{{short description|Scottish footballer (1929–2004)}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jimmy Gauld | image = | caption = | fullname = James Gauld | birth_date = {{birth date|1931|05|09|df=y}} | birth_place = Aberdeen, Scotland | death_date = {{death date and age|2004|12|09|1931|05|09|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}<ref name="Riddle">{{cite book |first=Andy |last=Riddle |title=Plymouth Argyle: 101 Golden Greats |year=2001 |publisher=Desert Island Books |location=Westcliff-on-Sea |isbn=978-1-874287-47-6|pages=93–95}}</ref> | position = Inside forward | years1 = 1948–1950 | clubs1 = Aberdeen | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = | clubs2 = Huntly | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = | clubs3 = Elgin City | caps3 = 88 | goals3 = 89 | years4 = 1954–1955 | clubs4 = Waterford | caps4 = 20 | goals4 = 30 | years5 = 1955–1956 | clubs5 = Charlton Athletic | caps5 = 47 | goals5 = 21 | years6 = 1956–1957 | clubs6 = Everton | caps6 = 23 | goals6 = 7 | years7 = 1957–1959 | clubs7 = Plymouth Argyle | caps7 = 64 | goals7 = 25 | years8 = 1959–1960 | clubs8 = Swindon Town | caps8 = 40 | goals8 = 14 | years9 = 1960–1961 | clubs9 = St Johnstone | caps9 = 4 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 1960 | clubs10 = Montreal Cantalia | caps10 = | goals10 = | years11 = 1961 | clubs11 = Mansfield Town | caps11 = 4 | goals11 = 3 }}
'''James Gauld''' (9 May 1931 – 9 December 2004)<ref>{{Hugman|7097|accessdate=20 February 2017}}</ref> was a Scottish footballer found out to have run a match-fixing scandal altering results in all of England's top 4 men's leagues. During his playing career, he played as an inside forward. He began his career with Aberdeen but failed to make a first team appearance before being released. Gauld went on to play in the Highland League for Huntly and Elgin City, and then played in the League of Ireland for Waterford. In his one season with the club, he finished as top goalscorer in the League of Ireland with 30 goals. His form led to a move to England in 1955, where he joined Charlton Athletic. Gauld was transferred to Everton the following year, and then joined Plymouth Argyle in 1957. Two seasons later, he was on the move again, joining Swindon Town for a club record fee.
In 1960, Gauld spent a brief period with St Johnstone and then moved to Mansfield Town, where a broken leg ended his career. It was after his playing days had finished that he gained notoriety for instigating and then exposing match fixing in the game. Gauld enticed several players into betting on the outcome of fixed matches, including England internationals Tony Kay and Peter Swan.<ref name="Times">{{cite news|last=Broadbent|first=Rick|title=Swan still reduced to tears by the fix that came unstuck |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/swan-still-reduced-to-tears-by-the-fix-that-came-unstuck-cr902zw5sbx |access-date=2 May 2012|newspaper=The Times|date=22 July 2006 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1964, Gauld sold his story to the ''Sunday People'' for £7,000, incriminating Kay, Swan and former teammate David Layne in the process. Described by ''The Times'' as the "ringleader",<ref name="Times"/> Gauld was sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined £5,000.<ref name="Riddle"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Jackson|first=Jamie|title=Triumph and despair |url=https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,,1250123,00.html |access-date=2 May 2012|newspaper=The Observer|date=4 July 2004}}</ref> In total, 33 players were prosecuted for their involvement in the 1964 British betting scandal.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Richard |last1=Cox |first2=Dave |last2=Russell |first3=Wray |last3=Vamplew |title=Encyclopedia of British Football |year=2002 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0714652498 |page=72}}</ref>
==Life and career== Born in Aberdeen, Gauld began his career with his home club side Aberdeen, with whom he was selected for the Scottish Youth side.<ref name="Riddle"/> Released by the club in 1950 without playing a first team game,<ref>{{cite web|title=Jimmy Gauld |url=http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=945&Season=1949-50|publisher=Aberdeen F.C. Heritage Trust|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> Gauld appeared in the Highland League for Huntly and Elgin City before joining League of Ireland side Waterford.