seb Stafford-Bloor published April 14, 2020 'Slim' Jim Baxter died 19 years ago today, but the Scottish icon's legacy as a player. His performances at Starks Park persuaded Rangers manager Scot Symon to pay a record Scottish transfer fee of 17,500 to bring . The Scottish Labour leader said it was up to Keir Starmer to judge how the controversial law looks in the rest of the UK. He was a master, Pete. His passing, movement, positioning and first touch was absolutely exceptional. I fondly recall the time he robbed Johnny Haynes from behind in a game against England, even though, as John Grieg joked about his defense,He couldnt tackle a fish supper!. Baxter was also addicted to gambling, and is estimated to have lost between 250,000 and 500,000. The Rapid match was probably the end of Jims era too. The man was a genus, and I dont use that term lightly. By 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. His drinking was almost as accomplished as his football, the former finally overruled the latter as he attempted one last hurrah at Rangers after Forest freed him. Just a breathtaking talent. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Hall of Fame inductees, List of Scotland national football team captains, "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Scotland Under-23", "Matches played by James Curran Baxter for Scottish Football League XI", "Rangers legend Slim Jim Baxter would have been a crack shot in the army too, says his former Major", "Slim Jim Baxter 1939 - 2001: Death of a Legend", "Baxter 'best to play in Scottish football', "Baxter a self-confident master of sublime skills", "Baxter the shooting star | Nottingham Forest chapter started the rapid decline of a glittering career", "Jim Baxter - Scotland Football Record from 09 Nov 1960 to 22 Nov 1967", "Cry for Us, Argentina: Sport and national identity in late twentieth-century Scotland", "England v Rest of World, 23 October 1963", "World Cup 1966: The Qualification Rounds", "Scottish Sports Hall of Fame: Jim Baxter", "Scottish Football Hall of Fame - Jim Baxter", "World Soccer Players of the Century (2001)", "Baxter vs Moore - Costing you money in Parliament", "SNP MP's motion backs Jim Baxter bridge at Wembley", "Celtic bag Brown from under Rangers' nose", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Scotland", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196061", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196263", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196364", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196162", "Matches played by Jim Baxter for Rangers, 196465", "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1965", Jim Baxter's Funeral Images @ Glasgow Guide, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jim_Baxter&oldid=1099018231, Scottish Football League representative players, Scotland under-23 international footballers, Scottish Junior Football Association players, Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Canada, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 18 July 2022, at 16:10. [7] Baxter often got falling-down drunk the night before a match, but this did not seem to hamper his play, and team managers took little notice of his drinking. Almost 15 years ago Baxters friends and fans came together and raised 60,000 for Jims Hill of Beath statue. [44] In the December 1999 issue of World Soccer magazine he was voted by a readers' poll into a list of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century. The next day I was in Glasgow and the girls were throwing themselves at me. I owe them. And I was so thrilled when the Daily Record asked me to present him with the Midfielder of the Century award in Glasgow only a few months before his death. He could tease with the ball, twisting defenders into a knot. 'Aye, that stuff. There, now Ive got that out of the way Ill begin. He was some player, John. He started doing. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Full list of new DWP weekly payment rates from April for PIP, Universal Credit and other benefits. Anyone else on here old enough to remember the game? Sign up for a new account in our community. Sven-Goran Eriksson signs for Notts County! The legal appeal over the 20 Universal Credit uplift during the pandemic has been dismissed. #8. whitburnwarrior said: Baxter was far from past his best when he came to Sunderland . As always I wont head in the direction of a detailed resume of his life or career as that has been covered by many. well, we're Scottish, and they're English, for fuck's sake.'. It was also symbolic. Although he was given most of the credit for the 32 win, some commentators wished he had made an effort to run up a bigger score. Or he could rake it forty yards, dropping it on any blade of grass. The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. Tell of us of the day? Stirling Albion's fixture hopes washed away again as they wait to make 2023 bow. Not Baxter, though. By 1965, his relationship with Rangers was close to fracture. Its one of the anecdotes which sustains Baxters legend. 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. For Jim, a one-time-miner who learnt his football on the ash-pitches of Fife, is and always has been staunchly apolitical. Its a pity he wasnt at his best at the City Ground. Much of Jim Baxters story as a player with Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Scotland is fabled stuff. 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. Keepie uppie is it called? On this occasion Jim had taken on one too many doormen and come off worst, so bad in fact that his teammates were not allowed to see the state of him for the next two weeks as he was ordered to train on his own. [17] He was noted for accurate passes, for sending opponents the wrong way with a swivel of his hips, and for inspiring teammates with his confident approach. [40] Most famously, during Scotland's 32 win over England in 1967, he taunted his opponents by playing "keepie uppie" during the game. [8] Scotland finished second in their qualifying group, behind Italy. . Anas Sarwar warns UK Government has taken 'wrong approach' by blocking Holyrood gender reforms. I went down to the St Enoch Hotel after the match for autographs as the Brazil team were staying there. [17][7], In December 1967, English First Division club Nottingham Forest signed Baxter from Sunderland for a club record 100,000 fee, but his rapidly declining fitness and troubled personal life meant the move was unsuccessful. Scottish public opinion at the time blamed lack of commitment by the "Anglos", Scottish-born players who spent little or none of their playing careers in Scotland. Between 1957 and 1960 every man, woman and child connected with Starks Park knew he was special. It was an order, barked to Bobby Lennox, then passed around. He was indulged in ways that other players werent and had an aversion to nurturing his gifts that was never properly challenged. oh, playing on that pitch, it was what I was born for!' Sadly Baxter would be capped only two more times the last a few months later in November 1967 before his international career was over. In the last minute he went to 'nutmeg' an opponent, who was having none of it and broke Baxter's leg with his challenge. According to this Nutmeg article: In 1963 Rangers beat Celtic 3-0 in the Scottish Cup final replay. Its brush strokes creating small masterpieces whenever he was on the ball. stomach I moved to U.S.A.from Scotland in 1965 and subsequently coached youngsters for 12 years. It was also easy to forgive him too. Jim Baxter was like no other football player Ive seen. 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. It was one which occurred at the most inopportune moment. Jim, of course, went on to play regularly for Scotland scoring both goals in the 2-1 win over England in 1963 despite Scotland playing the bulk of the game with only 10 men after Rangers full-back Eric Caldow broke his leg. One while at university, I had a summer job working on a farm near Dunfermline. And what football! Although he gained a reputation as a womaniser when he moved to Glasgow, he married in 1965 and had two sons. Todd Cantwell and Morgan Whittaker to Rangers transfer latest as Championship bosses reshuffle edges deals forward. They celebrated him leaving . how on earth did he celebrate something like that? Jim was certainly a one-off wasnt he. On a research study at my favourite watering hole The Woodlark at Lambley, (tours available), I , Baxter and Joe Baker dutifully came to bear upon proceedings. The man who, more than any, started off modern Anglo-Scots football rivalry, with a display of such lavish cheek, such sheer giant-killing exuberance, that the emotionally corseted Alf Ramsey reportedly never forgave him to his dying day.