FROM THE HERALD

JAMES Houston Donald was one of those notable Glasgow entrepreneurs, born in a traditional tenement with its typical features of a recessed bed in the kitchen, coal-fired cooking range and shared toilet on the landing, who rose to prominence through hard work, application and foresight. By the time of his death he was the founder of a family nursing home business and former owner of PartickThistle Football Club who flew his own plane to France for lunch or Ibiza for holidays. Sadly, Jim was robbed of much of the benefit of his efforts by a death which came early despite his apparent health and physical fitness.

In the mid-1980s he joined the board of Partick Thistle FC (Jim's father had been a long-time season ticket holder) as part of a group of three significant investors - the others being lawyer Kevin Moore and formerRangerBobby Watson - who took over the club at the end of the decade. Jim and Kevin Moore bought the club from Ken Bates and Bobby Watson became the director while Jim was chairman. As well as making the club much more commercial in its approach, with new hospitality suites, a new logo and the appointment of its first commercial manager, Jim was the first person to appoint Lazarus- like Thistle manager John Lambie to the post, but sold the club again five years later.

This article was posted on 15-Feb-2007, 16:16 by Hugh Barrow.