John Wood Yorkston (born 13 July 1954) is a Scottish retired businessman who was previously chairman of football club Dunfermline Athletic.^[2]

Career

Business

Yorkston was the managing director of First Scottish Group, a legal services company, however in October 2012, he retired from this position.^[3]

He took up a full-time post in the civil service where he gradually moved up the ranks. He then left to start up a company searching public records under the auspices of the First National Bank. First Scottish began life back in 1987 as a subsidiary of First National Bank to undertake Searches on behalf of the Bank. From 1989 onwards, this service was extended to solicitors. In 2000, a management buy-out was negotiated which resulted in the Searching company First Scottish Searching Services. He was also a director of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce from 2012 to 2014.^[1]

Football

Yorkston was prominent in footballing circles for over 20 years; he was appointed chairman of Dunfermline Athletic on 11 June 1999, just after their relegation from the SPL,^[2] and at various times board positions on league and association bodies in addition to his club role.^[1] He "openly criticised" the Old Firm during the 2002 dispute between those clubs and the majority of the Scottish Premier League members regarding a new television broadcasting contract.^[4]

He stepped down as chairman in November 2012, instead taking up a role on the club's charitable arm, the Pars Trust.^[5] This came some months after he had publicly supported the removal of Rangers from the SPL owing to their holding company being liquidated,^[6] only for Dunfermline (12th out of 12 teams in the 2011–12 season) to be overlooked for the vacant place in the top division, which instead went to Dundee.^[7] The following year, despite Yorkston's previous positive comments on the club's financial state,^[8] Dunfermline entered administration and were deducted points,^[9] followed by the threat of liquidation later in 2013,^[10] although ultimately this was avoided.^[11]

Personal life

Yorkston is a lifelong fan of the Pars and has two sons and seven grandchildren.^[2]

References