Jim Leishman
Encyclopedia
Jim 'Leish' Leishman MBE
, (born 15 November 1953 in Lochgelly
, Fife
) is a former professional footballer
and current director of football
of Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline Athletic
.
between 1970 and 1977 before being transferred to local rivals Cowdenbeath
. When his playing career was cut short through injury he moved into coaching and then management with Kelty Hearts
Junior
Football Club, before becoming youth team coach and later reserve team coach at Dunfermline.
His most noticeable goal came in a 1-2 victory against Rangers. Jim still holds the record of being the last player to score a winning goal for the Pars at Ibrox. He likes to mention this fact as often as possible, much to the amusement of fans and friends.
After a hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the Premier Division in 1987/88, Leishman again led the club again to promotion from the First to Premier Division in the 1988/89 season. Throughout this time Leishman had helped rebuild the fanbase of the club. With publicity campaigns ranging from talks at local primary schools to national television appearances, Leishman arrested the downward spiral of the club since the early 1970s. The average gate of the club increased from approximately 1,500 in 1983/84 to 7,500 in season 1987/88.
In 1989/90 - Leishman's final year of his first tenure as the Pars' boss - the average home gate of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club was 12,500; the third largest in Scotland and the largest of all provincial clubs in the country. In this time he brought players such as George O'Boyle
and record-signing Istvan Kozma to the club. His greatest success was keeping the club in the Premier Division at the end of the season. At the end of the campaign though, it was suggested that Leishman move from the dugout to the board-room with the club's suggestion that he take up the role of general manager. As a keen manager, he resisted the offer and left his post acrimoniously in July 1990. The move shocked the Pars' support and several thousand fans marched on the club demanding his reinstatement as manager - a protest that fell upon deaf ears and in retrospect damaged the club. The average gate for the club has never risen beyond 8,500 since.
Following his departure from the Pars in 1990, he had unproductive spells with Montrose
and Inverness Thistle
, as well as a spell in charge of Fife Junior outfit Rosyth Recreation
. After this he enjoyed more than eight years with Livingston
from 1995, latterly as coach. There he succeeded in taking Livi into the Scottish Premier League
for the first time and the Europe by finishing 3rd following promotion. In August 2003 he returned to Dunfermline, ironically as General Manager
. Following the sacking of Davie Hay
with just three matches of the 2004-05
remaining, Leishman prevented relegation by steering the club to crucial wins over their main relegation rivals Dundee
and Dundee United
. Dunfermline had failed to win in their previous ten matches under Hay, but in Leishman's temporary care they hammered Dundee 5-0 and he soon took the job on a full-time basis.
In 2005-06
the Pars were once again tipped for relegation and almost lived up to that billing. They would have gone down had it not been, for his old club Livingston. An 11th placed finish, although level on points with Falkirk
and Dundee United, was enough to preserve their status. A particular low in this season came near the end of February when Celtic visited East End Park
and left with a crushing 8-1 win. Exactly one month later Dunfermline faced Celtic in the Scottish League Cup and, despite an improved performance, they lost 3-0.
Leishman is well known for his down to earth personality, excellent relationship with Dunfermline fans, and his "aeroplane" celebrations. At one point he enjoyed a reputation for his witty attempts at delivering his thoughts on football in verse. Leishman's strengths are considered to be his man-management skills and his renowned ability to motivate and install self-belief in his players.
In September 2006 another trademark of the man, his famous moustache, which he had had since the age of eighteen, was shaved off at a benefit dinner to mark the testimonial year of Dunfermline player Andy Tod
. He was convinced to do so after people at the table he was sitting at, including current Pars players, put up £1000 for charity.
Pressure on Leishman increased steadily in 2006/07 after another poor start which brought just three wins in thirteen matches. On 26 October 2006 Leishman decided to return to his post as general manager http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/6086130.stm with former Hearts
boss Craig Levein
the initial favourite to take over. Leishman had himself recommended Levein and Livingston manager John Robertson
as candidates but Levein moved to Dundee United following the sacking of Craig Brewster
on 29 October 2006. Former Derry City
boss Stephen Kenny took over in November 2006.
It was announced on 15 June 2007 that Leishman had been made an Member of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Leishman was further honoured in February 2008 by having a street in Dunfermline
named after him.
(2): September 2001, November 2001
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, (born 15 November 1953 in Lochgelly
Lochgelly
Lochgelly is a town in Fife, Scotland. It is located between Lochs Ore and Gelly to the north-west and south-east respectively. It is separated from Cowdenbeath by the village of Lumphinnans. According to the 2007 population estimate, the town has a population of 6,834.-History:From the 1830s...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
) is a former professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and current director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
of Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
.
