Jim Bett

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jim Bett


fullname = James Bett
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1959|11|25|df=y
cityofbirth = Hamilton
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=5|in=11
nickname =
position = Midfielder (Retired)
currentclub =
youthyears =
youthclubs = Gartcosh Boys Club
years = 1976–1978
1978
1978–1980
1980–1983
1983–1985
1985–1994
1994
1994–1995
1995–1996
clubs = Airdrie
Valur
Lokeren
Rangers
Lokeren
Aberdeen
KR Reykjavík
Heart of Midlothian
Dundee United
caps(goals) = 008 0(0)
033 0(1)
104 (21)
064 0(7)
257 (33)
013 0(4)
026 0(2)
010 0(2)
nationalyears = 1982–1990
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 025 0(1)

James "Jim" Bett (born November 25, 1959 in Hamilton) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who predominantly played for Aberdeen. He played in central or left midfield.

Bett was a Scottish Schoolboy internationalist,cite book | last = Lamming | first = Douglas | title = A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who’s Who, 1872-1986 | format = Hardback | publisher = Hutton Press | year = 1987 | id = (ISBN 0-907033-47-4) ] who started his career with Airdrieonians before moving to Icelandic side Valur in 1978. A year later he joined K.S.C. Lokeren (282) in Belgium before Rangers manager John Greig paid £150,000 to sign him for the Glasgow club in 1980. In three seasons at Ibrox he won a Scottish Cup winners medal (1980-81) and a League Cup winners medal (1982-83). During this spell he also earned his first selection for the Scotland national side, making the first of 25 appearances in 1982.

Bett returned to his native land in 1985, joining Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen in 1985 for £300,000. During his time with "the Dons" he collected winners medals in the 1985-86 and 1989-90 seasons for both the Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup. He left Pittodrie in 1994, after making almost 300 first-team appearances, and moved to KR Reykjavík. He won the Icelandic Cup with KR but left at the end of the 1994 Icelandic season to join Hearts, with whom he played the 1994-95 Scottish season. He retired in 1996, after a final season with Dundee United.

Bett met his Icelandic wife during his time playing for Valur and has maintained a close connection with Iceland since. His sons Baldur and Calum, also both professional footballers, were born there and have represented the country at Under-19 level.cite news|url=http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/news58.htm|publisher=Bob Dunning 1970-71 Football review|title=News Archive|date=2005-09-30] Coincidentally, Bett's only goal for Scotland occurred in a 1-0 win over Iceland in Reykjavík in 1985.

In 2003, Bett was inducted into the Aberdeen FC Hall of Fame as one of the founding members.

References

External links

*
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/jamesbett.html Scotland appearances] at londonhearts.com