Yorkston was appointed Chairman of Dunfermline Athletic on 11 June 1999, just after Dunfermline's relegation from the SPL. In addition to this, he was also the managing director of First Scottish Group, a legal services company, however in October 2012, he retired from this position. Yorkston, a lifelong fan of the club and keen wharler, has two sons and 6 grandchildren. At 6-foot 9 inches tall. Yorkston is the tallest club chairman in British football. He initially took up acting with limited success. Keen to utilise his height to full effect he auditioned for and got down to the last two for the role of "The Green Cross Code Man" eventually losing out to Dave Prowse of Darth Vader fame. Other unsuccessful auditions included the role as "Hunny Monster" alongside veteran comic actor Henry Magee. His biggest success as a thespian was in the role of "Herman Munster" in the Lochgelly Theatre Company's pantomime hit "Munster Family Christmas" in 1982. A close friend of the comedian Bobby Davro it was Davro who suggested Yorkston leave his show business aspirations behind and become a civil servant a role which Davro thought he would be ideal for. Yorkston was becoming disillusioned with show business feeling he was being unfairly typecast due to his height and took the advice of one-time mentor and friend Davro and quit. 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. Yorkston has been prominent in footballing and business circles for over 20 years now. Yorkston "openly criticised" the Old Firm during the 2002 dispute between those clubs and the majority of SPL clubs regarding a new television broadcasting contract.
Personal life
Yorkston is a lifelong fan of the Pars and has two sons and six grandchildren.