<ref name="STFC1">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Gauld|url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=GAULDJIM|publisher=Swindon Town F.C|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref><ref name="NB">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Gauld|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/jimmygauld.html|work=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database|publisher=Neil Brown|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> Gauld was the top goalscorer in the 1954–55 League of Ireland season with 30 goals.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Canny |first1=Julian |last2=DeLoughry |first2=Sean |title=Ireland – List of Topscorers |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/iertops.html |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |access-date=8 May 2012 |date=29 February 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406093820/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html |archive-date= 6 April 2012 }}</ref>
He went on to play in the Football League for Charlton Athletic, Everton, Plymouth Argyle and Swindon Town, who he joined for a club record fee.<ref name="STFC1"/> A brief spell with St Johnstone followed before he joined Mansfield Town, where a badly broken leg suffered during a game played on Boxing Day 1960 ended his career.<ref name="NB"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jimmy Gauld|url=http://www.greensonscreen.co.uk/gosdb-players2.asp?pid=323&scp=1,2,3,4,5,6,7|work=GoS–DB|publisher=Greens on Screen|access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> In the summer of 1960 he played abroad in the National Soccer League with Montreal Cantalia.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 May 1960|title=Hearts Blank Cantalia 3-0 in Ottawa Exhibition Game|page=27|work=Montreal Gazette}}</ref>
Once his playing days were over, Gauld pursued a shadow career of match fixing. In 1964 – in search of a final "payday" – he sold his story to the ''Sunday People'' for £7,000, incriminating three Sheffield Wednesday players that he had enticed into the scheme: Peter Swan, Tony Kay and David Layne. Gauld's taped conversations were ultimately to convict himself and the three Sheffield Wednesday players, with the judge making it clear that he held Gauld responsible for ruining the other three.<ref name="Times"/>
Gauld, described as the "central figure", was sentenced to four years imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud and was fined £5,000. He and the others<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/8868391/England-footballers-Peter-Swan-and-Tony-Kay-among-the-last-sportsmen-to-be-jailed-for-rigging-matches.html England footballers Peter Swan and Tony Kay among the last sportsmen to be jailed for rigging matches] Retrieved 31 July 2020</ref> were banned from football for life by The Football Association, though several life bans were eventually lifted, with both Swan and Layne returning to Sheffield Wednesday in 1972.
The scandal was dramatised in a 1997 BBC film called ''The Fix'', directed by Paul Greengrass, in which the role of Gauld was played by Christopher Fulford.
Gauld died in London in 2004, aged 73.<ref name="Scotsman">{{cite web |url= http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl-lower-divisions/the-scots-who-paid-a-high-price-for-match-fixing-1-3234413 |title=The Scots who paid a high price for match-fixing – The Scotsman |first= Jack|last=Davidson |work=scotsman.com |date=16 December 2013|access-date=6 August 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311143857/http://www.swindontownfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LegendsDetail/0,,10341~226020,00.html |date=11 March 2007 |title=Biography }} at Swindon Town F.C.
{{League of Ireland A Division top scorers}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Gauld, Jimmy}} Category:1931 births Category:2004 deaths Category:Footballers from Aberdeen Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Aberdeen F.C. players Category:Huntly F.C. players Category:Elgin City F.C. players Category:Waterford F.C. players Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players Category:Everton F.C. players Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players Category:Swindon Town F.C. players Category:St Johnstone F.C. players Category:Mansfield Town F.C. players Category:League of Ireland players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:Canadian National Soccer League players Category:20th-century Scottish criminals Category:Sportspeople involved in betting scandals Category:Highland Football League players Category:British sportspeople convicted of crimes Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen