Jimmy Calderwood facts for kids

James Calderwood (born February 28, 1955 – died January 19, 2025) was a Scottish football player and manager. He was often called Jimmy. He played for clubs like Birmingham City in England. He also played for several Dutch teams such as Sparta Rotterdam and Roda JC.

After he stopped playing, Jimmy became a coach. He managed teams in the Netherlands like Willem II Tilburg and NEC Nijmegen. In 1999, he came back to Scotland. He became the manager of Dunfermline Athletic. He led them to the 2004 Scottish Cup Final.

Later, he managed Aberdeen for five seasons. Under his leadership, Aberdeen did well in the SPL. They even reached the last 32 of the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, which is a big European competition. He also had short times managing Kilmarnock and Ross County. He helped both clubs stay in their leagues.

In 2012, Jimmy returned to the Netherlands to manage Go Ahead Eagles. In 2014, he briefly managed De Graafschap. In 2016, he joined the board of directors at Cowdenbeath. In 2017, Jimmy shared that he had been diagnosed with dementia.

Playing Career: From Glasgow to the Netherlands

Jimmy Calderwood was born in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland. He grew up in the Castlemilk area of the city. As a young player, he played with future football stars. These included Ricky Sbragia and Willie Miller.

Starting at Birmingham City

He began his professional football journey in 1971. He joined Birmingham City as a young trainee. His first game for the senior team was in 1972 against Stoke City. He played 159 games for Birmingham City.

In 1979 and 1980, he spent a few months on loan. First, he played for Cambridge United. Then, he moved to the Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam.

Moving to Dutch Clubs

Jimmy decided not to sign a new contract with Birmingham. Instead, he moved to the Netherlands. He joined another Dutch club, Willem II Tilburg, for £50,000. He played there for two years.

After Willem II, he spent six years with Roda JC. He then had a short time with Heracles Almelo. Jimmy Calderwood stopped playing professional football in 1989.

Managerial Career: Leading Teams to Success

After finishing his playing career, Jimmy Calderwood became a football coach. He started coaching amateur clubs in the Netherlands.

Coaching in the Netherlands

In 1991, he coached an amateur club called Rietvogels of Almelo. A year later, he became an assistant coach for FC Zwolle. In 1993, he moved to Cambuur Leeuwarden.

He returned to Willem II Tilburg in 1995. He was an assistant coach first. Then, a year later, he became the main manager of the club. After that, he managed NEC Nijmegen.

Leading Dunfermline Athletic

In 1999, Jimmy came back to Scotland. He became the manager of Dunfermline Athletic. He spent five seasons at their home ground, East End Park.

In his first season, he led the club to promotion. They moved up to the SPL. This was a great achievement. In the 2003–04 season, he led them to their highest ever SPL finish, coming in fourth place. That same season, they reached the 2004 Scottish Cup Final. This meant they would play in a European competition for the first time in 35 years.

Managing Aberdeen F.C.

In 2004, Jimmy Calderwood became the manager of Aberdeen. He helped the team improve a lot. They almost qualified for European competitions in 2005 and 2006.

In the 2006–07 season, they finished third in the league. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Cup. However, they had a tough loss in the 2006–07 Scottish League Cup. They were beaten by an amateur club, Queen's Park.

European Adventures with Aberdeen

In December 2007, Jimmy led Aberdeen to a big achievement. They reached the last 32 of a European competition. This was the first time since 1986. They beat FC Copenhagen 4–0 at home.

This big win meant they would play against FC Bayern Munich. Aberdeen drew 2–2 with Bayern at home. But Bayern won the second game 5–1. Jimmy signed a new contract to stay with Aberdeen.

Scottish Cup Semi-Final

Jimmy also led Aberdeen to the semi-final of the 2007–08 Scottish Cup. They lost a close game 4–3 to Queen of the South.

Leaving Aberdeen

The 2008–09 season started slowly for Aberdeen. Fans were getting impatient. But the team soon found their form. On January 18, 2009, Aberdeen beat Celtic 4–2. This moved them to third place in the league.

However, after this, they only won three more league games out of 16. Jimmy Calderwood left the club on May 24, 2009. This was by "mutual consent," meaning both sides agreed. Aberdeen had qualified for the UEFA Europa League that season.

Short Spells at Other Clubs

Jimmy Calderwood continued to manage other teams.

Kilmarnock F.C.

On January 14, 2010, Jimmy became the manager of Kilmarnock. He signed a contract until the end of the season. He helped Kilmarnock stay in the SPL. But he left the club that summer. He disagreed with the chairman about money for players and coaches.

Ross County F.C.

On February 16, 2011, Jimmy agreed to manage Ross County. He stayed with the First Division club until the end of that season.

Go Ahead Eagles

Jimmy returned to the Netherlands in March 2012. He was appointed coach of Go Ahead Eagles. He left the club in May after they were knocked out of the promotion play-offs.

De Graafschap

In January 2014, Jimmy became the manager of De Graafschap. He left the club in less than a month. He was upset because key players were sold without being replaced. His decision surprised the players.

Personal Life and Health

In 1978, Jimmy Calderwood shared some personal details. His favorite player was Eddie Gray. His favorite team was Rangers. He said Trevor Brooking was the toughest opponent he faced.

His most memorable game was his debut for Birmingham City in 1972. He was thrilled to play for Scotland at the under-23 level. Away from football, he enjoyed snooker, golf, and badminton.

In August 2017, Jimmy Calderwood announced that he had been diagnosed with dementia. He had been receiving treatment for the condition for two years. Jimmy Calderwood passed away on January 19, 2025, at the age of 69, due to complications from dementia.

Managerial Statistics

Honours

As a player

Dunfermline Athletic

• Fife Cup: 2000–01, 2002–03
• Scottish First Division promotion: 1999–2000

Ross County

• Scottish Challenge Cup: 2010–11

As a manager

• SPL Manager of the Month: March 2002, April 2004, August 2004, February 2006, April 2006