Playing
Leishman played for DunfermlineDunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
between 1970 and 1977 before being transferred to local rivals Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath F.C.
Cowdenbeath Football Club are a professional Scottish football team based in the town of Cowdenbeath, Fife. They currently play in the Second Division of the Scottish Football League. The club plays its home games at Central Park in the centre of the town which has the unusual feature of a motor...
. When his playing career was cut short through injury he moved into coaching and then management with Kelty Hearts
Kelty Hearts F.C.
Kelty Hearts Football Club are a football club based in the town of Kelty in Fife, Scotland. Formed in 1975 and similarly nicknamed "the Jambos" as the more illustrious Hearts of the Scottish Premier League, they play their home games at Central Park, which has room for 2,300 spectators...
Junior
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
Football Club, before becoming youth team coach and later reserve team coach at Dunfermline.
His most noticeable goal came in a 1-2 victory against Rangers. Jim still holds the record of being the last player to score a winning goal for the Pars at Ibrox. He likes to mention this fact as often as possible, much to the amusement of fans and friends.
Managerial
Leishman was appointed manager of the Pars at just 29 in 1983 when they languished at the bottom of the old Second Division. Following an unsuccessful tilt at the second division in 1984/85 where the Pars finished 3rd - missing out on promotion on the final day of the season, Leishman and assistant manager Gregor Abel forged a side that would win successive promotions from the Second to First Division as Champions in their centenary season of 1985/86 to the Scottish Premier Division after finishing as second to Greenock Morton in 1986/87 - a feat that would not be repeated until the artificially bank-rolled fundings of Livingston and then Gretna over a decade later.After a hard-fought but ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the Premier Division in 1987/88, Leishman again led the club again to promotion from the First to Premier Division in the 1988/89 season. Throughout this time Leishman had helped rebuild the fanbase of the club. With publicity campaigns ranging from talks at local primary schools to national television appearances, Leishman arrested the downward spiral of the club since the early 1970s. The average gate of the club increased from approximately 1,500 in 1983/84 to 7,500 in season 1987/88.
In 1989/90 - Leishman's final year of his first tenure as the Pars' boss - the average home gate of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club was 12,500; the third largest in Scotland and the largest of all provincial clubs in the country. In this time he brought players such as George O'Boyle
George O'Boyle
George O'Boyle is a Northern Irish former professional footballer.O'Boyle, a striker, began his career with Linfield. He left Northern Ireland in 1988 to join French club Bordeaux. The following year, he joined Dunfermline Athletic for £250,000. In 1994, he was signed by St. Johnstone manager Paul...
and record-signing Istvan Kozma to the club. His greatest success was keeping the club in the Premier Division at the end of the season. At the end of the campaign though, it was suggested that Leishman move from the dugout to the board-room with the club's suggestion that he take up the role of general manager. As a keen manager, he resisted the offer and left his post acrimoniously in July 1990. The move shocked the Pars' support and several thousand fans marched on the club demanding his reinstatement as manager - a protest that fell upon deaf ears and in retrospect damaged the club. The average gate for the club has never risen beyond 8,500 since.
Following his departure from the Pars in 1990, he had unproductive spells with Montrose
Montrose F.C.
Montrose Football Club is a Scottish semi-professional football team, based in the town of Montrose, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division.- Early years :...
and Inverness Thistle
Inverness Thistle F.C.
Inverness Thistle Football Club were a football club playing in the city of Inverness in northern Scotland.They were members of the Highland Football League, winning the championship five times, including its inaugural season: 1893–94. They wore black and red stripes and played their home...
, as well as a spell in charge of Fife Junior outfit Rosyth Recreation
Rosyth F.C.
Rosyth F.C. are a Scottish Junior football club based in Rosyth, Fife. Their home ground is Recreation Park. Until 2006, they were known as Rosyth Recreation....
. After this he enjoyed more than eight years with Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
from 1995, latterly as coach. There he succeeded in taking Livi into the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
for the first time and the Europe by finishing 3rd following promotion. In August 2003 he returned to Dunfermline, ironically as General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. Following the sacking of Davie Hay
David Hay
David Hay is a former Scottish footballer. After completing secondary education at St Mirin's Academy in Paisley he signed for Celtic in 1966 and became one of the so called 'Quality Street Kids', the great Celtic reserve team that also included players such as Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari, Danny...
with just three matches of the 2004-05
2004-05 in Scottish football
The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
remaining, Leishman prevented relegation by steering the club to crucial wins over their main relegation rivals Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
and Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
. Dunfermline had failed to win in their previous ten matches under Hay, but in Leishman's temporary care they hammered Dundee 5-0 and he soon took the job on a full-time basis.
