McMenemy's tribute to Saints coach Clunie

JIM CLUNIE was a football man. A big, bluff Fifer, with a tendency to refer to a shovel as a JCB, Jim had a genuine passion for the game which remained unbroken until his untimely death this week, aged 69.

Football is all the poorer for Jim’s passing following a short illness. How cruel that he was not spared just a little longer, at least to enjoy seeing Southampton at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium this afternoon face Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

Jim had been invited as a guest of the club in recognition of his time assisting Lawrie McMenemy when Southampton last enjoyed such lofty status. Back in 1976, McMenemy’s side defied overwhelming odds to secure their place in the record books with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.

It was probably Jim’s proudest moment in football, the pinnacle of his career as a highly respected central defender with Aberdeen, St Mirren and Bury and a noted goal scorer.

Jim appeared in three Scottish Cup finals and was a League Cup winner with Aberdeen in 1956. In addition to his three runners-up medals, Jim was also a worthy recipient of a Scottish League cap in 1965.

He later moved into management with spells in charge of St Mirren and Kilmarnock after his time in English football, where he also worked as a coach under McMenemy at Grimsby.

But it was during his time at Love Street that Jim’s habit of speaking his mind with refreshing candour resulted in thousands of radio listeners being fully appraised of his thoughts over comments on his team’s chances of enjoying an extended run in Europe.

While en route on a "spying" mission on the opposition following a league match at Love Street, Jim tuned into a local radio station hoping to receive an update of events elsewhere.

At that precise moment a pundit was in full flow espousing the view that St Mirren would have to improve somewhat to garner any success on foreign fields. Jim’s reaction was predictable, if not exactly "pc".

Jim stopped at a call box, dialled the radio station’s number and asked to be connected to the programme’s presenter, who, on being informed that a certain Jim Clunie was on the line, expressed instant delight at the thought of an exclusive "live" interview with the subject of the ongoing discussion.

The presenter had immediate cause to regret his decision, for what followed later resulted in knuckles being severely rapped by those whose responsibility it is to oversee the suitability of the content of such broadcasts.

The first half dozen expletives had already coloured the airwaves before the luckless presenter - in a state of shock - hit the pause button. Jim, it should be made clear, was in no way contrite and, it might be said, had no reason to be; no one told him he was "live".

In later years, after quitting as manager of Kilmarnock in the belief that he could do no more for the team, Jim was employed by the local fire service before settling into retirement.

Not that Jim was inclined to put his feet up and wile away the day with frequent trips down memory lane. Indeed, he was regularly seen "working-out" at a local gym and also still carried out scouting duties.

It is with regret that I must confess to not having had contact with Jim in recent years, for I always found him to be a thoroughly decent individual, whose habit of always returning telephone calls was most helpful and appreciated.

It is a measure of the esteem in which Jim was held that Lawrie McMenemy travelled from his home in England yesterday to deliver a funeral oration. But there could be no more fitting tribute to Jim Clunie’s memory than the sight of the Saints once again lifting the FA Cup aloft this afternoon.