
Sir Tom Farmer to make final journey past the club he helped save
He owned a majority stake in Hibs for 28 years, selling his interest in 2019 to US businessman Ron Gordon, and was credited by current head coach David Gray as having 'saved the club at a time of need'.
Sir Tom's financial intervention helped block a hostile takeover from Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer in 1990 and he bought the club and Easter Road from the receivers of the parent company a year later amid serious financial difficulties.
Hibs would soon win the first of two League Cups of Sir Tom's 28-year stewardship, and he also presided over the Scottish Cup being brought back to Easter Road in 2016 after a 114-year wait.
Sir Tom Farmer, left, and Rod Petrie in the stands in 2018 (Robert Perry/PA)
The founder of the Kwik Fit garage chain died at his home in Edinburgh on May 9, aged 84.
A minute's applause was held for him at the Hibs v Rangers match at Easter Road on Saturday.
On Wednesday it was announced that following a private family funeral, Sir Tom will make a final journey past his beloved Easter Road stadium in Edinburgh on May 28 so fans and members of the public can say their goodbyes.
The hearse is expected to pass the club at around 12.45pm.
A memorial service for him is planned later this year to acknowledge his contribution to civic and public life in Scotland and beyond.
Sir Tom, a former director of MyTravel Group and ScottishPower, was hailed by Scotland's First Minister John Swinney as a 'generous individual to so many causes in Scotland'.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said Sir Tom was a 'proud Scot' and a 'huge contributor' to Edinburgh's community football.
Gray, whose late winner against Rangers secured the Scottish Cup for Hibs, said 'it was a nice moment to be able to present the Scottish Cup to him for everything he's done as a Hibs supporter and everything he's been through'.
He added: 'All the times he's probably seen Hibs not win the Scottish Cup and all the pain he went through with that as well, so that was a real privileged moment for myself to be involved with the club on that day.
'I know how much it meant to absolutely everyone that day who was involved with the club, but no more so than him I'm sure.'
Sir Tom with his Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy award presented in the Scottish Parliament in 2005 (PA)
Born in Leith in 1940 as the youngest of seven children, Sir Tom started Kwik Fit in 1971 and grew it to become an international chain before selling it to Ford for £1 billion in 1999.
He married Anne in 1966 after they met at their local church, and the devout Catholics were together for 57 years until her death in 2023.
He was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry and made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2009 for his charitable work, including as chairman of the board of trustees for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
He was the first Scot to be awarded the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal for philanthropy, and was made a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the Catholic Church.
His family said in a statement previously that Sir Tom's life and career 'touched many aspects of Scottish and UK life', and his philanthropy would be remembered.
They added: 'Sir Tom will be remembered by many for his deep commitment to his family, his work and his faith and for being at all times a proud Scotsman.'
Hibs previously paid tribute in a post on X, saying: 'Hibernian FC are devastated to hear of the passing of former owner Sir Tom Farmer, aged 84.
'Thank you for everything, Tom. Rest in peace.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
St Andrews golf worth £317m annually to the Scottish economy
Researchers calculated the amount visitors spent directly on golf in St Andrews as well as on hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and local travel providers. Read more: St Andrews Links - whose other courses include the New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Balgove and Strathtyrum courses - welcomes an average of 2,000 playing visitors every week. Around 72% of those visitors come from overseas, with the USA (40%) and Canada (6%) being the key markets. A further 28% of visits were from the UK, with the remaining 26% coming from elsewhere. Across visitors from all locations, 84% said they were 'likely or very likely' to return in the future. 'This is the first such study looking solely at the impact of golf in St Andrews on the town and the wider Scottish economy," said Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust. 'It clearly shows the massive impact on the town and that our visitors are delivering a boost to communities across Scotland each and every year. This impact has probably been undervalued in the past. Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust (Image: Gavin Craigie) 'The unique place that St Andrews holds as the lifeblood and source of the sport means that both golfers and non-golfers want to come here and experience this place for themselves. But this only works if we continue to invest in our facilities and in ensuring we strive for excellence in customer experience.' St Andrews Links Trust is a charity with all of its revenue reinvested into the sport, facilities and in community initiatives across the region. For every £1 that passes through the tills of St Andrews Links from visitors, an additional £3.43 is generated for other businesses in the town. "Scotland has a proud reputation as the birthplace of the game and St Andrews is home to many links courses, not least the Old Course, which are the envy of the world," Scottish Business Minister Richard Lochhead said. "This report hits home the scale of the benefits we all reap from the trust's courses, alongside the