Jim Irvine

James Irvine (17 August 1940 – May 2026) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. He appeared in the Scottish Football League for Dundee United and Heart of Midlothian and for Middlesbrough and Barrow in The Football League.

Career

Early years and Dundee United Irvine was raised in West Lothian, where he attended St Mary's School in Bathgate. He showed early footballing promise and was capped by Scotland at Schoolboy level. After playing junior football for Whitburn Juniors, he started his senior football career with Dundee United, then in the Second Division, initially on a part-time basis as he completed a motor mechanic apprenticeship. This brought First Division football to Tannadice for the first time since they had been relegated in 1932.

In the following 1960–61 season United retained their top division place. Other players to flourish like defensive giant Ron Yeats were the forward pair Gillespie and Irvine scoring 21 and 23 goals respectively. United finished a creditable ninth. Irvine's striking partnership with Gillespie provided more than 150 goals as they consolidated a position in the Scottish top flight over the following seasons. In 1961 his goalscoring attracted the attention of Bill Shankly who was desperate to sign a striker but injury at a crucial time put paid to any transfer and Shankly instead bought Ian St John from Motherwell.

Middlesbrough At the end of the 1963–64 season, Middlesbrough manager Raich Carter bid £25,000 for Irvine's services and he moved to Teesside. Boro were a mid-table Division Two at the time but despite Irvine becoming a regular goalscorer, they slumped to relegation in 1965–66. An instant return to Division Two was secured the following season, although QPR won the league title.

A bust-up with then manager Stan Anderson over him being rushed back too soon after injury (including an appearance in a specially arranged friendly for Irvine's benefit against Brian Clough's Hartlepool United at Hutton Road, Middlesbrough's training ground) led Irvine to return to Scotland in 1967.

Heart of Midlothian Irvine joined John Harvey's Heart of Midlothian for £10,000. A coachload of Middlesbrough FC Jim Irvine fans went to Hearts to see his debut for the Edinburgh side. He appeared in his first major final in his first season with the Maroons, after playing in every match en route to the 1968 Scottish Cup final. However, George Farm's Dunfermline proved too strong in the Hampden showpiece, winning 3–1. His following two seasons were decimated by a series of injuries

Later life After his playing retirement Irvine returned to Bathgate, where he found work as a spray-painter.