Ross County Database

1951-1952 Jimmy Fiddes BEM

Following what appeared to be pressure from the Supporters Club County decided to arrange a further meeting with Jimmy Dykes in late July to discuss the possibility of him returning. Dykes chose not to go back to Victoria Park and former Rangers and Falkirk player Jimmy Fiddes was appointed to the role in August 1951 following a 5-0 defeat from Clach in the League Cup. Fiddes had played 57 games for Rangers pre war and won a Scottish Cup (1936) and League Championship (1938/39). He made 134 appearances for Falkirk before trying his hand at management in Dingwall.

Two major figures of Scottish football were involved in Jimmy’s decision to join County. His manager at the time at Falkirk was a certain “Mr Shankly” who had “no hesitation in stating that Jimmy was the man for the job without a doubt”. He returned home following a time in Dingwall where he was visited by Rangers and Scotland goalkeeper Jerry Dawson who encouraged him to take up the role.

Things did not improve greatly immediately for County as the day after his appointment County played Caley in the League Cup and lost 9-4! The team lined up Shearer Forsyth Browning Simpson Farmer Watson Ogilvie Donnie Fraser Greig Ronnie Fraser Urquhart. Bill Greig scored a hattrick and Ronnie Fraser got the other goal. Telford Street saw a crowd of 2000 that day.

Fiddes, however, added some strength and morale to the team and they subsequently held Caley to a 2-2 draw in the return game in the Cup before losing by a solitary goal to Inverness Thistle. The club, of course, were not to qualify for the latter stages of this particular competition. Victory soon after against Nairn in the Qualifying Cup gave County fans some hope however Elgin defeated them in the next round.

County continued to struggle and by early in the New Year Jimmy left the club to return south where he joined Stenhousemuir. He did however produce one of his best displays in for County where the club drew 3-3 with Caley. Jimmy’s last game (I believe both as player and manager) was a 2-0 defeat at Lossiemouth on 19th January 1952. County had only 11 points at this stage and would finish the season with 23. No managerial appointment was made in the remainder of the season.

Jimmy’s only recorded goals for the club came in the form of a hat trick against Welfare club Seaside Rovers whom County beat 8-1 in a friendly.

Following Jimmy’s retirement from football he worked at the Grangemouth Refinery (he was a native of Falkirk) and was awarded the BEM in 1970 for his services to the petroleum industry.