View source for Jim Bett

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jim Bett
| image = 
| caption = 
| fullname = James Bett<ref>{{cite book |title=A Record of Post-war Scottish League Players 1946/47 to 2017/18 |version=7 |publisher=John Litster and Scottish Football Historian magazine |date=2018}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|11|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]], Scotland
| death_date = 
| height = 
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = Gartcosh United
| youthyears2 = 
| youthclubs2 = [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]]
| years1 = 1976–1978
| clubs1 = [[Airdrieonians F.C. (1878)|Airdrieonians]]
| caps1 = 8
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1978
| clubs2 = [[Valur (club)|Valur]]
| caps2 = 2
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1978–1980
| clubs3 = [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|Lokeren]]
| caps3 = 33
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1980–1983
| clubs4 = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| caps4 = 104
| goals4 = 21
| years5 = 1983–1985
| clubs5 = [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|Lokeren]]
| caps5 = 64
| goals5 = 7
| years6 = 1985–1994
| clubs6 = [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]]
| caps6 = 257
| goals6 = 33
| years7 = 1994
| clubs7 = [[Valur (club)|Valur]]
| caps7 = 13
| goals7 = 4
| years8 = 1994–1995
| clubs8 = [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]]
| caps8 = 26
| goals8 = 2
| years9 = 1995–1996
| clubs9 = [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]]
| caps9 = 23
| goals9 = 2
| totalcaps = 530
| totalgoals = 70
| nationalyears1 = 1980–1982
| nationalyears2 = 1982–1990
| nationalteam1 = [[Scotland national under-21 football team|Scotland U21]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu21/player.php?playerid=76 |title=[Scotland U21 player] Bett, Jim |work=fitbastats.com |access-date=11 October 2012}}</ref>
| nationalteam2 = [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalcaps2 = 26
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalgoals2 = 1
}}
'''James Bett''' (born 25 November 1959) is a Scottish former professional [[association football|footballer]] who played in [[Midfielder|central or left midfield]]. He played with [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]] for nine seasons and had shorter spells at other clubs in Belgium, Iceland and Scotland. He earned 26 [[Cap (sport)|caps]] for the [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]] over eight years.

==Playing career==
A Scottish Schoolboy international born in [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire]],<ref name="Lamming">{{cite book | last = Lamming | first = Douglas | title = A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who's Who, 1872–1986 | type = Hardback | publisher = Hutton Press | year = 1987 | isbn = 0-907033-47-4 | id = () }}</ref> Bett started his club career with Gartcosh United, [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]] and [[Airdrieonians F.C. (1878)|Airdrieonians]] before moving to Icelandic side [[Valur men's football|Valur]] in 1978. A year later he joined [[K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen|K.S.C. Lokeren]] (282) in Belgium.

[[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] manager [[John Greig]] paid £150,000 to sign Bett for the [[Glasgow]] club in 1980. In three seasons at [[Ibrox Stadium|Ibrox]] he won the [[Scottish Cup]] ([[1980–81 Scottish Cup|1980–81]])<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/15305342.Six_of_the_best_Scottish_Cup_finals__Rangers_4_Dundee_United_1__1981__replay_/|title=Six of the best Scottish Cup finals: Rangers 4 Dundee United 1 (1981, replay)|newspaper=The Herald|date=24 May 2017|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and a [[Scottish League Cup|League Cup]] ([[1981–82 Scottish League Cup|1981–82]]).<ref name="Lamming"/> He left Rangers in 1983 for a second spell with Lokeren.

