Few men knew the late Jimmy Calderwood like Zander Diamond who says he shaped his career
From teenage defender through to his own debut season in the dugout, Zander Diamond hails Jimmy Calderwood as his ‘father figure’ in football.
The 39-year-old said: “I’m deeply saddened by Jimmy’s passing. I was very close to Jimmy. He was a true gentleman and a father figure to me from when he first came to Aberdeen. Football has lost a massive character in Jimmy in more ways than one. “He shaped my career. Even now, being a manager, he shaped what I expect from my team. It was a five-year relationship that prolonged and it’s very sad to learn that the illness has caught up with him.”
Calderwood schemed a 2-2 draw against the Bundesliga giants in the first leg at home before succumbing to a 5-1 loss a week later. Diamond recalls: “He’s mentioned that night in Dnipro as his best night ever. “He was a true leader and a true inspiration to me. We bonded as he was such a straight-talker. He wouldn’t mess about, never minced words. He was very honest in his approach to the media, the players. He got Dunfermline to the higher end of the top flight and a Scottish Cup Final, then moved to Aberdeen and we were barely ever outside the top five. The right end of the table all the time.
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