The local junior fraternity was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Jimmy Stewart.
Jimmy was very well-known in the 60s and 70s as one of the mainstays of the great Blairgowrie JFC team of that time.
In 1954, Jimmy was just eight-years-old when he broke into the St Mary’s Lochee Primary School football team.
His three-year stint in the school team saw the side pick up trophies such as the league, Rock Cup and Junior Sports Cup.
It was then off to Lawside Academy and he represented the school at U/13 and U/15 level.
It was not just at football he excelled, as he also made the cricket and basketball teams.
He represented the Dundee Catholic Schoolboys team at U/13 level and played at Celtic FC’s Parkhead against Glasgow Catholic Schools.
Although they were beaten 2-1, Dundee brought the trophy home as their U/15 team triumphed 5-1.
The scores were added on aggregate, so Dundee brought the trophy home to the city.
When he moved up to U/15 level with Dundee Schoolboys, he won most of the games he played in.
One of the most memorable was going down to Derby and beating their select side 3-2. Jimmy scored two in that one, including a late winner.
Away from school, he was part of a successful Butterburn Youth Club side from U/15 level.
His second year with the club saw them win the U/16 league and all the local cups.
This U/16 side scored over 200 goals, to which Jimmy pitched in 66 playing as an inside-right.
He made the last 22 in a trial for Scotland and has since told family and friends he was “never so disappointed” when he didn’t gain final selection for the national team.
His impressive form as a youngster saw him taken south for trials with Chelsea, and was signed by the Stamford Bridge outfit in 1962.
During his three years with the London club, he took part in a youth tournament in Cannes, France.
Chelsea won the tournament, beating a select side, and Jimmy, who was actually chosen for the select side, was awarded with the ‘Les Amis de Rene Dunan’ as he was voted Player of the Tournament.
In 1965, he had cartilage problems and left Chelsea to join Dundee for a season, then Dundee United the following 1966-67 term.
After that, he was to join juvenile side Maryfield United, then stepping up to junior with Blairgowrie.
He had two spells at Davie Park, with, in between, a stint back to Dundee with Lochee United, winning the Drybrough Cup with the Thomson Park outfit.
In 1974-75, he rejoined the Berrypickers and went on to win 11 honours in his eight-and-a-half seasons with the Perthshire outfit.
They were Perthshire League, Perthshire Junior Cup, Midland League, League Cup, Tayside League, Tayside Regional League Cup and the Currie Cup — some more than once.
Indeed, the Currie success came on the 50th anniversary of the prestigious competition.
Jimmy left Blair at the end of the 76-77 term.
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