Jim Jefferies
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Jefferies is a Scottish
football former player and manager
. Jefferies played for Heart of Midlothian
for almost his whole playing career and enjoyed a successful first managerial spell with the club, winning the 1998 Scottish Cup
. Jefferies has also managed Gala Fairydean
, Berwick Rangers
, Falkirk
, Bradford City
and Kilmarnock
.
. The main highlight of his playing career was playing in the 1976 Scottish Cup Final
, which Hearts lost 3–1 to Rangers
. Jefferies eventually left Hearts in 1981, and spent the last two seasons of his career with Berwick Rangers
making 71 appearances, 60 in the league, 5 in the Scottish Cup and 6 in the League Cup. His first game was on 14 Nov 1981 L2 Montrose 0-2 Berwick Rangers and His last 14 May 1983 L2 Albion Rovers 2-1 Berwick Rangers.
in 1983 to become a manager at East of Scotland Football League
club Gala Fairydean
, but returned to the club to begin his senior managerial career in September 1988. Despite a great deal of financial turmoil during that time, he turned the struggling team around to the extent that they set a club record of 21 games unbeaten in the league during season 1988–89. In the 1990 close season Jefferies took over at Falkirk
, guiding them to the Scottish First Division
title (and promotion to the Scottish Premier Division) in 1991
and 1994
. Falkirk also won the Scottish Challenge Cup in 1993.
In August 1995, Jefferies returned to Hearts
. He was manager of the Hearts team that won the Scottish Cup
in 1998
, his greatest success in the game to date.
Jefferies moved south of the border on 20 November 2000 to replace Chris Hutchings
as manager of then Premier League side Bradford City
. He was given the task of selling players by chairman Geoffrey Richmond
and was unable to prevent them from going down. He resigned in December 2001 after a poor start to the season left them with no hope of a promotion challenge.
On 28 February 2002, he returned to management back in his native Scotland with Kilmarnock
. He kept Kilmarnock in a respectable position despite the necessity of drastically reducing the club's wage bill, reaching the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final
. Following Alex McLeish
's departure from Rangers at the end of the 2005–06 season, Jefferies was the longest-serving manager in the Scottish Premier League. He left Kilmarnock by "mutual consent" on 11 January 2010.
Jefferies was appointed manager of Hearts for a second time on 29 January 2010, just hours after Csaba László
was sacked from the position. Hearts finished third in the SPL in the 2010–11 season, having threatened the dominance of the Old Firm
until falling away after February. Jefferies and right hand man Billy Brown
were sacked by Hearts on 1 August 2011, after just two games of the 2011–12 SPL season
.
Heart of Midlothian
Kilmarnock
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
football former player and manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
. Jefferies played for Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
for almost his whole playing career and enjoyed a successful first managerial spell with the club, winning the 1998 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup 1997-98
The 1997–98 Scottish Cup was the 113th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Hearts who defeated Rangers in the final.-First round:-Replay:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
. Jefferies has also managed Gala Fairydean
Gala Fairydean F.C.
Gala Fairydean F.C. is a football club currently playing in Division 1 of the East of Scotland Football League.- History :Founded in 1907 as the result of a split in the Gala Fairydean Rovers club into Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers, they play their home matches at the Netherdale ground in Galashiels...
, Berwick Rangers
Berwick Rangers F.C.
Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division...
, Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
and Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
.
Playing career
Jefferies made more than 300 competitive appearances for Heart of MidlothianHeart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. The main highlight of his playing career was playing in the 1976 Scottish Cup Final
Scottish Cup 1975-76
The 1975–76 Scottish Cup was the 91st staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Rangers who defeated Heart of Midlothian in the final.-First round:-Replays:-Second Replays:-Second round:...
, which Hearts lost 3–1 to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. Jefferies eventually left Hearts in 1981, and spent the last two seasons of his career with Berwick Rangers
Berwick Rangers F.C.
Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division...
making 71 appearances, 60 in the league, 5 in the Scottish Cup and 6 in the League Cup. His first game was on 14 Nov 1981 L2 Montrose 0-2 Berwick Rangers and His last 14 May 1983 L2 Albion Rovers 2-1 Berwick Rangers.
Managerial career
Jefferies left BerwickBerwick Rangers F.C.
Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division...
in 1983 to become a manager at East of Scotland Football League
East of Scotland Football League
The East of Scotland Football League is a league of football teams from south-east Scotland formed in 1923. It is one of Scotland's three "senior" non-leagues which sit below the Scottish Football League , the other two being the Highland Football League and the South of Scotland Football League...
club Gala Fairydean
Gala Fairydean F.C.
Gala Fairydean F.C. is a football club currently playing in Division 1 of the East of Scotland Football League.- History :Founded in 1907 as the result of a split in the Gala Fairydean Rovers club into Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers, they play their home matches at the Netherdale ground in Galashiels...
