Jimmy Cook

James (Jimmy ) Smart Cook (1933-2025)

A Tribute to ‘Mr Knightswood’

How often these days do you hear the words ‘it was different times’ and describing Jimmy’s life and times it certainly was. Born in the inter war years he will certainly have been aware of the sheer misery and loss of life and limbs wreaked by WW1, poverty and unemployment during 1920s depression only to find himself living and being schooled during the privations of WW2. None of us would choose to live in these times and conditions but for Jimmy’s generation any choice was of the Hobson variety - none.

As with all young males of the time Jimmy was conscripted for mandatory national service with the armed forces. Add to that the mantra directed to every boy from a working class background ‘get yourself a trade’ and you get a clearer picture of the pressures imposed on young males as they left school. Personality is often gauged on the nature v nurture conundrum but social and geographical environment cannot have been an innocent bystander in Jimmy’s case.

It was during his national service when Jimmy took part in a representative match, but at football rather than table tennis. Playing at centre half he found himself in direct opposition to Bobby Smith, later a member of the greatest ever Tottenham Hotspur team, and to the chagrin of every Scot the scorer of two goals in England’s 9-3 victory against Scotland in 1961. How did Jimmy do – well, much better than the Scottish defence in that Smith did not score.

The area now known as Knightswood was incorporated into the City of Glasgow and developed in the 1920s. The Community Centre came along in 1950 and I still marvel today at the depth and breadth of the activities which very quickly took place there under the supervision of its then manager George Absolom. Inclusivity was a byword rather than a buzzword and community was at its very core.  

So, among the many and varied clubs and interests which registered within this new facility Knightswood TTC was formed. This would be about 1953 as a number of local young male residents became demobbed from the armed forces. The genesis of Knightswood TTC was as simple and uncomplicated as that. Trust and respect negated the need for a constitution or policies. I’m told that they did not know each other beforehand but of that initial group Jimmy, Liam McKeating, John Stevenson and Bill McFarlane became firm friends but Jimmy and Liam remained at the club for decades after the others moved on and became the very heart and soul of the club. Their names became as intertwined as ‘fish and chips’ or ‘Ant and Dec’.

Others from that group included Liam’s brother John, Willie Boyle, Jimmy Dickson, Andy Stewart (subsequently of Central) and a ‘squadron’ of ex RAF ‘brylcream’ boys in Jimmy Brown, Ronnie Ronald, Ian Murray and Bill Murray. I was led to believe that the best player of that vanguard was Andy Stewart in these early days but by the time I joined Jimmy’s record was the more impressive. On Sundays there were either practice sessions at the Centre or rounds of golf to be enjoyed at the local Dalmuir Golf Club. 

The impression was given of a band of brothers who grew up together, shared the same experiences and enjoyed a mutual friendship. About 1955/56 Jimmy accompanied his close friends Liam, Bill McFarlane and John Stevenson for a holiday at Butlins in Clacton on Sea travelling in Liam’s uncomfortable small car. When I first heard of this holiday I could not imagine that the attraction was anything other than participation in Butlin’s much admired and much missed table tennis programme led by former World Champion Johnny Leach and reported on regularly in his News of the World columns and various media newsreels.

How wrong I was. My unkind guess now is that they missed the regimented lifestyle of a life in the forces so much that they opted for similar conditions while on holiday. Times for reveille and lights out would be issued on arrival. By 1966ish the resident coach at Clacton was the flamboyant Chester Barnes. In the 1950s I think it was none other than the Rowe twins,Diane and Rosalind, twice world doubles champions. Unsurprisingly, Jimmy’s reputation continues unblemished as I was sternly told by one of them that “what happened in Butlins, remains in Butlins”.

It will have been after this that Jimmy, by then a time served upholsterer despite being from a stone’s throw of the Clyde’s heavy engineering, met a young nurse by name of Margaret Millar and they married in 1959 with John (Stevie) Stevenson acting as best man. At the time I met Jimmy they lived in Partick and family followed soon after. One thing that anyone who knew Jimmy will agree on is the fact that he was devoted to Margaret and always expressed pride in his growing family to the extent that I also received reports on their various childhood ailments and educational progress.

Jimmy, and Liam, joined Glasgow’s youth work programme by teaching/coaching table tennis to teenagers in order to supplement family income but it was never treated ‘as just a job’. My view is that the format of Glasgow’s youth work programme represented an ideal and one which was brought down by a constant need for change. This pool of coaches was led by Jack Hillan (Maccabi) and included a Roll of Honour which will need no introductions to the table tennis community. From memory there was Joe Mitchell (Hamilton) Eddie Bruce (Central), Andy Fleming (Central), brothers Ian & Matt Cochrane (Wester Rossland), Bill Peterson (Wester Rossland), Jackie Wright (Partick YMCA and father of Brian), Mr Moyes (father of Everton manager at Anniesland) and many more too numerous to mention (translated as my memory fading).

Jimmy did not set out to ‘inspire’ his young charges to play the sport competitively but he did just that by being himself. Jimmy listened, engaged, gave friendship as innate components of his character with his enthusiasm for table tennis being the clincher. I was introduced to Jimmy, and the club, by Liam just as the ‘winds of change’ started to make its impact felt in the club.

