Uddingston man Jim becomes Scottish Rugby president

Jul 3 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

UDDINGSTON man Jim Stevenson is delighted that he turned his back on football as a young man, after being elected president of the Scottish Rugby Union.

Jim now aged 52, admits he dreamed of Hampden stardom, but doesn’t regret his decision to play rugby instead of football.

And he vowed to do everything he can to develop the sport in Scotland during his year in office, after pipping incumbent George Jack by 95 votes to 86.

Jim, who may now step down as president of Cambuslang Rugby Club, said: “I’m absolutely delighted about it all.

“Normally when you’re a wee boy playing football every day, you dream of running out at Hampden Park – but you never really think about becoming president of the SRU!”

He added: “I was never talented enough to represent my country but now I’m delighted that people from all over Scotland have put their faith in me, and I feel very honoured and humbled.

“But I’ve made it quite clear from the word go that I’m in it for 12 months and that’s it.

“I won’t be standing for a second term and unless I’m persuaded otherwise by the stakeholders I’ll be out this time next year.

“It says quite clearly on the tin that my sell-by date is June 2009.”

Jim has received several messages of support, via text, from Australia, China and the USA, as well as the UK and Ireland.

However, all he’s interested in now is getting down to the job in hand.

He said: “We’ve got to bring a bit more realism to the sport. Four motions were brought by the board to the AGM and all four were rejected by the stakeholders.

“That shouldn’t be happening, and we need to know why the board were so out of touch for that to happen.

“We have to listen to the clubs and find out their feelings, and now the board have some serious work to do.”