Dunfermline: Ex-Pars and Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood dies

This afternoon, the club said that they were "hugely saddened" to hear of the passing of the 69-year-old, who took the Pars to the Scottish Cup final during his time in charge.

Calderwood, who arrived at East End Park in 1999, revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

He said that he decided to go public with news of his condition by saying that if "I can help others talk more openly about dementia, then that will be something positive", and added he was "determined to continue enjoying my life".

Current Dunfermline Athletic chairman and CEO, David Cook, has paid tribute, commenting: "On behalf of everyone at Dunfermline Athletic, we are all shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Jimmy Calderwood.

"Jimmy constructed a fantastic squad of players in the early 2000s that had Pars fans on the edge of their seats with his bold attacking style of football.

"He brought some magnificent moments to this club, none more so than helping us reach the Scottish Cup Final in 2004. The sea of black and white at Hampden was testament to the force he had created.

"Our deepest condolences go to Jimmy’s family and friends at this difficult time."

Jimmy Calderwood led Dunfermline to the 2004 Scottish Cup final. (Image: Blair Westwaters / DAFC.) Born in Glasgow, Calderwood played for Birmingham City before moving to the Netherlands, where he turned out for clubs including Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II, Roda JC and Heracles Almelo.

He began his managerial career with Willem II before joining NEC Nijmegen, from where he was approached by Dunfermline in 1999 to replace Dick Campbell as manager.

Working with Jimmy Nicholl as his assistant, Calderwood guided the Pars back to the top flight at the first attempt, before consolidating their place in the SPL (Scottish Premier League) by finishing ninth in the 12-team league.

We've gone into the archives and looked out some of the best images, as we remember former manager Jimmy Calderwood who has sadly passed away. pic.twitter.com/hbikUUv2qS

— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) January 19, 2025

Under his leadership, Athletic continued to improve, finishing sixth and then fifth in the next two seasons, before a memorable 2023/24 campaign.

As well as finishing fourth in the league, Dunfermline embarked on a run to their first Scottish Cup final since 1968.

READ MORE: Lookback: Five memorable Pars matches under Jimmy Calderwood

After defeating Dundee United, Clyde and Partick Thistle, they overcame Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a replay at Pittodrie in Aberdeen, following a 1-1 draw at Hampden, to set up a final with league champions Celtic.

In a moment that no Pars fan who was there will forget, Andrius Skerla put Calderwood's side ahead before half-time, but the Hoops, inspired by a double from Henrik Larsson, hit back to win 3-1.

READ MORE: LOOK BACK: Athletic's 2004 Scottish Cup final in pictures 20 years on

Despite the defeat, Dunfermline's achievements saw them qualify to play in European competition for the first time since 1970, but Calderwood was not around to lead them.

The final at Hampden proved to be Calderwood's last match in charge of Athletic. (Image: Blair Westwaters / DAFC.) The lure of Aberdeen proved too strong and, in the summer of 2024, he and Nicholl departed for the Reds, where they spent five years.

During their time in the north east, the Dons returned to continental action and, in 2008, reached the last 32 of the UEFA Cup (now Europa League), where they bowed out to German giants, Bayern Munich, on aggregate, but having held them to a 2-2 draw at home.

Aberdeen said: "Everyone at Aberdeen FC is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former manager Jimmy Calderwood.

"The thoughts of all at the club are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

Everyone at Aberdeen FC is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former manager Jimmy Calderwood.

The thoughts of all at the club are with his family and friends at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/4gdFGowrSM

— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 19, 2025

Latterly, Calderwood had brief stints in charge of Kilmarnock and Ross County, and Dutch clubs Go Ahead Eagles and De Graafschap, and also had a spell on the board at Cowdenbeath.

In September last year, members of Dunfermline's 2004 cup final squad came back together at the Carnegie Hall in an event celebrating 20 years of The Pars Supporters Trust (PST), and two decades since that memorable day at Hampden.

Speaking to Press Sport prior to it, Stevie Crawford recalled the team spirit and "togetherness" the two Jimmies created, commenting: "They had an unbelievable balance of us being allowed to express ourselves, but we knew, when we trained, we had to train properly.

Stevie Crawford's partnership with Craig Brewster was a highlight of Jimmy Calderwood's time in charge. (Image: Blair Westwaters / DAFC.) "We knew when we played we had to try and carry out the game plans. Along with that, they managed to put a really good squad together, and good players enjoy playing with good players."

Team-mate Barry Nicholson reflected: "It was an absolutely brilliant dressing room. It was a brilliant place for me to go.

READ MORE: Pars Nostalgia: Pars heroes recall goal that sealed cup final spot 20 years on

"I was a young player at Rangers at the time before I moved. I didn't really play regularly, but Jimmy brought me to the club, and I never really looked back to be fair.

Barry Nicholson's goal in the semi-final replay with Inverness Caledonian Thistle is one of the most iconic of Jimmy Calderwood's tenure. (Image: Blair Westwaters / DAFC.) "I went on and made over 200 appearances for the club, and to be made captain throughout that cup campaign, when Nipper (Scott Thomson) was injured, was a special moment for me.

"I've got really fond memories of the place. The club were brilliant with me, the players, the staff and everybody. 

"I just remember it being a really good dressing room. I think it was somewhere where every player enjoyed going into work every day, working with the two Jimmies and Sandy.

"It was a brilliant time."

Last month, Scott Thomson spoke to the Press about his memories of Calderwood's time with the Pars, 25 years on from when he took charge for the first time in a 3-0 win at Ayr United.

"All of a sudden, I'm being serious, and everybody knows this, it got announced that the new manager of Dunfermline is Jimmy Calderwood, and we were all like 'who'? We'd never heard of him," he said.

"Then he came in and addressed it right. He just said look, Jimmy Nic, I've got on really well with Jimmy, we'd go to games, we'd do this, so Jimmy's staying in place. We're like, oh that's good, it's a bit of something that's still there part of the club, so we were happy Jimmy was staying.

"As I always say to people, I worked with a lot of great managers, and he was probably the best manager I worked with, as in, he gave me a kick up the backside that I needed."