Jim Herriot
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Herriot is a former Scottish
international footballer
, who played as a goalkeeper for clubs in both Scotland and England
.
from junior
side Douglasdale in 1958, becoming the Pars established number 1 when Eddie Connachan
left for Middlesbrough
in 1963. Herriot's performances also drew interest from English scouts and, having helped the side to the 1965 Scottish Cup
final, he was transferred to Birmingham City
for £18,000. During his playing days at St. Andrews Herriot adopted the American Football technique of applying boot polish under and around his eyes to reduce the effects of glare from the sun.
Herriot was a fixture in the City side during the next four years and would eventually gain international recognition. He made his Scotland
debut in October 1968, during a 1-0 defeat of Denmark
in Copenhagen
, and played a further 7 times for the national side. His last cap came just a year after his first, in a 3-2 defeat by West Germany
in a FIFA World Cup
qualifier in Hamburg
.
By 1970 Herriot had fallen from favour at St Andrews
and, following a loan spell with Mansfield Town
, he left for South Africa
n side Durban City. He returned to Britain in 1971, joining Eddie Turnbull
's developing Hibernian
side. With Hibs he would win his first career honour, the 1972-73
League Cup
, as well as the fledgling Drybrough Cup
on two occasions.
He left the Edinburgh side to join St Mirren in 1973, then moved to Partick Thistle
in 1975. After a spell on loan with Greenock Morton
in October 1975 he returned to Dunfermline Athletic in early 1976 before joining Morton permanently for the 1976-77 season
. He retired from the game in the summer of 1977.
, a Yorkshire
vet
whose real name was Alf Wight. Wight needed a pen-name to comply with professional rules banning advertising and chose Jim Herriot's name after seeing him play exceptionally well for Birmingham City in a televised match against Manchester United
. Jim Herriot is actually a trained bricklayer.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
international footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, who played as a goalkeeper for clubs in both Scotland and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Career
Herriot joined Dunfermline AthleticDunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
from junior
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
side Douglasdale in 1958, becoming the Pars established number 1 when Eddie Connachan
Eddie Connachan
Edward "Eddie" Devlin Connachan was a Scottish football goalkeeper who played for Dunfermline Athletic, Middlesbrough, Falkirk, East London Celtic and the Scotland national team....
left for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in 1963. Herriot's performances also drew interest from English scouts and, having helped the side to the 1965 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
final, he was transferred to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for £18,000. During his playing days at St. Andrews Herriot adopted the American Football technique of applying boot polish under and around his eyes to reduce the effects of glare from the sun.
Herriot was a fixture in the City side during the next four years and would eventually gain international recognition. He made his Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
debut in October 1968, during a 1-0 defeat of Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and played a further 7 times for the national side. His last cap came just a year after his first, in a 3-2 defeat by West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in a FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifier in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
.
By 1970 Herriot had fallen from favour at St Andrews
St Andrews (stadium)
St Andrew's is an association football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham, England. It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century....
and, following a loan spell with Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, he left for South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n side Durban City. He returned to Britain in 1971, joining Eddie Turnbull
Eddie Turnbull
Edward Hunter Turnbull was a Scottish professional football player and manager.During the late 1940s and 1950s he was one of the Famous Five, the noted Hibernian forward line, along with Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, and Willie Ormond...
's developing Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
side. With Hibs he would win his first career honour, the 1972-73
1972-73 in Scottish football
The 1972–73 season was the 76th season of Scottish league football.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: Celtic Relegated: Kilmarnock, Airdrieonians-Scottish League Division Two:Promoted: Clyde, Dunfermline Athletic...
League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
, as well as the fledgling Drybrough Cup
Drybrough Cup
The Drybrough Cup was a Scottish annual football tournament. It was held from 1971 until 1974, and was revived from 1979 to 1980. It was open to the four highest-scoring teams from Division 1, and the four highest-scoring teams from Division 2. The format allowed the tournament to have three...
on two occasions.
He left the Edinburgh side to join St Mirren in 1973, then moved to Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle F.C.
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...
in 1975. After a spell on loan with Greenock Morton
Greenock Morton F.C.
Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....
in October 1975 he returned to Dunfermline Athletic in early 1976 before joining Morton permanently for the 1976-77 season
1976-77 in Scottish football
Season 1976–1977 was the 80th season of Scottish league football.After the failure of the Spring Cup and the 26 game season in the 1st & 2nd Divisions, a 39 game season was instituted in these divisions with a slight imbalance in the amount of home and away games played by each team; however,...
. He retired from the game in the summer of 1977.
Literary alter-ego
Herriot is probably best-known today for giving his name to the writer James HerriotJames Herriot
James Herriot was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight , an English veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinarian to write a series of books of stories about animals and their owners...
, a Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
vet
Veterinary surgeon
Veterinary surgeon is a term used to describe:*The full title of a vet, who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals, in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries**See also Veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom...
whose real name was Alf Wight. Wight needed a pen-name to comply with professional rules banning advertising and chose Jim Herriot's name after seeing him play exceptionally well for Birmingham City in a televised match against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. Jim Herriot is actually a trained bricklayer.
External links
- Profile at official Dunfermline AthleticDunfermline Athletic F.C.Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
website. - Newcastle Fans profile