A FORMER Athletic player from the 1950s enjoyed a trip down memory lane with one of the club’s greatest-ever captains recently to celebrate a landmark birthday.

Jim Ross, who was signed in February 1954 by Bobby Ancell for the sum of £80 and the promise of a fundraiser at St Andrews United, the club he joined from, celebrated reaching 90 on February 26.

And, as a treat, the Sporting Memories Foundation – of which Jim is a member in Kirkcaldy – marked the occasion by renaming their session ‘James Campbell Ross: This is Your Life’, and took him on a life journey that included a natter with 1968 Scottish Cup-winning legend, Roy Barry.

Established in 2017, Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland is the first charity of its kind to be dedicated to the use of sports reminiscence, inclusive physical activity, and intergenerational projects to support isolated older people across the country.

At weekly Sporting Memories clubs, they bring together older adults to reminisce and talk about sport with the aim of improving wellbeing, reducing loneliness and isolation, and building friendships.

Participants who attend online or community-based clubs may be isolated due to depression, dementia, or other long-term conditions but all have a love of talking about, and remembering, sport in common.

Using family photos, newspaper cuttings and stories from his playing days – which also included a spell at Cowdenbeath before he retired in the late 1950s – Jim was able to look back on a fine career as a talented, long-striding inside right.

As a junior, his potential was spotted by Dunfermline manager Ancell and was destined to make his mark in football, so much so that Jim was scouted by Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton but, amazingly, turned them down for love and to stay in Scotland.

After retirement, he affectionately became known as the ‘Pie Man’ as he delivered the pies to football grounds and events across Fife from his café.

Jim was delighted with the effort made by Sporting Memories, commenting: “I really enjoyed looking back on my life and my career. It was really special.”

Gary Waddell, the group’s co-ordinator, said: “Jim has been with the group from the beginning so we wanted to make his 90th birthday a special one.

“It was great to have his family with us to mark the occasion and thank you to them for providing us with all the great photos and stories.

“He is a great man and well-loved by the group.”

While their clubs are currently suspended, Sporting Memories meet with members online and currently have three clubs running across Fife throughout the week.

They always like to welcome new members and volunteers so if anyone would like to meet up with like-minded people to talk about sport, they’d love to hear from them.

To find out more, contact Gary at gary@thesmf.co.uk.