From a Penicuik Community Development Trust exhibition of living Penicuik Greats in Penicuik Town Hall on 2 February 2008

JIM AITKEN

Jim Aitken

Penicuik’s Rugby Legend

· born in Penicuik in November 1947.

· attends Penicuik High School

· attends Edinburgh College of Commerce

· in the grain trade

· local club Penicuik

· First Division Gala.

· first capped as a 29-year-old against England in 1977

· not selected again after that season until 1981

· captained Gala's three championship titles in 1979/80, 1980/81 and 1982/83.

· selected against France in 1981, playing in 21 of the next 24 tests.

Captain of Scotland: the Grand Slam

· appointed Scotland captain against England at Twickenham in 1983

· led his team to a first win there since 1971, a 22-12 victory.

· captained Scotland to a famous 25-25 draw against the All Blacks

· Historic Grand Slam season, Scotland's first since 1925.

· his skipper’s try gave the winning score against Wales in Cardiff.

· Triple Crown was won in Dublin when his team beat Ireland 32-9

· Grand Slam completed when Scotland beat France at Murrayfield 21-12.

· year 1984 was Aitken’s last as a Scotland player

· final international appearance in Bucharest against Romania: Scotland lost 22-28.

· Jim Aitken was capped 24 times.

· an inspiring skipper, he Aitken captained the Scotland team 7 times.

· he took the lead in one of its most magnificently successful seasons (won 6, lost 1).