Jimmy 'Gunner' Liddle

It was not a good day yesterday for Cowden and its fans and today we have news that will sadden the hearts of everyone connected with the club as we learned of the passing of ex-Cowden hero Jim ‘Gunner’ Liddle. Our condolences go to all of Jim’s friends and family and we warmly remember the days when Gunner led our front line.

Born in 1958, Jim was signed from Whitehill Welfare in 1978. The Penicuik based striker gradually established himself in the Cowden line up in the centre-forward jersey. We had a front line at that time that had no problem scoring goals – Geordie Hunter, Ian Harley, Gunner, Jimmy Marshall and Billy Steele. He got better and better as the seasons went by and started his second season with an opening day hat-trick v Montrose. He was absolutely tremendous in the ill-fated 1980/81 season.

He went on the rampage in many games in that campaign and opponents found him unstoppable. Coincidentally, our programme for this Saturday recalls one of Jimmy’s finest performances thus, ‘A Scottish Cup run and dreadful winter weather left Cowden with a schedule of 16 league games to be played in 52 days – that was 3 matches a week for 7 weeks for a part-time outfit. No other team in Britain faced such a demanding match schedule. That they came so close is actually a tribute to Andy Rolland’s fine team. On March 14th 1981 Cowden were 12th in the 14-team league with 27 points from 25 games. Alloa and Queen’s Park were 1st and 2nd with 39 and 38 points respectively from 32 games. The match on 21 March v Alloa at Central Park was therefore a vital one. It was an epic encounter. Billy Steele was at his impish best and he put Cowden ahead. Alan Holt though equalised – the same two players repeated their previous feats to make it 2-2. The game entered its final 10 minutes when Jim Liddle went into the phone box and re-emerged as Superman. In one of the most remarkable performances I ever witnessed Gunner scored a hat trick in 9 minutes as well as having a goal disallowed and another effort hitting the bar. No wonder that Jim and his teammates danced in the rain on the tarmac in front of the stand when he made it 5-2’.

Jimmy scored 22 goals in that season which should have culminated in promotion but the prize was lost on the last day of the season despite Jim’s prodigious efforts. Big, strong and good in the air, Gunner also had a lethal shot and was an ideal centre. Arsenal came up to watch him. In January 1983, an offer from Hibs was turned down – Pat Stanton had had him training at Easter Road for 3 months. A bid from Queen of the South had also been knocked back. But then Forfar secured his services for a £15,000 fee. The key to this move was that the Loons were able to fix up Jim, who was unemployed, with a job. Jimmy had played 184 games for Cowden and scored 64 goals.

Jim became a hero too at Station Park where he banged in the goals with aplomb – and Forfar have also paid him a fulsome tribute this week. In 1984, Forfar won the 2nd Division with Liddle scoring 22 League goals and being named Player of the Year in Division 2. Then when with Forfar in the 1st Division, he was selected to represent Scotland in the semi-professional tournament in Holland which included the host nation, England and Italy. Scotland, managed by Terry Christie, were the tournament winners.

He later played for Hamilton in the Premier League where he scored a creditable 3 goals in just 6 games and then Meadowbank for a club record fee. His attention though was diverted to his business interests as a hotelier in Penicuik. After a 2 game loan spell at Cowdenbeath, he then played in the Belgian lower leagues for Lorrain Alton. In his Forfar days he had interested a side in the Belgian 1st division – Kortrijk – and a deal involving a record fee for Forfar was concluded. It all ended in tears though as Kortrijk failed to come up with the cash.

In more recent years Jimmy had had health worries. Jim though was a big personality and he loved to recall the escapades of his playing days and to regale listeners with tales of his glory days in football. Jim leaves us at the age of just 66 but leaves us with some indelible memories. Thanks for all of those memories Gunner and Rest in Peace.