Career
Herriot represented both Scotland and the Scottish League XI. Herriot joined Dunfermline Athletic from junior side Douglasdale in 1958, becoming the Pars established number 1 when Eddie Connachan left for Middlesbrough in 1963. Herriot adopted the American Football technique of applying boot polish under and around his eyes to reduce the effects of glare from the sun. Herriot helped Dunfermline reach the 1965 Scottish Cup Final, which they lost 3–2 to Celtic.
Herriot was transferred to Birmingham City for £18,000 in 1965.
He was a fixture in the City side during the next four years and would eventually gain international recognition. He made his Scotland debut in October 1968, during a 1–0 defeat of Denmark in Copenhagen, and played a further 7 times for the national side.
By 1970 Herriot had fallen from favour at Street Andrews and, following a loan spell with Mansfield Town, he left for South African side Durban City. He returned to Britain in 1971, joining Eddie Turnbull"s developing Hibernian side.
He left the Edinburgh side to join Street Mirren in 1973, then moved to Partick Thistle in 1975.
After a spell on loan with Greenock Morton in October 1975 he returned to Dunfermline Athletic in early 1976 before joining Morton permanently for the 1976-1977 season. He retired from the game in the summer of 1977. Herriot is probably best-known today for giving his name to the writer James Herriot, a Yorkshire vet whose real name was Alf Wight.
Wight needed a pen-name to comply with professional rules banning advertising and chose Jim Herriot"s name after seeing him play exceptionally well for Birmingham City in a televised match against Manchester United.
Jim Herriot is actually a trained bricklayer.