Jock Cameron (footballer)

John Bell Cameron (16 February 1879 – 5 July 1950) was a Scottish international football player and manager. He played for St Mirren before joining Blackburn Rovers in 1904. He spent three years at the club before signing for First Division rivals Chelsea. After they were relegated, he helped Chelsea to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1911–12. He signed with non-League Port Vale in 1913, departing the following year, only to return in 1916. He briefly served as the club's manager from August 1918 until his departure in January 1919.

Jock Cameron
Cameron in a Port Vale team photo.
Personal information
Full name John Bell Cameron[1]
Date of birth (1879-02-16)16 February 1879[1][2]
Place of birth Kirkwood, Coatbridge, Scotland[3]
Date of death 5 July 1950(1950-07-05) (aged 71)[1]
Place of death Blackburn, England[4]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[5]
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
Kirkwood Thistle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1900–1904 St Mirren 62 (0)
1904–1907 Blackburn Rovers 64 (0)
1907–1913 Chelsea 179 (0)
1913–1914 Port Vale 12 (0)
Total 317 (0)
International career
1903–1904 Scottish League XI 3 (0)
1904–1909 Scotland 2 (0)
Managerial career
1918–1919 Port Vale
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He won two caps for Scotland in 1903 and 1904, and also represented a Scottish League XI three times.

Club career

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Cameron played for Kirkwood Thistle and St Mirren,[6] before moving south to partner Bob Crompton at English First Division club Blackburn Rovers in April 1904.[5] He replaced Jack Eastham as the club's regular left-back and played 64 league games for the club from 1904 to 1907.[4] He was an ever-present in the 1904–05 season, before he was replaced at left-back by Arthur Cowell by the 1905–06 campaign.[5] He then signed with Chelsea for a £900 fee in October 1907, who had won promotion out of the Second Division in 1907, and would be appointed as Chelsea's captain.[5] After maintaining their top-flight status in 1907–08 and 1908–09, the "Pensioners" were relegated in 1909–10. Cameron stayed at the club as they missed out on promotion by one place and two points in 1910–11, before he helped Chelsea to promotion as Second Division runners-up in 1911–12; they finished level on points with champions Derby County, who had a superior goal average. He then helped the club to finish one place above the relegation zone in 1912–13. He played a total of 179 league and 15 cup appearances for Chelsea.[7]

He joined Port Vale in the summer of 1913. It was a step down in footballing terms, as proved by the opponents of his 1 September debut – Blackburn Rovers Reserves; the game finished 3–3. He played 32 games in the Central League and helped the club qualify for the FA Cup first round. He departed at the end of the season but returned in August 1916. He became the first-choice left-back once again in March 1917 and, in August 1918, was appointed both the club captain and team manager. He largely stopped playing to concentrate on management duties but was sacked in January 1919, at which point he retired.[8]

International career

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Cameron earned his first cap on 26 March 1904, in a 1–1 draw with Ireland in the 1904 British Home Championship.[9] His second cap came against England on 3 April 1909 in the 1909 British Home Championship, Scotland lost 2–0.[10] While he was with St Mirren, Cameron represented the Scottish Football League XI three times.[11]

Career statistics

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Club statistics

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Source:[12]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Blackburn Rovers 1903–04 First Division 2 0 0 0 2 0
1904–05 First Division 34 0 1 0 35 0
1905–06 First Division 7 0 0 0 7 0
1906–07 First Division 19 0 2 0 21 0
1907–08 First Division 2 0 0 0 2 0
Total 64 0 3 0 67 0
Chelsea 1907–08 First Division 32 0 2 0 34 0
1908–09 First Division 35 0 3 0 38 0
1909–10 First Division 26 0 0 0 26 0
1910–11 Second Division 34 0 6 0 40 0
1911–12 Second Division 36 0 2 0 38 0
1912–13 Second Division 16 0 2 0 18 0
Total 179 0 15 0 194 0
Port Vale 1913–14 Central League 32 0 9 0 41 0
Career total 255 0 18 0 273 0

International statistics

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Scotland national team[3][13][14]
Year Apps Goals
1904 1 0
1909 1 0
Total 2 0

Honours

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Chelsea

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jock Cameron Player Profile on Stamford-Bridge.com". stamford-bridge.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. ^ Statutory registers – Births – Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  3. ^ a b "Player profile". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  4. ^ a b Player Archive | John Bell Cameron, BRFCS.com
  5. ^ a b c d Jackman, Mike (1994). Blackburn Rovers : the official encyclopaedia. Derby: Breedon. p. 1. ISBN 9781873626702. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  6. ^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "database". chelsea2.chelseafc.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  8. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 51. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  9. ^ "International Matches". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  10. ^ "International Matches". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. ^ "John Cameron". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  12. ^ Jock Cameron at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  13. ^ "Jock Cameron – Scotland Football Record from 26 Mar 1904 to 03 Apr 1909 clubs – St Mirren Chelsea". londonhearts.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  14. ^ "John Cameron | Scotland | Scottish FA". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2020.