Bett returned to his native land, joining [[Alex Ferguson]]'s Aberdeen in 1985 for £300,000.<ref name="Lamming"/> During his time with the ''Dons'', he collected winner's medals in the Scottish Cup in [[1985–86 in Scottish football|1985–86]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.co.uk/2016/01/06/scottish-cup-1986-revisited/|title=Scottish Cup: 1986 revisited|publisher=Aberdeen F.C.|date=6 January 2016|access-date=1 February 2018}}</ref> and both the League Cup and Scottish Cup in [[1989–90 in Scottish football|1989–90]],<ref>{{cite web|first=James|last=Traynor |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/stagnant-celtic-pay-ultimate-penalty-snelders-saves-rogan-s-kick-and-irvine-secures-cup-for-aberdeen-1.577287 |title=Stagnant Celtic pay ultimate penalty. Snelders saves Rogan's kick and Irvine secures cup for Aberdeen |work=Herald Scotland |date=14 May 1990 |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> He also played in three other League Cup finals – all ending in defeat to Rangers,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qg41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=qKULAAAAIBAJ&pg=3908%2C7030567 |newspaper=Glasgow Herald |date=26 October 1987 |page=9 |title=Spot-on Rangers earn the cheers |first=Jim |last=Reynolds |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/15279128.NOW_YOU_KNOW__Ally_McCoist_double_helped_Rangers_defeat_Aberdeen_3_2_in_1998_League_Cup_Final/ |newspaper=Evening Times |location=Glasgow |title=Now you know: Ally McCoist double helped Rangers defeat Aberdeen 3-2 in 1988 League Cup Final |date=10 May 2017 |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Football: Smith's slip gives Rangers the prize |first=David |last=McKinney |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-smiths-slip-gives-rangers-the-prize-1559752.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-smiths-slip-gives-rangers-the-prize-1559752.html |archive-date=8 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=26 October 1992 |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and was in squads which finished runners-up behind his former club in the [[Scottish Premier Division]] on five occasions.

He left [[Pittodrie Stadium|Pittodrie]] in 1994, after making over 300 first-team appearances. In 2003, Bett was inducted into the Aberdeen FC [[Aberdeen F.C.#AFC Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] as one of the founding members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afcheritage.org/history/halloffame/index.cfm?player_id=376|title=Hall of Fame: Jim Bett|publisher=AFC Heritage Trust|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

He next moved to [[Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur|KR Reykjavík]] and won the [[Icelandic Men's Football Cup|Icelandic Cup]] with the club, but left KR at the end of the 1994 Icelandic season. Bett returned to Scotland again to join [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Hearts]] with whom he played the [[1994–95 in Scottish football|1994–95 Scottish season]]. After a [[1995–96 Dundee United F.C. season|final season]] with [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]], he retired.

===International===
During his spell with Rangers, Bett earned his first selection for the [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national side]], making the first of 26 appearances in 1982.<ref name=darkblue>{{cite web|url=http://www.afcheritage.org/history/darkbluedons/index.cfm?player_id=376|title=Dark Blue Dons: Jim Bett|publisher=AFC Heritage Trust|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> While playing for Aberdeen at club level, he was a member of the Scottish World Cup squads in [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]], where he did not play, and [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]], where his only appearance was in the opening 1–0 defeat to [[Costa Rica national football team|Costa Rica]], which turned out to be the final cap of his career.<ref name=darkblue/>

==Personal life==
Bett met his [[Icelandic people|Icelandic]] wife during his time playing for Valur and has maintained a close connection with Iceland since. His sons [[Baldur Bett|Baldur]] and [[Calum Bett|Calum]], also both professional footballers, were born there and have represented the country at [[Iceland national under-19 football team|Under-19 level]].<ref name="Dunning">{{cite news|url=http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/news58.htm|publisher=Bob Dunning 1970–71 Football review|title=News Archive|date=30 September 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012023915/http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/news58.htm|archive-date=12 October 2013}}</ref> Coincidentally, Bett's only goal for Scotland occurred in a 1–0 win over [[Iceland national football team|Iceland]] in [[Reykjavík]] in 1985.<ref name="Dunning"/>

