Archives | Jimmy Watters 1982-1986
Chairman during the centenary celebrations and the person who appointed Jim Leishman manager in October 1983
Born and brought up in Buckhaven, Jimmy played as goalkeeper for Hearts from 1944 and won a League Cup medal with the Jambos. In 1956 he moved to East Fife, with whom he spent several years, firstly as a player and later as a director.
In 1970, he severed his connections with East Fife to join the board of Dunfermline Athletic. At a difficult period for the club financially, Jimmy became vice-chairman in 1971 and as such he helped guide the club through a turbulent decade. Despite valliant efforts, the board could not lift the club out of the lower divisions. When chairman, John Yellowlees, resigned in 1982, Jimmy became chairman.
The club were then at their lowest point. Within a year Dunfermline were relegated to Division 2 and manager, Tom Forsyth had resigned. He was replaced by Jim Leishman, and the club`s fortunes were to start to rise.
Under Jimmy`s chairmanship, the Pars were to celebrate their centenary in 1985. Various activities were to be organised by the board, including a glamour friendly match against Aberdeen. But perhaps the most far-reaching was the launch of the Centenary Club, which has raised many thousands of pounds for the club throughout the years.
Reluctanly, Jimmy was forced to step-down as chairman in 1986, due to ill-health. He continued to serve the club as a director and an honorary director, till his death in October 1999 at the age of 72.
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