Rangers Legends
Jim Baxter
(1960-65 and 1969-70)
Born: Hill of Beath, Fife, 29th September 1939
(Sadly passing on 14th April 2001)
Rangers Honours:
Appearances: 254
Goals: 24
International Caps: 34 (whilst with Rangers)
League Winners: 1960/61, 1962/63, 1963/64
Scottish FA cup winners: 1962, 1963, 1964
Scottish League Cup winners: 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65
‘He could open a tin of peas with his left foot’, is how my Grandfather immediately refers to the great Jim Baxter as I begin to ask him just how good this particular Ranger was in his day. As my Grandfather begins to revel in past memories he gleefully tells me that the player known as ‘Slim Jim’ or ‘Stanley’ would go for millions in today’s market and that he ‘was a player that sadly I will never see the likes of in my lifetime‘.
Jim was an old style Wing Half and the outstanding talent in a dominant early 1960’s Rangers team. Described as having a left foot that could slice open even the meanest of defences, Jim was a class above the rest and he knew it, apparently. ‘He knew how good he was and he flaunted it with tricks and turns’ reminisces my Grandfather ’but the best part was, even when he done the tricks and taunted the opposition, no one could get near him at all’.
When asked to recall his finest moment in a Rangers jersey my Grandad recalls the Scottish Cup replay of the early 1960’s (On later research we find that this is the 1963 3-0 victory against Celtic). Rangers were more than in control of the game and strolling to a 3-0 victory in which ‘Slim Jim’ starred; with his chest now pumped and pushed out Jim controlled the game toying with their now beleaguered opposition. It was in this game which my Grandfather points out ‘was controlled by one man so far ahead of everyone on the football field, even God wouldn‘t have been able to take the ball from him‘. High praise indeed.
In 1961 Rangers were the first British team to compete in a European final when they reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup. Baxter was part of this glorious side and also the Treble winners in 1963/64, which was the side's crowning glory, The team that year (often) read : Ritchie; Shearer, Caldow; Greig, McKinnon, Baxter; Henderson, McMillan, Millar, Brand & Wilson.
It was that very year - in 1963 - that Baxter turned out for a world select side against England, a fantastic achievement for a youngster born out of a tiny village in Fife and an accolade highly unusual for a Scot at that time. Internationally, Jim was as good for Scotland as he was for Rangers, a player who would in fact get better the bigger the stage. It was in the same year as his world select appearance that he scored twice as 10 man Scotland beat England by a 2-1 score line (the very game where Eric Caldow broke his leg in the 6th minute and a time before substitutions where used).
As much as the above virtuoso display was widely regarded as his best in a Scotland jersey, his defining moment came at Wembley Stadium in 1967. With England newly crowned World champions Scotland took a team and won the match 3-2. On this day Baxter dribbled the ball down the left wing and began to do keepie-uppie against the World champions. This is something which my Grandfather recalls with some pride, ‘It was a fantastic moment of sublime skill designed to do one thing, take the p**s out of the English.’ Scotland were later proclaimed ‘World champions’ for the day, but it is without doubt this moment of sensational skill which will be remembered. Even as a young man, born years later, I was told of this great feat whilst growing up. Baxter was once quoted saying ‘We settled for extracting the urine’ after being asked why Scotland hadn’t pressed for a more resounding victory that day.
Sir Alex Ferguson refers to Baxter’s performance in November 1960, during a Rangers vs. Borussia Monchengladbach European Tie, as ‘the finest he has ever witnessed in his football life’. Rangers won this particular tie by 8 goals to nil and Baxter led the charge with an outstanding display.
He left Rangers in June 1965 in the midst of a wage dispute and in the middle of leading a lifestyle similar to that of George Best in modern times. He returned in 1969 but was a ‘shadow of his former self, carrying too much weight and more interested in his off the field life style’ my Grandfather proclaims with disappointment. His second stint at Rangers was short and ended in 1970 by Willie Waddell who was ever the strict disciplinarian and in no mood to put up with Baxter’s laddish behaviour.
Baxter would later be voted into Rangers Hall of Fame and earned a spot in the ‘Greatest ever Rangers Team’ voted for by fans at the turn of the Millennium. Sadly he died too young after a fight against cancer, which was a tragic loss to everyone connected with our great club.
After listening to my Grandfather speak with such excitement when recalling Baxter as a player, I can only be disappointed I never lived to see such a genuine legend in his peak playing in the Rangers jersey. It also got me wondering just how exactly a player would be feted in such modern times of extravagant transfer fees and wages. Along with so many men of that generation, my Grandfather speaks in no uncertain terms: 'He would have been up there with the very best.'
Jim Baxter, a true Rangers and Scotland legend.