Alexander Higgins MM (4 November 1885 – 15 March 1939) was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for Newcastle United, Kilmarnock, Nottingham Forest, Jarrow, Norwich City[1] and the Scotland national team.

Sandy Higgins
Personal information
Full name Alexander Higgins
Date of birth 4 November 1885
Place of birth Kilmarnock, Scotland
Date of death 15 March 1939(1939-03-15) (aged 53)
Place of death England
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
Rugby XI
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1904–1905 Kilmarnock 0 (0)
1905–1919 Newcastle United  126 (36)
1919–1920 Kilmarnock  26 (4)
1920–1921 Nottingham Forest  
1921–1922 Jarrow  
1922–1923 Norwich City  
1923–1924 Wallsend
International career
1910–1911 Scotland 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Higgins was described as a player who could go by players with ease, but sometimes would be selfish with the ball and would try to do more than passing a simple ball.[citation needed] He won a Football League Championship and FA Cup with Newcastle United, playing for the club between 1905 and 1919, appearing in 150 games and scoring 41 goals.[2]

He later played for hometown club Kilmarnock,[3] (where he had also been prior to joining Newcastle, without playing a first team game) and was with the club when they won the 1920 Scottish Cup, but did not play in the final because his father (Sandy Higgins Snr, also a footballer who had played for Kilmarnock as well as Derby County and Nottingham Forest)[4] died on the same day – but still was awarded the medal due to the circumstances.

Higgins won four caps for Scotland, all while with Newcastle United.[5][6]

Personal life

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Higgins served as a corporal in the East Yorkshire Regiment and the Durham Light Infantry during the First World War and won the Military Medal during the course of his service.[7]

Honours

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Newcastle United

Kilmarnock

References

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  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 (Third edition, with revisions ed.). Toton, Nottingham. p. 137. ISBN 9781905891610. OCLC 841581272.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Newcastle United Players - Alexander "Sandy" Higgins, toon1892
  3. ^ Kilmarnock player Higgins (Jr), Sandy, FitbaStats
  4. ^ "1892". The Giant Killers. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b Sandy Higgins at the Scottish Football Association
  6. ^ "Alexander Higgins – Scotland Football Record from 19 Mar 1910 to 01 Apr 1911 clubs – Newcastle United". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  7. ^ "'Wor' War heroes". Newcastle United Football Club. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Sandy Higgins". 11v11.com. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  • Paul Joannou. A Complete Who's Who of Newcastle United.
  • Paul Joannou, Tommy Canning and Patrick Canning. Haway The Lads, The Illustrated Story of Newcastle United.
  • Mike Davage, John Eastwood, Kevin Platt (2001). Canary Citizens. Jarrold Publishing. ISBN 0-7117-2020-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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