Jimmy Paterson

Dr James "Jimmy" Alexander Paterson MC (9 May 1891 – 31 August 1959) was a Scottish doctor and footballer.

Born in London but brought up in Glasgow, Paterson was on the books of both Rangers and Queen's Park as an amateur, whilst training as a doctor. He won the Scottish League championship with Rangers in 1912-13. With the outbreak of World War I he joined the London Scottish Regiment and served as a medical officer, winning the Military Cross for his bravery in action in France. After the war ended, he played a further season with Rangers, winning the Scottish League championship in 1919-20.

He moved to London to share a medical practice in Clapton with his brother-in-law, John L. Scott, who was also the Arsenal team doctor. Paterson was persuaded to sign for Arsenal as an amateur, and made his debut on the left wing against Derby County on 30 October 1920. Paterson became a regular fixture in the Arsenal side that season, and even played for an English League XI against a Scottish League XI. However, he found himself ousted from the side in 1921-22, before returning to play over 20 games in both the 1922-23 and 1923-24 seasons.

An anecdote by the Times columnist Brian Glanville recounted how once, when given a bunch of daffodils by a girl in the crowd for one match, Paterson played on the wing with them in his hand for several minutes before finding a place to put them.

He retired from football in the summer of 1924 to concentrate on his medical practice, only to make a surprise return to the Arsenal side two years later after being persuaded by Herbert Chapman. Against Newcastle United on 13 February 1926, he scored his only ever league goal, in a 3-0 win, and he then played in three FA Cup ties against Aston Villa (twice, scoring in the replay) and Swansea. In all he made 77 appearances for Arsenal, scoring two goals.

Paterson continued to work in medical practice until his retirement in the 1950s. He died of a heart attack in 1959, aged 68.