Jon
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Post by Jon on Jun 19, 2014 22:33:38 GMT
a pretty rugged no nonsense kind of a guy. Why does that not surprise me? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2014 9:45:45 GMT
Bluedragon has kindly sent me some extra information about Ayrshire-born Willie (Billy) Muir who joined Torquay in the 1952/53 season.
A typical footballers' story in many respects: spotted playing Junior (non-league) football in Scotland; relatively unsuccessful stints at QPR and Torquay followed by a move to Yeovil where - in the way that fate works - he was to live until his death in 2005.
Yeovil had a fair number of Scottish footballers in those days; possibly a sign that earnings - probably as a part-timer (there's often a Westlands connection) - were better than in Scotland. I guess too that the Southern League would have presented an excellent standard of football compared to the lower echelons of the Scottish League.
It would be interesting to learn when the proportion of Scottish players in England reached its' peak. The 1950s, of course, would have been when Accrington Stanley virtually had a team of Scotsmen.
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Post by bluedragon on Jun 23, 2014 16:42:24 GMT
It would be interesting to learn when the proportion of Scottish players in England reached its' peak. The 1950s, of course, would have been when Accrington Stanley virtually had a team of Scotsmen. I would agree that the mid-1950’s must have been the peak and including the non-league, semi-professional level as well. At that time a maximum wage was operating in League football both North and South of the Border but not in the Southern League. These clubs could make attractive financial offers of part-time football, with a job and often a flat included. Taking everything together they may have been better off than being full-time or remaining in Scotland. A man named Johnny Hughes had a lot to do with the influx of Scots into England at the lower level. He was Secretary of the Scottish Players’ Union and that included acting as an “unpaid agent” for his members looking for clubs. He had an extensive intelligence network and I would not be surprised if he had a hand in some Scots arriving at Torquay United. He had a varied career. He was a top level Junior (non-league) player and was capped for Scotland at that level. He played some league football in Scotland before turning to journalism and players' union duties and he even had a shot as a manager. He died in tragic circumstances in a car accident returning from a match in the mid 1960’s (I think 1967). The attendance at his funeral included literally everyone with a connection with Scottish football. A young Alex Ferguson who was a Players’ Union official at the time was a pall bearer. So there is a potted biography in case you come across his name. |
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