In fact Everton did not work out. He was released in months but to be immediately signed up by St. Johnstone for three seasons before Cowdenbeath in the First Division came in and where for two seasons he forged with Alex Venters a very successful partnership. And it must have that which, despite Jimmy already being in his late twenties, tempted Leicester, somewhat struggling in the English First Division to hire his services. But once more it did not really work out. He stayed three seasons. Leicester continued to struggled until in 1936 it was finally relegated and he moved on, dropping down to Reading in the Third Division and finally, at thirty-three, sideways to what would turn out to be a final season with Clapton Orient.

The reason for the end of the his playing career would be the outbreak of war at which point he returned home. But he did so with two children, one born in Leicester, the second in Reading, and his wife. She was the former Elspeth McKenzie, they had married, in 1930 just as he had joined Cowdenbeath, in Bridge of Allan  and it was in that village they now settled. Jimmy would die there in 1978 at the age of seventy-three to be buried in Stirling's Logie Cemetery. Elspeth's passing would in 1999, aged ninety-three, to be laid beside him.