Provost Jim Leishman -

Wed, Feb 16th 2022 at 12:50 am - 2:00 pm

Live at the New Club. Football and Local politics experiences of a man at the top of his game.

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Jim Leishman was the perfect choice for St Andrews Rotary Club’s first in-person meeting this year. His talk, entitled ‘From Ball to Chain’, took us from his upbringing in Kelty, through his career in football, to his entry into local politics and appointment as Provost of Fife. A promising player, Jim’s time on the pitch was cut short by a compound fracture, but not before he had scored the winning goal for Dunfermline against Rangers at Ibrox. When he became Manager of Dunfermline, at just 28, the Club was near the very bottom of the third tier in Scottish football; under Leishman it soon moved up the league and into the Premier Division. Before he resigned, after a difference of opinion with the Board, Jim had taken the average home gate from just 1500 to 13,500. He was similarly successful at Livingston, taking the Club to the UEFA Cup for the first time in its history. Jim’s political career began with a surprise call from Gordon Brown, urging him to stand as Scottish Labour Councillor for Dunfermline Central. Once again, his leadership skills were soon apparent and he is about to complete his second 5-year term as Provost of Fife. After Jim lost his wife to cancer in 2009 he set up the Mary Leishman Foundation in her memory, to encourage potential and ease distress. It means even more to him than his own past successes. ‘Krishna’ Krishnaswamy, a personal friend, gave the vote of thanks, highlighting Jim’s ability to motivate others as a great strength. The talk will long be remembered for its humour and optimistic outlook on life.