Jimmy Liddle

Many ‘Loons’ fans, certainly those of a certain age group will be saddened to hear of the sudden passing of former player Jimmy Liddle at his home in Edinburgh on Sunday past.

An old fashioned striker by trade, Jimmy was a key member of the Athies squad who clinched the 1983/4 Second Division title in such style, the first ever championship success in the club’s history.

Jimmy began his senior career at Cowdenbeath whom he joined from Whitehill Welfare making 150 appearances for the Central Park outfit before moving to Station Park as a ‘marquee’ signing at the time by Doug Houston in February of 1983 for what was then a record transfer fee paid by the club.

The following season, a never to be forgotten one in the ‘Loons’ history the League Two title was secured with a record points tally and only three defeats in the thirty-nine match programme.

Jimmy played in 36 of those games netting an invaluable 22 goals.

The following season the step up to First Division action did not faze the then Penicuik based number ‘9’, as he terrorised defences in the higher echelon.

At the end of that campaign, he was part of the Forfar squad that headed for Guelph in Ontario and then within a week of his return from across the Atlantic, alongside club skipper Ian McPhee he headed to Utrecht in Holland to represent Scotland in a semi-professional tournament which the host nation apart also included select sides from England and Italy. The Scotland side managed by Terry Christie returned home with the silverware following wins over the English and Italian outfits.

At the end of the subsequent campaign in the summer of 1986, Jimmy who had during that particular season been linked with a move to a top flight Belgian club jumped at the opportunity of Premier League football with Hamilton Accies, the Athies to be fair recovering a fair chunk of the fee they had paid the ‘Blue Brazil’ three years before.

There could be no doubting the fact that Forfar Athletic had more than their money’s worth from the mercurial leader of their attack who made 115 starting appearances in a Sky Blue shirt netting 47 goals.

Jimmy had brief spells back on loan at Cowdenbeath and with Meadowbank Thistle, as well as a stint in lower league football in Belgium, before concentrating on his business interests.

A larger than life character, some of the off field stories of his time at the club the stuff of legends, was back in the ‘toonie’ despite health problems on two occasions last season.

He was one of around thirty ex players who attended the Dinner in the Reid Hall just under a year ago to honour David McGregor’s services to the club, then in April he returned with all the other heroes of 83/84 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their triumph at the home game against Peterhead.

A great afternoon and evening was had by all with Jimmy one of the main story tellers present on what was a day to remember for all present.

His death has come as a shock to all his colleagues from that side in particular, many of whom were very upset on hearing the news at the beginning of the week.

However at this time it is appropriate that all connected with Forfar Athletic convey their treasured memories and sympathies to Jimmy’s family in particular.

Rest in Peace ‘big man.’