Former football player and trainer Jimmy Calderwood died on the night from Saturday to Sunday at the age of 69. The Tilburg football club Willem II reports this on its website. The Scot played for Willem II for two seasons and was later head coach of the Tricolores in the 1996-1997 season.
Born on February 28, 1955 in Glasgow, Calderwood’s life has always revolved around football. At the age of sixteen, he signed a contract as a student professional with English Birmingham City. In 1972 he made his debut for the Birmingham first team in the 2-1 win against Stoke City. After eight years, 145 games and four goals for Birmingham City, Calderwood ended up in the Netherlands, where he was recruited by Sparta and subsequently played for Willem II.
Tricolores
Between 1980 and 1982, the Scot played 68 games for the Tricolores, scoring six goals. On February 15, 1981, Calderwood scored his first goal for Willem II against his old club Sparta Rotterdam. After two seasons in Tilburg, Calderwood left for Roda JC and Heracles Almelo. He played a total of ten seasons in the Netherlands.
Calderwood effect
A few years after he retired, he decided to work as an assistant coach at SC Cambuur. A return to Willem II was inevitable and on March 19, 1996 he became head coach in Tilburg. At that time, he had already been active as an assistant coach at Willem II for six months.
Calderwood managed to save his old club from the play-offs by one point. He then also performed that trick as a trainer at other clubs. He returned as a trainer in the Netherlands in 2012. The results at Go Ahead Eagles improved a lot after the appointment of the Scot as head coach. The media in his own country were already aware of this phenomenon and spoke of the ‘Calderwood effect’ after a positive turnaround in results had previously occurred at both Dunfirmline and Aberdeen.
Calderwood worked for De Graafschap for another month and then retired in 2014.
Alzheimer’s
Calderwood’s children noticed the first signs of dementia in him about ten years ago. In an interview with Voetbal International he spoke openly about this a year and a half later. From that moment on, he has also worked to draw attention to the link between Alzheimer’s and football.
Jimmy Calderwood is survived by four children and fourteen grandchildren. His son Scott has followed in his footsteps. He also played for Willem II and was on the football field for Heracles Almelo. He currently works as a trainer in Dubai. The grandchildren are loyal season ticket holders of the Tricolores.