Elgin City's 82-year-old groundsman says the role helped him cope following the death of his wife

Press and Journal

06-05-2025

Elgin City groundsman Cecil Jack – the oldest in a professional club in Scotland at the age of 82 – has spoken about how the role helped him deal with the death of his wife.
The Scottish Professional Football League are turning the spotlight on those behind the scenes at clubs throughout their leagues in a series of films called 'Unsung'.
Cecil spends almost every day at the Black and Whites' Borough Briggs Stadium and believes the club's support has helped him recover from losing wife June, 59, to cancer in the mid-2000s.
The grandad-of-one still travels across the country to every game and has been cheering on the side at matches for over six decades, including with late wife June, who used to work at the club's pie stall.
His huge impact within Elgin is marked in the first edition of Unsung, celebrating the inspiring real life stories of characters from across the Scottish game, which will run in the coming months. 'I'd be bored sitting at home watching daytime TV without Elgin City'
Cecil, who lives in the town's New Elgin, said: 'Elgin City's been a huge part of my life. I spend more time here than I do at home.
'I said I'd help out as groundsman for a few weeks around two decades ago and I've been there ever since. The pitch looks as good as it has in my whole time here, which I'm really proud of.
'Football gives me a lot of fun, even at this age. I'd be bored sitting at home watching daytime TV without Elgin City, so it keeps me going.
'The club really helped me during my mourning process of losing my wife June and being involved in the club has helped me immensely in recent years.' Late wife June persuaded Cecil to join the club board
Cecil first became connected to Elgin City aged 15, selling club raffles and then running matchday coaches.
He was persuaded to become a supporters' club committee member in 1986 and later served as vice president and president of the supporters' club.
The retired carpet fitter travelled to games with June, who was also a member of the supporters' club, and she worked in the club's pie shop. Cecil's late wife June pictured with the late Elgin City Supporters' Club president Ronnie Eddie.
Cecil was asked to join the club's board shortly after June was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and she persuaded him to take up the role in the months before her death in 2006.
Shortly afterwards he took on the role of club groundsman. Been to more than 1,000 games
The dad-of-one, whose son Arthur is a youth coach at Caley Thistle, estimates he's been to around 1,000 games during his time following the club.
And Cecil speaks about the impact June had on his life, with their passion for football certainly shared.
He added: 'June helped out in the pie shop after we got married and was a stalwart of our supporters' club. We had a really happy marriage and loved going to games together.
'June was unwell when I was asked to join the club board, and I wasn't sure if it was the right time, but she said I should do it as that's where I belonged. I went on the board with her blessing and it was the best thing for me.
'I've travelled home and away to every game since I joined the board 17 years ago. I'll have been a few years round the world following Elgin, and I do it because I love it.' 'He portrays himself as Mr Grumpy, but he's a great guy.' – Isla Benzie
Elgin City vice chair Isla Benzie has known Cecil for life as he is best friends with her mum and dad Susie and Martin Graham and said he's a huge character at the club.
She said: 'Cecil's whole life is Elgin City. He's at the club every day.
'He's a huge character. I've known him all my life. He portrays himself as Mr Grumpy, but he's a great guy.
'He's an encyclopedia on club history. Pretty much everyone in Elgin knows him. Isla Benzie, Elgin City vice chair.
'Joining the board has helped keep him young and keep going after June's death, which has been great.' Delight to have Cecil as first featured
Calum Beattie, SPFL chief operating officer, said: 'There are so many unsung figures doing vital work at clubs right across the country in our men's and women's game, which is why we wanted to launch this new series.
'It's great to hear the huge impact Elgin City has had on Cecil's life, and how well appreciated he is by everybody at the club.
'We'd like to pass on our thanks to Cecil for the incredible contribution he's had to his club and Scottish football, and we look forward to telling more Unsung stories in the coming months.'