broader impact of golf tourism, which boosts the economy by £300 million every year and supports around 5,000 jobs. Read more: "I commend the Trust for all it does to sustain and grow the game and I'm looking forward to the return of The Open to St Andrews in 2027, which, backed by Scottish Government funding, will further increase our standing as a first-class host of major events." Of the 283,000 rounds played on the seven St Andrews Links courses in 2023, 152,000 (54%) were played by visitors to St Andrews. More than half of visitors combined their St Andrews Links trip with a visit to another iconic layout in Scotland, the most popular being Kingsbarns (29%), Carnoustie (25%), Dumbarnie (15%) and Crail (14%). Vicki Miller, chief executive of VisitScotland, added: 'This comprehensive study showcases the important role golf plays in Scotland's visitor economy, with St Andrews standing at the heart of this as a globally recognised asset. Read more: 'Scotland continues to be the destination of choice for golfers worldwide, and beyond the course, our renowned hospitality, culture, and heritage offer a truly distinctive and enriching experience for all who visit. We welcome this research, which reinforces Scotland's reputation as a world-leading tourism and events destination.' Professor Simon Shibli, from Sheffield Hallam University, said: 'Economic impact studies tend to look at the effects of one-off major sport events. For St Andrews Links Trust we have had the opportunity to investigate the economic impact of a permanent year-round golf business. "Using gold standard methods to interview over 2,400 golfers, our research reveals a significant asset to the Scottish economy, which has arguably not been fully appreciated. St Andrews Links Trust is not only a thriving business in its own right, it is also a catalyst for considerable tourism and employment benefits.'


Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘He battered me' – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight
Former manager wanted the player to quit a big hobby ONE TO FERG-ET 'He battered me' – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight DUNCAN FERGUSON has revealed he was "battered" in a training fight by a current England player. The former striker built a hardman image during his career and it is a reputation he is still known for. Advertisement 3 Duncan Ferguson challenged one of his players to a boxing fight Credit: Reuters 3 Anthony Gordon got the better of the ex-Everton boss Credit: Getty 3 Ferguson handed Gordon his Everton debut while in interim charge Credit: Getty Ferguson has previously fought off intruders in his own home and picked up nine red cards, often for thuggery, but one England star got the better of him. The Scot fought Anthony Gordon in a boxing match while the pair were at Everton. Ferguson was a big admirer of the youngster and handed Gordon his Everton debut while interim manager, but he wanted to teach the winger a lesson to persuade him to quit sparring - one of his big hobbies. But after donning the gloves to take on Gordon, Ferguson was taught a lesson of his own - not to challenge the quick and nimble winger. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL MIC DROP Michael Carrick lands new job after Middlesbrough axe as John O'Shea joins him Ferguson revealed the incident in his book, Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography. He said: "I made sure Gordon got his debut at Limassol, I then gave Anthony his second game against Leicester,' Ferguson wrote. "I loved his appetite to improve, he wanted to learn and practice, practice, practice. "He was as fit as a fiddle and took diet seriously but was still going to different boxing gyms and sparring. 'You have to stop,' I told Anthony, "You can't go to them, you'll get hurt". Advertisement BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS "He battered me once in the Finch Farm gym. I had a pair of boxing gloves on, he didn't. And I didn't do it again. "Anthony's a bright lad, knows what he wants and is dedicated and lightning quick."


Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Stuart Findlay set for Hearts transfer with Oxford talks progressing as part of planned double swoop
McInnes made Findlay a top transfer priority soon after making the move from Kilmarnock and a deal is likely to be done Stuart Findlay is set to join Hearts as talks with Oxford United progress over the defender. Record Sport revealed that new boss Derek McInnes wanted Findlay to join him at Tynecastle as a matter of priority after making the move from Kilmarnock. Scotland international Findlay has spent the last two season on loan at Rugby Park from Oxford, where he still has another year left on his contract. However, Hearts have entered negotiations with the Championship club over a deal for Findlay and he is expected to be confirmed as a Hearts player before the start of pre-season training next week. McInnes has previously hailed Findlay's impact for Killie, not just with his own performances, but on those around him. He said: "There's no doubt having Stuart Findlay back has been massive for us. He doesn't always catch the eye, and he's not exactly dribbling out and making chances and all the rest of it, but he's such a calming influence. 'That ability for a centre-half to make people round about them better is a dying art, because so many boys now just want to play their own game and look after themselves, but he does it in such a quiet effective way.' The Jambos are also progressing a deal for Portuguese striker Claudio Bravo. Around £400,000 is expected to be enough to tempt Norwegian second-tier side Aalesund FK into selling the 25-year-old, who still has 18 months left on his contract. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here. Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.