Jim Baxter

Raith Rovers

Baxter joined Raith Rovers as a part-timer in 1957. In his time at the Kirkcaldy club he orchestrated a 3–2 win over Rangers at Ibrox Park; Scot Symon decided he wanted to sign him for Rangers from that performance. In an interview on his career, Baxter was asked if joining the senior ranks was the beginning of his football education. He said he found the idea of being given any sort of football education laughable, before then commenting on Willie McNaught. 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. This, Baxter then stated, was his football education with Willie McNaught the provider. He later said of his time with the two Fife clubs, "I would never have made it in today's circumstances. I needed bastards like Carmichael, Buckard, Ferrier, Herdman and McNaught. Young players like I was would simply tell them to get stuffed and take their talent elsewhere. I owe them."

Rangers

In June 1960, Baxter joined the Glasgow team Rangers for a transfer fee of £17,500, a Scottish record at the time. He played for Rangers from 1960 to 1965, mainly as an attacking left half. During this period the team won the Scottish League Championship in 1961, 1963 and 1964, and were winners of three Scottish Cups and four League Cups from…

In the 1960s Baxter gained 34 caps as a member of strong Scottish teams, which included Billy McNeill, Paddy Crerand, John White, Dave Mackay, Denis Law and John Greig. In his international appearances he scored three goals, and Scotland won 21, drew 3 and lost 10 of these matches. He made his international debut in November 1960, when Scotland beat Northern Ireland. In 1961 Scotland had lost 9–3 to England at Wembley, and April 1962 Baxter and Crerand played brilliantly, helping Scotland to gain some revenge with a 2–0 win. According to many commentators, his greatest performances were against England in 1963 and 1967. Baxter regarded his performance in 1963 as the better of the two. In the 1963 game Scotland were reduced to 10 men when their left back Eric Caldow's leg was broken in a tackle by Bobby Smith – substitutions were not allowed at that time. Baxter, supported by Mackay, White and Law, led Scotland to a 2–1 win, scoring both of the goals, the first being Baxter's first-ever penalty kick, for an English foul on Willie Henderson. Bobby Moore thought this was the best team Scotland ever fielded. The following year Scotland, again inspired by Baxter and Law, beat England 1–0, and only poor finishing prevented them from scoring a bigger win. In 1966, sixteen months after his leg had been broken, Baxter was not able to inspire his teammates, and Scotland lost 4–3 to England. In the 1967 British Home Championship, Baxter produced a dominating but controversial…

Baxter was born in Hill of Beath, Fife, on 29 September 1939 and was educated and started his career there. After leaving school he spent eight months as an apprentice cabinet maker, and then worked as a coal miner. His former headmaster James Carmichael took an interest in ex-pupils and encouraged Baxter to join local football team Halbeath Juveniles instead of one of the glamour clubs. Baxter went on to play for the Fife junior team, Crossgates Primrose. He undertook National Service with the Black Watch from 1961 to 1963.

After moving to Rangers, Baxter became a notorious womaniser. In his words, "One day, I was a Raith Rovers player who couldnae pull the birds at the Cowdenbeath Palais. The next day I was in Glasgow and the girls were throwing themselves at me. It was certainly a change and I wasn't letting it go by." However, in 1965 he married Jean Ferguson, a hairdresser, and the couple brought up two sons Alan and Steven. His marriage to Jean broke down in 1981 and the two divorced. Jean married golfer William McCondichie three years later. In 1983 Baxter formed a relationship with Norma Morton, and the couple remained together until his death in 2001. Baxter was free of the sectarianism that marked the rivalry between Glasgow's two leading teams. His close friends included the Celtic players Billy McNeill, Paddy Crerand and Mike Jackson, in defiance of the unwritten rule that rivals did not associate. Like some other British football stars of the late 20th century, Baxter drank to excess, and at one point was said to be consuming three bottles of Bacardi a day. Scotland teammate Dave Mackay unsuccessfully advised him to train harder and live more sensibly. 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. After retiring from football Baxter became a pub licensee, an unsuitable career for a problem drinker. At the age of 55 he needed two liver transplants in four days, and promised…