Jim McKenzie had played most of his early football in Scottish non-league football, mostly as an amateur while working as an upholsterer. He then joined Burton Swifts of the Football League’s Second Division. Despite being a regular with them, he returned to Scotland after only one season, for another single season – in the Scottish First Division with Clyde. He spent even less time at Southampton. Making his debut at outside-left in the first-ever game at The Dell, Jim scored one goal and laid on another in Saints’ 4-1 win but, by mid-November, he had played his sixth and last game in the Southern League. He incurred a serious leg injury and duly returned to Scotland, rejoining Clyde once he had recovered.