In 2005-06
2005-06 in Scottish football
The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
the Pars were once again tipped for relegation and almost lived up to that billing. They would have gone down had it not been, for his old club Livingston. An 11th placed finish, although level on points with 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...
and Dundee United, was enough to preserve their status. A particular low in this season came near the end of February when Celtic visited East End Park
East End Park
East End Park is a football stadium situated in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland with a seating capacity of 11,380.The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League side, Dunfermline Athletic F.C. It currently comprises four stands: East Stand, Main Stand, SGM Stand and the Norrie...
and left with a crushing 8-1 win. Exactly one month later Dunfermline faced Celtic in the Scottish League Cup and, despite an improved performance, they lost 3-0.
Leishman is well known for his down to earth personality, excellent relationship with Dunfermline fans, and his "aeroplane" celebrations. At one point he enjoyed a reputation for his witty attempts at delivering his thoughts on football in verse. Leishman's strengths are considered to be his man-management skills and his renowned ability to motivate and install self-belief in his players.
In September 2006 another trademark of the man, his famous moustache, which he had had since the age of eighteen, was shaved off at a benefit dinner to mark the testimonial year of Dunfermline player Andy Tod
Andy Tod
Andy Tod is a former Scottish professional footballer who played mainly as a defender.-Career:Tod, a versatile player who could play in defence or attack, started his career at Dunfermline Athletic in 1992...
. He was convinced to do so after people at the table he was sitting at, including current Pars players, put up £1000 for charity.
Pressure on Leishman increased steadily in 2006/07 after another poor start which brought just three wins in thirteen matches. On 26 October 2006 Leishman decided to return to his post as general manager http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/6086130.stm with former 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...
boss Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
the initial favourite to take over. Leishman had himself recommended Levein and Livingston manager John Robertson
John Grant Robertson
John Robertson is a former professional association football player and is currently the manager of East Fife. His playing career included spells at Newcastle United, Dundee and Livingston but he is best known for his two spells at Heart of Midlothian...
as candidates but Levein moved to Dundee United following the sacking of Craig Brewster
Craig Brewster
Craig James Brewster is a Scottish football player and coach. He made his name in a long and successful career playing as a striker for numerous clubs in Scotland, particularly Forfar Athletic, Raith Rovers, Dundee United and Dunfermline Athletic...
on 29 October 2006. Former Derry City
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
boss Stephen Kenny took over in November 2006.
It was announced on 15 June 2007 that Leishman had been made an Member of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Leishman was further honoured in February 2008 by having a street in Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
named after him.
Dunfermline Athletic 1983-1990
- Scottish Second Division
- Winners (1): 1985-861985-86 in Scottish footballThe 1985–86 season was the 89th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Key events:With Rangers once again failing to mount a title challenge, manager Jock Wallace's second spell as manager ended in April when he was sacked and the club appointed Graeme Souness as player-manager,...
- Winners (1): 1985-86
- Scottish First Division
- Winners (1): 1989-901989-90 in Scottish footballThe 1989–90 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Rangers won their third league title in four seasons under the management of Graeme Souness....
- Winners (1): 1989-90
Livingston F.C. 1995-2003
- Scottish First Division
- Winners (1): 2000-012000-01 in Scottish footballThe 2000–01 season was the 104th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2000–01 Scottish Premier League was won by Celtic, 15 points clear of Rangers who finished second. Both teams earned a place in the UEFA Champions League. Hibernian and Kilmarnock...
- Winners (1): 2000-01
- Scottish Third Division
- Winners (1): 1995-961995-96 in Scottish footballThe 1995–96 season was the 99th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Summary:Rangers won the Premier Division with a record 87 points, finishing four ahead of rivals Celtic. Aberdeen were third with 55 points ....
- Winners (1): 1995-96
Manager awards
SPL Manager of the MonthScottish Premier League monthly awards
This article lists the winners of the Manager, Player and Young Player monthly awards in the Scottish Premier League since the2000–01 season. No Young Player of the Month were awarded in the 2000–01 season. Rising Star awards were issued most months in the 2007–08 season.The awards are currently...
(2): September 2001, November 2001
External links
- Goodbye to the Dugout BBC feature on Leishman's management career
- Jim Leishman, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database