However, Rowan was back in the team which welcomed Celtic to Broomfield on Wednesday, 10 March 1965. This was an historic evening for their guests, as the wonderful Jock Stein era commenced with a 6-0 rout of Airdrieonians, recent signing Bertie Auld scoring five goals that night, two from the penalty spot, after John Hughes had opened the scoring, with the new management team in the dugout for the first time.
Three months later, Jimmy was back in the news and the top-flight as he signed for Falkirk on 16 June 1965, having scored 27 goals in 87 League games in three seasons at Broomfield. The record-breaking deal was reported in The Evening Times as follows.
“Jimmy Rowan, Airdrie’s captain of last season and man of many clubs, was transferred to Falkirk today. No fee was divulged. Falkirk and Airdrie reached agreement this week for the 29-year-old forward or half-back after a first Falkirk offer had been rejected. With new manager Sammy Kean on holiday, Falkirk sent a representative to Broomfield this morning, and after a three-cornered conference with manager Archie Wright, Rowan and the Falkirk negotiator, Rowan signed the transfer form.Falkirk will be Rowan’s SIXTH First Division club – a record which no player in Scotland can equal. His first senior club was Celtic and when he was given a free transfer he signed for Clyde and then moved to Dunfermline Athletic, Stirling Albion and then Airdrie.”
Jimmy made his debut in Falkirk’s opening League Cup-tie against Hibernian at Brockville on Saturday, 14 August 1965, the Bairns coming from behind to win 3-1. The Easter Road men recovered to win the section before going all the way to the last four, where Celtic beat them 4-0 in a replay having required a last-gasp Bobby Lennox equaliser in the first match at Ibrox. Two first-half Yogi penalty kicks then won the cup for Celtic against Rangers at Hampden.
Rowan was in the Falkirk team which faced Celtic at Brockville in a League match on Saturday, 16 October 1965. Three times the Bairns led but Celts refused to be beaten, edging a seven-goal thriller when Bobby Lennox scored the winner with six minutes remaining.
Jimmy Rowan and Joe McBride
The return fixture at Celtic Park on Saturday, 12 February 1966 was a different matter entirely, Joe McBride with a hat-trick, Bertie Auld with a double and John Hughes on target as Celts destroyed the Bairns with a 6-0 win, five of the goals arriving in a second-half blitz.
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