The following article appeared in Red Matchday Magazine last season.

 

Looking for an addition to strengthen an often misfiring forward line, manager Eddie Turnbull pulled off a last minute transfer coup on the night of the 27th February 1967.

When after a dash south by train he signed Jim Storrie for a record fee for Aberdeen. Negotiations between the Dons and Leeds United Manager Don Revie had opened earlier that week, but it was not until late into the night in York that manger Turnbull and the player met to complete the deal. Turnbull said, “Storrie has had experience of European football with Leeds, apart from playing in the tough English League competition, and I reckon that he will be a valuable acquisition to the Pittodrie staff.”

It was believed at the time that Jim had been signed to solve the clubs right wing problem having appeared there on a number of occasions for the Leeds club. A prolific scorer for both Airdrie and Leeds United, Jim had recently been unable to command a regular place in the Leeds side. Having only played just six League games, three of them as substitute, during the 1966-67 season had finally brought matters to a head. Disheartened by the course of events, Jim requested a transfer at the beginning of November in the hope of securing first team football elsewhere.

His wish was granted when he received the chance to move back North of the border. Interviewed at the time Don Revie said, “I’m very disappointed to see Storrie leaving Elland Road, but it was a good offer by Aberdeen.”

Jim’s was not a spectacular debut at Tynecastle in March 1967. However, he showed himself to be clever on the ball and used it intelligently, but he looked well short of match practice. In the closing stages he suffered from an attack of cramp in the legs and David Robb came on in the last 10 minutes. Two weeks later against Partick Thistle, he found himself totally unmarked and slotted the ball away for his first Aberdeen goal just a minute before half-time. Four days later, 44,000 spectators packed into Pittodrie to see Aberdeen face Hibernian in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final replay.

Ernie Winchester put Aberdeen one up in three minutes however, twelve minutes later Thomson Allan in the Hibernian goal failed to hold a rocket shot from Jens Petersen and Jim was on hand to tap in the rebound. It all but killed the tie and another Winchester goal in the second half saw the Dons on their way to the semi-final. Having missed the next couple of games Jim returned to the side for the semi-final against Dundee United at Tynecastle.

Aberdeen were a goal up in four minutes through a Tommy Millar own-goal but it was perhaps a game to forget for Jim as he missed two golden opportunities to kill the game off. The first from the penalty spot in the twenty second minute, when he shot past the past and again in the second half with only Sandy Davie to beat he shot weakly past.

Jim was in and out of the side for the remaining few games of the campaign but he lined up against Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final on the 29th April 1967.

It was to be an anti-climax for both Aberdeen supporters and players alike, when a defensive approach at the start of the game saw Celtic score either side of half-time. However, a more offensive performance by the Dons saw Jim with a chance to reduce the deficit when good lead up play by Munro and Smith saw the former Leeds man hit a wonderful strike from which Ronnie Simpson made an incredible save. To his credit one report on the match pointed to the fact that only Jim looked capable of saving the final but he had received ‘scant’ support.

Jim returned from America having scored five goals in twelve appearances for the ‘Washington Whips’. He got the season underway by scoring the equaliser at Ibrox in a 1-1 draw in the League Cup on the opening day of the 1967-68 season. However, in what would now be group of death with Celtic, Rangers and Dundee United, Aberdeen finished bottom having scored only five goals. To his credit however, Jim had scored three of them. He opened the scoring against Dundee in a 4-2 victory in the first League game of the season but he would fail to hit the target again until his magnificent diving header equalised against Hearts in October. He was then guilty of a ‘frivolous’ blaze over the bar just before Donald Ford scored the Hearts’s winner.

Despite being the clubs top scorer, for the following match he found himself in the reserves against Partick Thistle and promptly score five goals. Disillusioned by events and playing in the reserves, he asked to go on the transfer list in November 1967. However, scoring regularly in the reserves he found himself back in the side a month later in a 1-0 victory over Stirling Albion. It was to be his last first team involvement for the club and he was on his way to Rotherham United in January 1968 having turned down opportunities to join Southend and Barnsley. Perhaps unlucky in his time at Pittodrie, Jim always looked happier at inside forward rather than on the wing or centre forward where he tended to be played.

He would go on to play for a number of clubs in England and Scotland before taking on the management of St Johnstone however, he resigned in 1978. After a brief spell of coaching at Airdrie, Jim then worked at a sports centre in Cumbernauld for 14 years and later at Stirling University before retiring.

Jim STORRIE

Aberdeen FC Heritage Trust profile click here

Role: CF (1966-68)
5’ 9” 11st. 5lbs
b. Kirkintilloch, 31st March 1940
d. Kilsyth, 13th November 2014

CAREER:
Kilsyth Rangers/Airdrie 14th December 1957/Leeds United 9th June 1962/Aberdeen 28th February 1967 £13,500/Rotherham 6th January 1968 £7,000/Portsmouth December 1969/Aldershot (OL) March 1972/St Mirren 15th July 1972/Waterlooville 23rd July 1973/St Johnstone Manager 6th April 1976 – 23rd August 1978

Hearts v. Aberdeen D1 4th March 1967 W0-3

Aberdeen Career

	League		SC Cup		LG Cup		Euro		Total
	App	Gls	App	Gls	App	Gls	App	Gls	App	Gls
1966-67	7	1	4	1	0	0	0	0	11	2
1967-68	6	2	0	0	5	3	2	4	13	9
	13	3	4	1	5	3	2	4	24	11