Born in 1942 in the mining town of Lochore, Willie Renton’s earliest footballing steps were taken with Ballingry High and Fife Schools, where his talent as an outside left quickly became apparent. Yet, as many Scottish footballers of his era, his early playing days were intertwined with the world of coal mining. At 15, he was working in the Mary Pit while honing his craft with Mary Colliery Youths, a side affiliated with Lochore House Youth Club.

PART ONE

From these humble beginnings, Renton took the well-trodden path into junior football, joining the Lochore Welfare. The Welfare had a rich history of developing future professionals, and Renton was merely one of many to make the leap into the senior game. It was in 1962 that St Johnstone spotted his potential and signed him, marking the beginning of his professional career. That year was momentous not just for his footballing aspirations but also on a personal level, as he married a Cowdenbeath girl and settled in Stenhouse Street.

His initial period at St Johnstone was one of steady development. Making a couple of appearances in the side that secured promotion from the Second Division, he soon cemented his place in the team. By 1964, he had become an essential component of the Saints’ midfield, operating as a left-half with a vision and elegance reminiscent of the great Jim Baxter. The comparison was inevitable—a supremely gifted left-footed playmaker from Cowdenbeath who could dictate play with poise and guile.

Inevitably, such talent drew attention, and it wasn’t long before bigger clubs came knocking. Tottenham Hotspur had their scouts monitoring his progress, while Rangers, under the watchful eye of Scot Symon, made their intentions clear in 1966. St Johnstone valued Renton highly, demanding an initial fee of £15,000, with additional payments of £10,000 after ten appearances and a further £5,000 should he earn international recognition. Rangers countered with £12,000 plus the inclusion of Roger Hynd, before settling on a straightforward £15,000 offer. However, the deal collapsed, a bitter disappointment for Renton, who had dreamed of the move to Ibrox.

With his Rangers hopes dashed, a different path beckoned. St Mirren swooped in to secure his services, where he joined forces with a young Archie Gemmill. This move proved fruitful, as Renton captained the Buddies to the Second Division title in 1968, restoring their place in the top flight. His leadership and midfield artistry were vital in the triumph, and once again, his performances did not go unnoticed.

That same year, Scottish Cup holders Dunfermline Athletic came calling, parting with £8,000 to acquire his services. The Pars, then a formidable force under George Farm, had their eyes set on European glory, and Renton played a crucial role in their journey. The 1968/69 season saw Dunfermline embark on a thrilling European Cup Winners’ Cup run, reaching the semi-finals before bowing out to Slovan Bratislava. Renton’s composure and ability to dictate play from midfield made him a key figure during this period.

Yet, his time at Dunfermline was not without controversy. In a fiery league encounter against Celtic at East End Park, Renton and Willie Wallace were both given their marching orders following a tempestuous battle. Wallace had fouled Renton on three separate occasions before tempers flared, resulting in a brawl that saw players from both teams getting involved. The referee had no choice but to send Renton off for retaliation, while a Celtic supporter was arrested for launching a beer can at Alex Edwards. Scottish football in the late 1960s was not for the faint-hearted.

PART TWO

As the decade drew to a close, so too did Dunfermline’s golden era. The Pars began to decline, and by 1970, Renton found himself surplus to requirements. His final match for the club came in a league defeat to Cowdenbeath in September that year. With his future uncertain, he considered a move to Australia but ultimately opted for a deal with Barrow, then still a Football League club.

The move to England’s lower leagues was not quite the adventure Renton might have hoped for. The Sporting Post reported that he had signed a long-term contract worth £35 per week—reasonable money at the time—but also noted that he patted his “ample girth” and quipped, “Wonder if I’ll make it!” He didn’t. By December 1971, his time at Barrow was over, and the promise of the late 1960s was fading fast.

Andy Matthew, then manager of Cowdenbeath, offered Renton one last opportunity to rekindle his career with a trial at Central Park. The hope was that his experience and technical prowess could aid Cowden’s promotion push, but the reality was that his best days were behind him. With that, Renton’s professional career came to an end at the age of 30, bringing the curtain down on a journey that had promised so much yet ultimately fell just short of true greatness.

Over the course of his career, Willie Renton played 249 senior games for his Scottish clubs, finding the net 17 times. A mercurial talent with a wand of a left foot, he could have graced the grandest stages of Scottish football had fate been kinder. But alas, for every Jim Baxter, there is a Willie Renton—a player of immense ability who, through a combination of circumstances, near-misses, and perhaps a touch of self-inflicted mischief, never quite reached the pinnacle he might have.