James Doherty

footballer and engineer

born January 31 1954

died September 12 2015

Jim Doherty, who has died aged 61, was an engineer and junior footballer who went on to enjoy a professional career with Notts County FC.

Born in 1954 and raised in the small mining village of Douglas in South Lanarkshire, Jim Doherty was the third child of the late Jack and Mamie Doherty, he graduated from his formative years at Douglas Primary, Lanark Grammar and Cumbernauld College, as an electrical engineer with South of Scotland Electricity Board. Over thhe next 30 years he progressed through the ranks of Off Shore companies, and was an employee of Technip Off Shore UK Limited in Westhill, Aberdeen for more than 20 years, coming through the ranks to hold the position of Offshore Manager .

He was also a footballer, who played for Albion Rovers with his brother Ian, and was involved with top rival junior football teams Kello Rovers, Glenafton, Stranraer winning the Scottish Junior Cup at Hampden with Cumnock in 1979 in a match in which he set up the winning goal. He then made the breakthrough of a professional contract Notts County the same year, making his debut for them in the Anglo Scottish Cup. He subsequently returned north of the Border to play for Motherwell before returning to the junior ranks.

He sadly lost a year long fight with cancer at the Beatson Institute in Glasgow on 12th September despite the best efforts of the institute's dedicated doctors and staff.

Jim is survived by his wife Christine, children Lee and Claire, grandchildren Ben, Ellie, Jevan and Leyton, and family members Anne, Ian, Steven and Garry.

His Funeral Service will take place today [Saturday 19th September] at St Nicholas Church, High Street, Lanark.