, but returned to the club to begin his senior managerial career in September 1988. Despite a great deal of financial turmoil during that time, he turned the struggling team around to the extent that they set a club record of 21 games unbeaten in the league during season 1988–89. In the 1990 close season Jefferies took over at Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
, guiding them to the Scottish First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
title (and promotion to the Scottish Premier Division) in 1991
1990-91 in Scottish football
The 1990–91 season was the 94th season of competitive football in Scotland. It was notable for the fact that there was a last day title decider at Ibrox between Rangers and Aberdeen. Both teams went into the match level on points and goal difference, but Rangers needed to win the match...
and 1994
1993-94 in Scottish football
The 1993–94 season was the 97th season of competitive football in Scotland. This season saw several teams relegated from the 1st and 2nd divisions in preparation for the introduction of a 3rd division the following season.-Notable events:...
. Falkirk also won the Scottish Challenge Cup in 1993.
In August 1995, Jefferies returned to Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. He was manager of the Hearts team that won the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
in 1998
Scottish Cup 1997-98
The 1997–98 Scottish Cup was the 113th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Hearts who defeated Rangers in the final.-First round:-Replay:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
, his greatest success in the game to date.
Jefferies moved south of the border on 20 November 2000 to replace Chris Hutchings
Chris Hutchings
Christopher "Chris" Hutchings is an English former footballer and former manager of Walsall. He played for a number of clubs including Chelsea and played more than 100 games for Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town...
as manager of then Premier League side Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He was given the task of selling players by chairman Geoffrey Richmond
Geoffrey Richmond
Geoffrey Richmond was a football chairman of Bradford City from 1994 to 2002, and previously chairman of Scarborough.-Biography:Richmond was born and raised in Leeds, where he attended Roundhay Grammar School...
and was unable to prevent them from going down. He resigned in December 2001 after a poor start to the season left them with no hope of a promotion challenge.
On 28 February 2002, he returned to management back in his native Scotland with Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. He kept Kilmarnock in a respectable position despite the necessity of drastically reducing the club's wage bill, reaching the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final
2007 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2007 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 18 March 2007 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the 60th Scottish League Cup Final. The final was contested by Kilmarnock and Hibernian, who had never met before in a Cup Final...
. Following Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
's departure from Rangers at the end of the 2005–06 season, Jefferies was the longest-serving manager in the Scottish Premier League. He left Kilmarnock by "mutual consent" on 11 January 2010.
Jefferies was appointed manager of Hearts for a second time on 29 January 2010, just hours after Csaba László
Csaba László
Csaba László is a Romanian born Hungarian football manager and former player. He is the manager of Belgian Pro League club Charleroi SC. He is former manager of Scottish Premier League club...
was sacked from the position. Hearts finished third in the SPL in the 2010–11 season, having threatened the dominance of the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
until falling away after February. Jefferies and right hand man Billy Brown
Billy Brown (footballer born 1950)
Billy Brown is a Scottish football former player and coach. He is currently the caretaker manager of Hibernian. Brown played in the Scottish Football League for Motherwell and Raith Rovers...
were sacked by Hearts on 1 August 2011, after just two games of the 2011–12 SPL season
2011–12 in Scottish football
The 2011–12 season is the 115th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:-Scottish First Division:-Scottish Second Division:-Scottish Third Division:...
.
Player
Heart of Midlothian- Runners-up
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: (1) 1975–76Scottish Cup 1975-76The 1975–76 Scottish Cup was the 91st staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Rangers who defeated Heart of Midlothian in the final.-First round:-Replays:-Second Replays:-Second round:...
- Scottish Cup
Managerial
Falkirk- Winners
- Scottish First DivisionScottish Football League First DivisionThe Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
: (2) 1990–91, 1993–94
- Scottish First Division
- Winners
- Scottish Challenge Cup: (1) 19931993 Scottish Challenge Cup FinalThe 1993 Scottish Challenge Cup Final was played on 12 December 1993, at Fir Park in Motherwell and was the 4th staging of the final in the history of the tournament. It was played between and both of the First Division. The final was won by who defeated St. Mirren 3–0, with goals from...
- Scottish Challenge Cup: (1) 1993
Heart of Midlothian
- Winners
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: (1) 1997–98Scottish Cup 1997-98The 1997–98 Scottish Cup was the 113th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Hearts who defeated Rangers in the final.-First round:-Replay:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
- Scottish Cup
- Runners-up
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: (1) 1995–96Scottish Cup 1995-96The 1995–96 Scottish Cup was the 111th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Rangers who defeated Hearts in the final.-First round:-Replay:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:... - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: (1) 1996–971996-97 in Scottish footballThe 1996–97 season was the 100th season of competitive football in Scotland. This season seen a playoff system introduced between the 2nd bottom club in the Premier Division and the 2nd top club in Division One.-Scottish Premier Division:...
- Scottish Cup
Kilmarnock
- Runners-up
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: (1) 2006–072007 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2007 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 18 March 2007 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the 60th Scottish League Cup Final. The final was contested by Kilmarnock and Hibernian, who had never met before in a Cup Final...
- Scottish League Cup
Personal awards and achievements
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Manager of the Month: August 2006 - Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Manager of the Month: August 2008 - Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Manager of the Month: November 2010