Jason Dair

Jason Dair (born 15 June 1974) is a Scottish football coach and former professional player who played as a midfielder or full-back.

Jason Dair
Personal information
Date of birth (1974-06-15) 15 June 1974
Place of birth Dunfermline, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder, full-back
Team information
Current team
 Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts (Assistant Coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991 Raith Rovers 94 (11)
1996–1997 Millwall 24 (1)
1997–1999 Raith Rovers 37 (1)
1999–2003 Dunfermline Athletic 126 (9)
2003–2004 Motherwell 29 (2)
2004–2006 Livingston 46 (2)
2006–2007 Raith Rovers 1 (0)
2007–2009 East Fife 6 (0)
Total 363 (26)
Managerial career
2009-2011 East Fife (Player-Assistant Manager)
2012–2014 Oakley United
2015–2016 Cowdenbeath (assistant manager)
2016 Cowdenbeath (caretaker manager)
2018–2019 Dundonald Bluebell
2019-2021 Dunfermline Athletic (Assistant Manager)
2021-2023 Hill of Beath Hawthorn
2023- Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dair had a spell as caretaker manager at Cowdenbeath, after former manager Colin Nish was sacked in May 2016.[1] Dair also managed East of Scotland team Dundonald Bluebell before taking up a coaching role at Dunfermline Athletic. After a short time away Jason came back into management at East of Scotland side Hill of Beath where he was the manager before joining his brother Lee Dair at Inverkeithing as part of the management team in May 2023.

Playing career

Dair, who was born in Dunfermline, began his career in 1991 with local Fife team Raith Rovers. A First Division winner in 1992–93, Dair suffered relegation in Raith's first season in the Premier Division. Months into Raith's season back in the First Division, Dair was part of the side that beat Celtic to win the League Cup, ensuring UEFA Cup football for the following season. Buoyed by the cup success, Raith won the title on the last day of the season and were promoted again at the first attempt. Dair scored Raith's first ever European goal, netting from close range against Faroese team GÍ Gøta and Raith won through the first two rounds to face Bayern Munich, losing 4–1 on aggregate. Unfortunately, Raith suffered domestic relegation again and when manager Jimmy Nicholl left in February 1996 to join Millwall, Dair – along with Stevie Crawford and David Sinclair – went with him.

Dair's time in London was brief and he returned to Stark's Park within eighteen months. With no trophies during his second spell in Kirkcaldy, Dair moved on in February 1999 to Rovers' rivals Dunfermline, where he would go on to spend four years. Following notice that he was transfer listed along with several other players,[2] Dair was released from East End Park in September 2003,[3] although he quickly moved to Motherwell.[4] Dair joined Livingston on a one-year contract at the start of the 2004–05 season,[5] extending his stay by a second year in June 2005.[6] Upon his contract expiry, he was released by Livi and made a brief return to Stark's Park in September 2006 when he played 72 minutes for Raith as a trialist against Alloa.[7] The following week, he moved to East Fife,[8] where he went on to play nine times during the season.

Coaching career

Dair took up a coaching role at East Fife and replaced Scott Crabbe as assistant manager prior to the 2010/11 season. He was appointed manager of Junior club Oakley United in May 2012[9] however he resigned from this position in May 2014.[10] In December 2015, Dair was appointed assistant manager to Colin Nish at Scottish League One side Cowdenbeath,[11] the two having previously played together whilst at Dunfermline Athletic. With Nish being sacked following Cowdenbeath's relegation to Scottish League Two, Dair was appointed caretaker manager pending the appointment of a new manager.[12] After Liam Fox was appointed head coach,[13] Dair left the Blue Brazil at the start of the 2016–17 season.[14]

In June 2019, Dair left his position as manager of Dundonald Bluebell to return to former club Dunfermline Athletic with former teammate Stevie Crawford as manager. Dair took up the role of first team coach having previously been Crawford's assistant at East Fife.[15] Following the resignation of Crawford in May 2021, Dair also left the club shortly after.[16]

Personal life

He is the nephew of legendary Rangers wing half Jim Baxter.[17]

Honours

Raith Rovers

East Fife

References
  1. "Cowdenbeath on the hunt for new manager after parting company with Colin Nish". The Courier. DC Thomson. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  2. "Crawford stays with Pars". BBC Sport website. 19 May 2003.
  3. "One in after six leave Pars". BBC Sport website. 30 August 2003.
  4. "Dair joins Motherwell". BBC Sport website. 3 September 2003.
  5. "Livi snap up Dair". BBC Sport website. 16 June 2004.
  6. "Dair and Brittain stay with Livi". BBC Sport website. 1 June 2005.
  7. "Jason Dair". Raith Rovers FC. Archived from the original on 20 December 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  8. "East Fife is next stop for Dair". BBC Sport website. 29 September 2006.
  9. "Oakley Appoint New Manager". Oakley United FC. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  10. "Jason Dair quits as Oakley manager". Dunfermline Press. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  11. "Assistant Manager Appointment". cowdenbeathfc.com. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  12. "Cowdenbeath on the hunt for new manager after parting company with Colin Nish". The Courier. DC Thomson. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  13. "Cowdenbeath: Hearts' Liam Fox appointed Blue Brazil head coach". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  14. "Changes at Central Park". Cowdenbeath FC. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  15. "Jason Dair appointed as first team coach". Dunfermline Athletic FC. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  16. "Coaching Staff Update". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  17. Ralston, Gary (8 April 2010). "Former Raith Rovers star Danny Lennon on club's glory days". Daily Record. Retrieved 17 February 2011. Jason Dair: The nephew of the legendary Jim Baxter is playing with East Fife.
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