Jim Craig has had a successful career in football, radio, TV, written media and dentistry, as well as being a published author and top all time ‘goal-scorer’ of the BBC Sports Quiz, Quizball.
A member of the never to be forgotten Celtic team which won the European Cup in 1967, Jim’s name is etched in the annals of Scottish history. Following a phenomenal run of success with Celtic from 1966 until 1972, which included international recognition, seven league titles, a European Champions’ badge and a dozen domestic cup medals, Jim starred for Sheffield Wednesday before retiring in 1974 at the age of just 30, to begin a career in dentistry, a career that endured for 45 years.
Jim’s nickname Cairney was given to him by his team mates when the hit BBC Scotland drama series This Man Craig was on air.
The eponymous hero of the piece was played by Scots actor and historian John Cairney, who serendipitously appeared as Celtic’s guest along Jim, Billy McNeill and Willie Wallace in the Quizball series.The two Cairneys remained firm friends until John passed away in September 2023. Jim’s love of sport in general and football in particular saw him in demand for decades on both radio and TV as pundit and presenter. Jim has worked with numerous newspapers, and has presented radio and TV programmes for the BBC, STV, Radio Clyde, and Celtic TV. Jim was one of the Glasgow club’s groundbreaking internet broadcast team who pioneered live football over the web.
He is an acknowledged authority on football history having taken up the gauntlet laid down by his friend, the late Bob Crampsey.