Jim Baxter

1939 — 2001

Football Player; A Fife lad ‘Slim’ Jim Baxter was born in Hill of Beath in 1939. One of Scottish football’s greatest ball players Jim was quickly noticed playing junior football by Raith Rovers. His performances at Starks Park persuaded Rangers manager Scot Symon to pay a record Scottish transfer fee of £17,500 to bring him to Ibrox Park. Baxter became the star of the Rangers side of the early 1960s which dominated Scottish football. Such was his standing within football that he was selected for the Rest of the World Squad against England in the FA Centenary match of 1963.

A move into England followed and Baxter played with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest before returning north once more to end his career with Rangers. Baxter would win 34 caps for Scotland and with Rangers he won three Scottish League Championships, three Scottish Cups and four Scottish League Cups.

Baxter’s arrogant style on the field underlined a great belief in his own ability and he is perhaps best remembered for playing ‘keepie uppie’ at Wembley against World Champions England in 1967. In some respects Slim Jim was a wayward genius but there is no doubting also that in his prime he was a world class player. The greatest shame is that he bowed out of football too early.