The father of a legendary Dundee United player has died whilst on a cycling trip in Majorca.
Jim Brewster, 75, father of Craig Brewster, was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday.
The former United manager said: “He always supported my football. He would always follow what I was doing, and what my sister was achieving too.
“My father was a real cyclist – that was his passion. After retiring, he was like a professional cyclist.
“He cycled the South African Cape Rouleur race, which he won a green jersey for.”
Jim also completed an official sideshow to the Tour de France at the age of 62, and covered 126 miles on the Pyrenees’ steep mountain roads.
In 1983, Jim ran the first ever Dundee Marathon with an impressive time of just under three hours, a feat he previously described as a “doddle”.
Craig said: “The day after running the marathon, he ran another two miles and then never ran again – he just cycled.”
The amateur cyclist, who had pedalled 250 miles over the three days prior to his death, had been taking part in an annual biking holiday with the Dundee Wheelers Cycling Club.
For 19 years Jim, known as Peem by family and friends, ran Brewster’s Cycles bike shop on Logie Street, which he owned until his retirement.
Fellow Dundee Wheeler Jim Foulis, who was in Majorca with Jim, said: “I’ve known him for 16 years – he had a bit of a gruff exterior, a bit of a growler, but it was all a front. He had a heart of gold and would do anything for you.
“You could, and I did, learn a huge amount about the craft of road cycling from Peem.”
Born in 1941 in Lochee, and a passionate cyclist from a young age, Jim became a joiner before meeting his future wife Marie through the Dundee Wheelers club.
The Wheelers remained a major part of his life until his death, and he attended their annual Majorca trip for almost 35 years.
His son, Craig, went on to become one of Dundee’s best known footballers, most famous for scoring the winning goal in the 1994 Scottish Cup final.
Jim married Marie in 1963 and they were married for 52 years.
She described how her husband had always been proud of their son and daughter, and added he even gave up cycling to look after the children.
She said: “We met through cycling – it was a big part of our lives. But Craig didn’t have any interest in bikes at all. He was always in the background kicking a football.
“There was no cycling for 12 or 13 years, but he got back into it later.
“He was a real family man. He truly loved his family – and my family adored him.”
She said the death had come as a big shock to the family.
“I couldn’t reach him on the phone all day on Sunday. I was anxious to speak to him, but I wasn’t anxious that it would be this.
“It was the last thing I expected to happen to him.”
The cause of Jim’s death remains unknown, and an autopsy is due to take place.
The family expects the funeral to take place in a few weeks, once the body has been returned to Scotland.
