And it was his form at the Perthshire in April 1900 got him trial and an immediate contract at Rangers, where in his first two seasons the League title was won, in the third the Cup, followed by two runners-up medals and a League play-off. He had by then set up home in Govan, recorded there as a "Shipyard Worker", staying, , their mother having passed away in 1900, with his elder sister and younger brother. And obviously he attracted interest from Down South. Sunderland tried to buy him but he did not go, that is until in 1907 as the Ibrox team stuttered he finally accepted an offer from newly-promoted Chelsea.

But London would not last long. He was minded or persuaded North once more and it was back to his former club for the best part of two more personally highly successful seasons, during which he won two Scotland caps, both as captain. He also captained the Scottish League in a win over its English equivalent and took part in 1909 in the Scottish Cup Final and replay before its eventual riot-provoked abandonment.

By then he was thirty-one with one more season at Ibrox but still the boots were not hung up. He simply moved to Morton, also in the top-flight, for five more years, during which his new club twice finished fourth, even defeating his old one, away, 1-5, before final retirement at not far short of forty. He then stayed back in Glasgow, at least he was recorded there in 1920, when, described as a Foreman Contractor, he married in Blythswood. His wife was Elizabeth Gilchrist, a farmer's daughter from by Renfrew and it was there the couple settled, Jimmy said to have worked as a gardener. In fact they lived, seemingly childless, in the same house until Elizabeth's death in 1961 with Jimmy staying on until his own passing in 1969 at the age of over ninety. He is buried in Woodside Cemetery, Paisley.