Rae Jimmy Image 2 Plymouth Argyle 1935

Description

Skinflats (Bothkennar), Falkirk, Stirlingshire born left back Jimmy Rae began his football career with Gairdoch United, from where he joined King’s Park (now Stirling Albion) in 1925. He was a first team regular scoring 3 goals in 145 matches before being signed by Scottish top flight club Partick Thistle in August 1929. At Partick he was a Scottish Cup Finalist in 1930 as The Jags were narrowly beaten 2-1 in front of 100,000 spectators at Hampden Park in April 1930. Having scored 3 goals in 122 matches for Partick Thistle, he transferred to Second Division club Plymouth Argyle, where he would become a legendary figure in the club’s history. in the summer of 1932 along with forward Johnny Simpson, after impressing while playing against Argyle for Partick during a benefit match for fellow Scot and Pilgrim, Alec Hardie, Rae making his Football League debut at Oldham Athletic in August 1932.

Rae went on to make 249 League appearances and 10 FA Cup appearances, missing only a handful of games per season in seven years with the club, where he made up an all-Scottish left side with Archie Gorman and Sammy Black. When the outbreak of the Second World War intervened in September 1939, Rae continued to play for Argyle in wartime competitions, bringing his total of club appearances to 283 and played his last match for The Pilgrims in December 1945. and was then appointed as Assistant Manager.

He filled the role until his elevation to the hot seat in September 1947, taking over from Jack Tresadern, a post he held for eight years until January 1955. Although the club was relegated in 1949-50, he led Argyle to promotion to Division Two in 1951-52 as Third Division (South) Champions and to their equal-highest finishing position of fourth in that Division in 1952-1953. Another legacy was that he was responsible for signing players of the calibre of Jack Chisholm and Neil Dougall, amongst others. Despite his successes, he also spent much of his managerial career fending off the threat of relegation and, midway through the 1954-1955 season, he was dismissed and finished with professional football.