While the club’s original membership was, for the most part, a group of friends of very similar age and backgrounds their domestic circumstances changed as they became husbands and fathers. Fortunately for the club, Jimmy and Liam were able to dip into the ranks of their youth clubs to attract players to bolster the club. As Jimmy had been coaching within the confines of Knightswood his recruitment group was all local and included Tom McFadden, Alex Breckenridge, Clifford Black, Brian Groat, Billy Crooks, Alan (Bobby) Smart, Sandy Fleming and Henry George Vigine David Van der Steighelen (funny how some names stick in your consciousness).

Liam ‘held up his end’ by introducing me, Ian Coyle, Billy Savage and Gerry Doak and the seeds of Knightswood Mark 2 were sewn. Despite this influx of young potential Jimmy remained as ‘top dog’ within the club and in competitive terms viewed as the man to beat by all these ‘young Turks’. In personal terms, he very quickly gained their respect as both player and person and rightly considered as the club’s father figure.

At the time Jimmy had just finished in 3rd place of the top division averages of the West of Scotland League. He was also one of the first West players to adopt spin serves and topspin on both wings but, for me, I was amazed at how often he would confuse an opponent by selling him a ‘dummy’. His body moved as though he intended to play his shot down one wing but he actually placed it down the other wing and it became his trademark shot.

Of this group of ‘newbies’ I was first to make the first team and have Jimmy as a regular team mate. In retrospect I found myself a ‘minder’, someone who insisted that sport should be an honourable pastime and should be played in ‘the proper manner’. By about 1965 Jimmy had slipped down the club’s rankings but was still involved as playing captain when Knightswood entered a team into a newly formed summer National League with a team of Jimmy, Gerry Doak, Tommy McFadden and me. Other teams involved in a mini league were from Dundee, Falkirk and Kelty.

With a further influx of players including Archie McCulloch, Jim Graham, Ron Lindsay, Andy Stewart (junior internationalist), Alex Sackifiyo, Dave McDonald & Mike Docherty and a growing family Jimmy’s playing skills were less relied on. Behind the scenes the club became more dependent on its twin pillars of Jimmy and Liam. These two were always the best of friends but there was one area of their private lives where we younger members were sure that they were in serious competition. It seemed that they both added to their respective families with great regularity. I may be wrong but I think that the lead often alternated but Jimmy did eventually win 6-5.

1973 witnessed a once in a generation visit by the much vaunted and successful Japanese team. A friendly international was arranged as were joint training sessions with the Scotland squad. To take full advantage of the presence of such a high quality squad which included a very recent world champion several senior Scottish coaches were invited to join the training camp. This, of course, included Jimmy and we see him photographed alongside other participants.

Then it was my turn to leave the club as I married and moved to Paisley. It’s probably fair to say that the club suffered a setback as a few others left simultaneously. Subsequently our contact became much more sporadic and usually on the occasions when I would return to Knightswood as part of an opposing team. However, as is the case with most good friends our conversations could seamlessly start where the previous one ended.

Before that came to pass, though, the club needed a re-boot, new blood and regeneration in order to return to previous high standards. Again, Jimmy rose to the challenge and the club soon had a top team of Scottish internationalists in Ian Stokes, Callum Gerrard and George Innes with the former being the 1994 Scottish champion. Stuart Wallis, a previous National Coach, James Harkins and Tamami Thomson will also be part of that generation.

As the old adage says, all good things come to an end and as Jimmy aged and moved to Stirlingshire he had to withdraw from his beloved Knightswood but he never, ever forgot it. A few former members and friends attended his 80th birthday celebrations where it was obvious that his family acknowledged his love of table tennis and we got to meet faces which, previously, were only often spoken about names. The choice of birthday cake gives the game away.

His latter years were marked by the loss of his beloved soulmate Margaret and his sorrow was readily apparent. Any conversation would inevitably mention Margaret, the support from family and … Knightswood. Knightswood TTC always tugged at his heart strings. It was therefore pleasing that between Neil Doherty and the family that a visit was made to the club early January 2023 when Jimmy was made very welcome. Given his age and frailty it was enjoyable and emotional in equal measure.

If one was to compare the membership of the West of Scotland Table Tennis League of the 1960 era to that of the 2020 era I suspect that the most prominent name appearing in both is Knightswood TTC. It may not have been the most successful in terms of winning major trophies but sustaining a club, especially in modern times, is no mean feat and one which is seriously undervalued, even by players. How many of the current clubs can boast a pedigree dating back to 1953. Knightswood, and its administrators, coaches etc. are therefore to be congratulated for the club’s longevity and to the fore of all these dedicated volunteers, in my view, must be Jimmy Cook.

Jimmy wasn’t a complicated man. What you saw was what you got – friendship, support, loyalty. Jimmy was dutiful, respectful, hard- working – a man of his time. Jimmy was a caring, sharing, kind, honourable man – those coming across him even in a competitive arena will have experienced these qualities. Most of all Jimmy was a family man, just as it should be, and there is no better measure.

John R McCulloch

July 2025