==Career statistics==

=== Club ===

=== Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |Club<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Jim Bett |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/old/player/18917/Jim_Bett.html |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=www.national-football-teams.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lokeren player archive |url=http://www.sporting.be/site/oud-spelers?pid=12 |access-date=28 November 2021 |archive-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130729220500/http://www.sporting.be/site/oud-spelers?pid=12 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rangers Player Jim Bett Details |url=https://www.fitbastats.com/rangers/player.php?playerid=1416 |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=www.fitbastats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile |url=https://afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=376 |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=afcheritage.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jim Bett - Hearts Career - from 08 Oct 1994 to 09 Aug 1995 |url=https://www.londonhearts.com/scores/newplayers/h01624.html |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=www.londonhearts.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jim Bett {{!}} Player Statistics {{!}} Dundee United (Arab Archive) |url=https://www.arabarchive.co.uk/player.php?id=321 |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=www.arabarchive.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" |Seasons
! colspan="3" |League
! colspan="2" |National Cup
! colspan="2" |League Cup
! colspan="2" |Europe
! colspan="2" |Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Airdrieonians F.C. (1878)|Airdrieonians]]
|[[1976–77 Scottish First Division|1976-77]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Scottish First Division]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
| -
| -
|1
|0
|-
|[[1977–78 Scottish First Division|1977-78]]
|7
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
| -
| -
|7
|0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!8
!0
!0
!0
!0
!0
!-
!-
!8
!0
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Valur Reykjavik]]
|[[1978 Úrvalsdeild|1978]]
|[[Úrvalsdeild]]
|2
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|2
|0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!2
!0
!0
!0
!0
!0
!0
!0
!2
!0
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[K.S.C. Lokeren-Temse|Lokeren]]
|[[1978–79 Belgian First Division|1978-79]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Belgian First Division]]
|0
|0
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|0+
|0+
|-
|[[1979–80 Belgian First Division|1979-80]]
|33
|1
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|33+
|1+
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!33
!1
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!33+
!1+
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
|[[1980–81 Rangers F.C. season|1980-81]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Scottish Premier Division]]
|34
|4
|7
|1
|4
|0
|0
|0
|45
|5
|-
|[[1981–82 Rangers F.C. season|1981-82]]
|35
|11
|5
|1
|9
|1
|2
|1
|51
|14
|-
|[[1982–83 Rangers F.C. season|1982-83]]
|35
|6
|6
|0
|11
|5
|4
|0
|56
|11
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!104
!21
!18
!2
!24
!6
!6
!1
!152
!30
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[K.S.C. Lokeren-Temse|Lokeren]]
|[[1983–84 Belgian First Division|1983-84]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Belgian First Division]]
|32
|1
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|32+
|1+
|-
|[[1984–85 Belgian First Division|1984-85]]
|32
|6
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|32+
|6+
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!64
!7
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!64+
!7+
|-
| rowspan="10" |[[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]]
|[[1985–86 Aberdeen F.C. season|1985-86]]
| rowspan="9" |[[Scottish Premier Division]]
|24
|3
|6
|0
|3
|0
|4
|0
|37
|3
|-
|[[1986–87 Aberdeen F.C. season|1986-87]]
|38
|4
|3
|1
|2
|0
|2
|1
|45
|6
|-
|[[1987–88 Aberdeen F.C. season|1987-88]]
|38
|10
|5
|0
|5
|3
|3
|1
|51
|14
|-
|[[1988–89 Aberdeen F.C. season|1988-89]]
|30
|5
|5
|0
|5
|3
|2
|0
|42
|8
|-
|[[1989–90 Aberdeen F.C. season|1989-90]]
|30
|3
|4
|1
|5
|2
|2
|0
|41
|6
|-
|[[1990–91 Aberdeen F.C. season|1990-91]]
|36
|7
|1
|0
|3
|2
|4
|0
|44
|9
|-
|[[1991–92 Aberdeen F.C. season|1991-92]]
|38
|1
|1
|0
|2
|0
|2
|0
|43
|1
|-
|[[1992–93 Aberdeen F.C. season|1992-93]]
|17
|0
|1
|0
|4
|0
|0
|0
|22
|0
|-
|[[1993–94 Aberdeen F.C. season|1993-94]]
|6
|0
|2
|0
|3
|0
|2
|0
|13
|0
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!257
!33
!28
!2
!32
!10
!21
!2
!338
!47
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Valur Reykjavik]]
|[[1994 Úrvalsdeild|1994]]
|[[Úrvalsdeild]]
|13
|4
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|13+
|4+
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!13
!4
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!-
!13+
!4+
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]]
|[[1994–95 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season|1994-95]]
|[[Scottish Premier Division]]
|26
|2
|4
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|30
|2
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!26
!2
!4
!0
!0
!0
!0
!0
!30
!2
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]]
|[[1995–96 Dundee United F.C. season|1995-96]]
|[[Scottish First Division]]
|23
|2
|0
|0
|1
|0
| -
| -
|24
|2
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!23
!2
!0
!0
!1
!0
!-
!-
!24
!2
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!530
!70
!50+
!4+
!57+
!16+
!27+
!3+
!664+
!93+
|}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/18917/Jim_Bett.html|title=Jim Bett|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=national-football-teams.com}}</ref>
|-
!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| 1982 || 2 || 0
|-
| 1983 || 1 || 0
|-
| 1984 || 6 || 0
|-
| 1985 || 6 || 1
|-
| 1986 || 2 || 0
|-
| 1987 || 2 || 0
|-
| 1988 || 1 || 0
|-
| 1989 || 2 || 0
|-
| 1990 || 4 || 0
|-
!Total || 26 || 1
|}

