Sad day for the Lang Toun as neighbours recall a good friend and a local hero

THE Lang Toun was in mourning yesterday as it woke to the news that one of its favourite sons, Jocky Wilson, had died at the age of 62.

In recent years, the Fife town of Kirkcaldy has become best known as the place where Gordon Brown went to school. But before Brown rose to the office of Prime Minister, the place was known as the hometown of a humble miner who rose to be a sporting world champion.

Yesterday the local community paid tribute to the man they remember as “just one of us”. The man known mainly as just ‘Jocky’ died on Saturday, two days after turning 62. He was found dead by paramedics with Fife police treating the death as “non suspicious”.

The pub where Jocky started his darts career, The Lister bar, is long gone, and a supermarket was built where the premises once stood. Even the street where the Lister used to be found is now gone, Lauder Road having made way for a new housing development.

But the memory of Jocky Wilson remains strong in Kirkcaldy, despite his retreat from the spotlight over the past two decades – especially among those who he felt at ease among.

Jocky had become a recluse in recent years, suffering from poor health, and declined all approaches from the media for interviews. But neighbours and close friends of the two-time world darts champion said Jocky was a friendly man, with a great sense of humour, who enjoyed riding around the area in his moped and keeping an eye on what was going on in the town.

He lived in Kirkcaldy with Argentinian-born wife Malvina. They moved south to the Newcastle area when his darts career took off, but when times were harder they returned to their real home, where he lived for the rest of his days.

Jocky had recently been suffering with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung disorder. But his sudden death was still a shock to those who knew him.

One neighbour, Mark Carr, who lives close to the Wilson home, said Jocky was just like an “ordinary neighbour.”

The 46-year-old said: “He was really friendly and was part of the local community. He was very normal and had a great sense of humour.

“He liked to sit at his window watching the new hospital being built and he was always interested in whatever was going on in the area, he was just an ordinary neighbour really.

“Everyone is sad that he has died. We knew he was very ill but it’s still very upsetting.”

Elizabeth Carr, who is a close friend of Jocky’s wife Malvina, said Jocky had a “great sense of humour”.

The 48-year-old, who lives close to the one-bedroom flat where Jocky had been staying, added: “Jocky was the kind of guy that would say hello to you when you saw him.

“He used to drive about the neighbourhood on his scooter. I knew him for a lot of years.

“This is the kind of area that everyone looks out for each other and Jocky was a true Scotsman. Everyone was proud of him, and proud that he was from Kirkcaldy.”

Another neighbour, Theresa, who was close friends with Jocky and his wife said she was shocked that he had died.

The 52-year-old said: “We knew he was ill of course but it is still a shock. He was a very straight forward guy, nice and friendly and from a lovely family.

“He still liked playing darts and going around on his moped. He was well liked and we were all very proud of him.

“His wife is lovely and I will go down to her house later to pay my respects.

“He will be remembered by most people as a great darts player but I will always remember him as a friend.”

Jocky retired from professional darts in 1996 and had three children, a daughter Anne Marie, and two sons John and William.