James (Jimmy) Lawson

Born in Panbride, near Carnoustie, James started his career with Carnoustie Y.M.C.A. After serving his apprenticeship, he moved to the west coast, and played for Renfrew Victoria.

In March 1908, he was selected to play in the Junior International match between Scotland and Ireland at Celtic Park, and followed it up with another junior cap against England.

The following month he played as a trialist for Dundee versus Falkirk. He was gaining a lot of interest from various clubs, and after a good performance Mr Wallace, Dundee’s club secretary, swiftly gained his signature. Jimmy made his first appearance at Dens Park in the High Cup against Aberdeen.

Jimmy was in the team for the Scottish Cup Final match against Clyde on the 9^th April 1910, at Ibrox, before a crowd of 60,000 supporters, which ended in a 2-2 draw. He was dropped for the replay on the 14^th, and the second replay on the 20^th. Bert Neal replaced him in the defence.

At the end of the 1911-12 season, Motherwell approached Dundee with a view to signing Lawson. Dundee were prepared to let him go for a fee of £200. Motherwell felt this was too much which led to an approach from Darlington. Finally, terms were agreed, and Jimmy was a Dundee player for another season.

At the end of May 1913, Jimmy arranged to move to Linfield, in Belfast. After informing the officials at Dundee of his plans, they quickly offered him better terms. The club wouldn’t get any transfer money for him if he made the move, so they agreed to his terms which included “close season” wages (meaning that his weekly wage wouldn’t drop down to £3 instead of £4), and a possible testimonial match the following season.

At the end of another successful season, in which he made thirty appearances, Jimmy got his testimonial against Aberdeen on the 18^th August. A lacklustre affair that ended 0-0. The Dundee support, however, was large and vocal.

In his final season at Dens Jimmy had lost his place in the team to Tom Kelso, and was playing in the reserves.  Airdrieonians had persistently tried over the season to get Lawson, and finally got their man in October.

1914 was an important year for Jimmy, he had recently recovered from an operation, after receiving a nasty leg injury, the first of his career, which had kept him from playing for much of the season. Airdrie had offered him terms to stay with the club, but he had decided not to re-sign. He was going to change sports and become a professional golfer in the U.S.A, setting sail for his new life on the Aquatania on the 14^th July.

As well as being a talented footballer, he was an equally gifted golfer. He had represented Scotland, won the Footballers Golf Championship two years running, and had recently set a new club record and set at Leven. He was a popular figure in his hometown out on the Carnoustie course

During the war Jimmy joined the Canadian Army rising to the rank of Captain but remaining with home training units throughout the war. After the war, he returned to golf at the Flint Country Club in Michigan where he remained until going to Indianapolis Country Club between 1928 and the early 1930s and stayed until the end of the Second World War.

After retiring, he moved to Florida. He died on holiday, in Nassau in the Bahamas, in 1962.

Two of his brothers, were both golf professionals in the U.S.