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/football_player_profile.cfm?page=2492&playerID=6009&squadID=1|title=Jim Bett|publisher=Scottish Football Association|website=scottishfa.co.uk}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| align=center| 1 || 28 May 1985 || [[Laugardalsvöllur]], Reykjavík, Iceland || {{fb|ISL}} || align=center| 1–0 || align=center| 1–0 || [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Honours==
'''Rangers'''<ref name=darkblue/>
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[1980–81 Scottish Cup|1980–81]]
**Runner-up [[1981–82 Scottish Cup|1981–82]], [[1982–83 Scottish Cup|1982–83]]
* [[Scottish League Cup]]: [[1981–82 Scottish League Cup|1981–82]]
**Runner-up [[1982–83 Scottish League Cup|1982–83]]

'''Aberdeen'''<ref name=darkblue/>
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[1985–86 Scottish Cup|1985–86]], [[1989–90 Scottish Cup|1989–90]] 
**Runner-up [[1992–93 Scottish Cup|1992–93]]
* [[Scottish League Cup]]: [[1989–90 Scottish League Cup|1989–90]]
**Runner-up [[1987–88 Scottish League Cup|1987–88]], [[1988–89 Scottish League Cup|1988–89]], [[1992–93 Scottish League Cup|1992–93]]

'''Scotland'''
* The [[Rous Cup]]: [[1985 Rous Cup|1985]]<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19850527&printsec=frontpage&hl=en | page = 15 | newspaper = [[Glasgow Herald]] | title = Rous-ing win for makeshift Scots | date = 27 May 1985 | via = Google News Archive }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Soccerbase}}
*[http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/jamesbett.html Scotland appearances] at londonhearts.com
*[https://archive.today/20130729220500/http://www.sporting.be/site/oud-spelers?pid=12 Profile and stats] – Lokeren
*[http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=376 Profile] at ''AFC Heritage Trust''

{{Navboxes
| title = Scotland squads
| bg = #003876
| fg = #FFFFFF
| list1 = 
{{Scotland squad 1986 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Scotland squad 1990 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{Aberdeen F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{SPFA Players' Player of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bett, Jim}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire]]
[[Category:Scottish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Aberdeen F.C. players]]
[[Category:Dundee United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Iceland]]
[[Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players]]
[[Category:K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen players]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League players]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Dundee F.C. players]]
[[Category:Scotland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League players]]
[[Category:Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur players]]
[[Category:Valur (men's football) players]]
[[Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Iceland]]
[[Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) players]]