Andrew Wilson (footballer, born 1879)

Andrew Wilson (10 December 1879 – 13 March 1945) was a Scottish footballer who played the majority of his career at Sheffield Wednesday, and was also called up to the Scotland national team. At Wednesday he won the Football League in 1903 and 1904, and the FA Cup in 1907.[2] He holds the club's all-time records for appearances made and goals scored.[3]

Andrew Wilson
Personal information
Date of birth (1879-12-10)10 December 1879
Place of birth Colmonell, Scotland[1]
Date of death 13 March 1945(1945-03-13) (aged 65)
Place of death Kilwinning, Scotland[2]
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1897–1899 Irvine Meadow
1899–1900 Clyde 18 (7)
1900–1920 Sheffield Wednesday 501 (199)
Total 519 (206)
International career
1907–1914 Scotland 6 (2)
Managerial career
1921–1926 Bristol Rovers
1927–1932 Oldham Athletic
1932–1933 Stockport County
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Born into a farming family in Colmonell and raised in Dundonald, South Ayrshire,[4][5] Wilson started his football career at local junior club Irvine Meadow before moving onto Clyde in Glasgow.[6][7][8]

Wilson moved to newly promoted The Wednesday in 1900 where he spent the rest of his playing days. During his time in Sheffield, he won the Football League in 1902–03 and 1903–04, and the FA Cup in 1907.[9] He became the club's all-time record top scorer with 216 goals including 199 in the league (all in the top division).[3][9][10] He was top scorer in six different seasons. He appeared for the team 545 times, more than any other player.[3] Both records stand to the present day.

With his career seemingly having come to an enforced end as a result of the onset of World War I, he made one final league appearance before retiring on 10 March 1920, aged 39 years and 91 days,[6] becoming the oldest player to play for the Owls; this record stood until it was beaten by player-manager Trevor Francis in 1993.

International career

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Wilson was capped for Scotland six times between April 1907 and March 1914.[7][11] He scored two goals, both against England, in the 1907–08 and 1911–12 editions of the British Home Championship (in each case the venue was Hampden Park, he opened the scoring, the match ended as a 1–1 draw, and the title was shared between the teams).[9][6]

Managerial career

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Wilson began a managerial career after his playing retirement, initially with Bristol Rovers where he spent over five years between March 1921 and the end of the 1925-26 season. He joined Oldham Athletic in 1927 and was later manager of Stockport County for the 1932-33 season.[12][6]

Personal life

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Three of Wilson's brothers were also professional footballers:[6] David spent most of his career with Oldham Athletic and was selected once by Scotland in 1913 (a match in which Andrew also played – the last occasion when siblings took the field together until after the Second World War);[12][5] James played with St Mirren and Preston North End and was selected for the Scottish Football League XI;[13][14] and Alec played for Preston and Oldham.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Statutory registers – Births – Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  2. ^ a b "The death of Andrew Wilson". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 14 March 1945. Retrieved 22 February 2019 – via Play Up Liverpool.
  3. ^ a b c "Players, Managers and Administrators", Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
  4. ^ Census returns – Census – Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  5. ^ a b Mitchell, Andy (2021). The men who made Scotland: The definitive Who's Who of Scottish Football Internationalists 1872-1939. Amazon. ISBN 9798513846642.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Wilson Andrew Image 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1905". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b Andrew Wilson at the Scottish Football Association
  8. ^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine.
  9. ^ a b c Andrew Wilson at National-Football-Teams.com
  10. ^ Andrew Wilson, The Sheffield Wednesday Archive
  11. ^ "Scotland player Andrew Wilson". londonhearts.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  12. ^ a b Lamming, Douglas (1987). A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who's Who, 1872-1986. Hutton Press. ISBN 0-907033-47-4.
  13. ^ "Wilson James Image 1 Preston North End 1905". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Scottish Football League player James Wilson". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Season preview 1910/11: Oldham Athletic F.C." Athletic News. 29 August 1910. Retrieved 20 February 2019 – via Play Up Liverpool.