Jimmy Calderwood’s son Scott led a walkout during the funeral of the former player and manager. The former Aberdeen boss, who passed away in January at 69 following a long struggle with dementia, was being laid to rest in Glasgow on Tuesday, February 18.
Mourners, including Jimmy’s past associates from Scottish football, gathered at Shiedhall and Drumoyne United Free Church of Scotland to pay their respects. However, his son Scott, aged 46, abruptly left the crematorium service in Cardonald, amid a dispute with Jimmy’s partner, Yvonne Buchanan.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Scott expressed his frustration, stating that his mother was not in attendance and he felt his family had been disrespected during the ceremony. The ex-Ross County assistant manager remarked: “The service barely mentioned any of our family.
“What happened yesterday had been brewing with Yvonne for years as my dad’s illness got worse. We couldn’t just stand there and be disrespected like that. My dad wouldn’t have stood for that sort of thing so I couldn’t either.
“It wasn’t just the disrespect for my mum, it was for all of my family who they just tried to whitewash out of his life.”
Scott also highlighted the unusual presence of security at the funeral, designed to separate the feuding parties, and concluded with a poignant reflection on his father’s likely wishes: “They had security guards there to keep us all apart. I know for a fact my dad wouldn’t have wanted that so it was just complete disregard for his wishes.
“I had enough and just couldn’t stand there and listen to that so I decided to walk out and some of my family joined me. I just want to grieve for my dad now.”
The service saw a gathering of familiar faces, including managers Stuart Keetlewell, Sandy Clark and Jimmy Nicholl, as well as a host of former players like Barry Nicholson, Derek and Darren Young, Lee Miller, Russell Anderson and Richard Foster coming together in remembrance.
Jimmy’s life was one marked by football, beginning in his youth with an undying passion for Rangers, evident as his cortege made its way past Ibrox. His professional career took off at Birmingham, where he spent eight years, later venturing abroad for a significant chapter in the Netherlands, playing for clubs such as Willem II Tilburg, Roda JC and Heracles Almelo.
Managerial roles soon beckoned, and he distinguished himself managing Dunfermline, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Ross County, and finally, Dutch side De Graafschap until his retirement in 2014.
He was then diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2017. Determined to make a difference, Jimmy openly discussed his battle with the “horrible” condition, expressing his acceptance and desire to use his own story to aid others grappling with dementia.
This article originally appeared on Daily Record
Content Source: www.express.co.uk