The former Celtic trainee was one of three signings made by manager Don Mackay with the money received from the sale of Terry Gibson to Manchester United in early 1986, the others were Nick Pickering and Alan Brazil. City paid Nottingham Forest £80,000 for the right-back but he played only five games for the club and managed to score one of the most spectacular own goals in the club’s modern history at Highbury. In the summer of 1986 with George Curtis and John Sillett at the reins he was deemed surplus to requirements and was sold to Dundee United in a double deal with David Bowman, netting the club a small profit.

Jim, converted into a ball-winning midfielder, was much more at home north of the border and had a very successful career at Tannadice playing in a UEFA Cup final side in 1987 and winning Scottish Cup losers medals in 1987 and 1991 before lifting a winners medal in 1994. He made over 300 appearances for the Terrors in two spells and also played for Raith Rovers, Dundee and East Fife before retiring in 2000 and also won ten Scottish caps. 

Own goals (1)
1985-86
22 March 1986 v Arsenal A, Division One