JIMMY GORDON

Jimmy Gordon was arguably the most successful of all of Wishaw’s former players to move into senior football. Jimmy came from Fauldhouse and started his working life as a miner. Transferred to Newcastle United in 1935, Jimmy’s playing career came to an abrupt stop in 1939 with the outbreak of WW2. After serving in the army Jimmy was transferred to Middlesborough when football resumed in 1945, as Newcastle apparantly  believed that at 30 years old, Jimmy’s best footballing years were now behind him. Nothing was to be further from the truth as Jimmy continued playing for a further 8 years, for most of that time acting as ‘provider’ to the famous English internationalist Wilf Manion.  In 1952 Jimmy was appointed captain of the Wearside club.

When his playing career ended Jimmy continued in football, coaching Middlesborough from 1954 until 1961 when he moved to a similar role at Blackburn Rovers. In 1969 Jimmy received a call to join the newly appointed manager of Derby County a certain Brian Clough.  From then on where Clough went, Jimmy went too ………………… to be continued.