Archie Annan

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Archie Annan
Personal information
Full name Walter Archibald Annan[1]
Date of birth 23 March 1877[2]
Place of birth Wilsontown, Carnwath, Lanarkshire[3]
Date of death 23 January 1949 (aged 71)
Place of death South Gloucestershire, England[1]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1899–1900 West Calder
1900–1902 St Bernard's
1902–1904 Sunderland 1 (0)
1904–1905 Sheffield United 27 (0)
1904–1911 Bristol City 143 (0)
1911–1912 Burslem Port Vale 7 (0)
Managerial career
1912–19?? Mid Rhondda
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter Archibald Annan (23 March 1877 – 23 January 1949) was a Scottish professional footballer in the years prior to World War I. A full back, he made over 170 appearances in the English Football League.[4] He featured prominently in Bristol City's successes in the first decade of the 20th century under manager Harry Thickitt. He also played for Sunderland, Sheffield United, and Burslem Port Vale. He helped Bristol City to the Second Division title in 1905–06, a second-place finish in the First Division in 1906–07, and also played in the FA Cup final in 1909.

Playing career[edit]

Early career[edit]

Born in Carnwath, Lanarkshire,[3] he was the youngest of 13 children[1] born to Walter Annan, a colliery manager, and his wife Marion (née Storry).[2][5] A lifelong teetotaller,[1] Annan joined local club West Calder in August 1899, before moving onto Edinburgh club St Bernard's in May 1900. No Scottish league appearances are recorded for either club.[6] In April 1902 he moved to Sunderland in the First Division of the English Football League. He made a solitary appearance at right-back in 2–1 win over Notts County on 4 April 1903, in a season when Sunderland finished third, only a single point behind champions Sheffield Wednesday.[6] In January 1904 he moved on to Sheffield United, and made his league debut for the "Blades" at left-back in a 2–0 defeat at Everton on 9 January 1904. He made a total of nine appearances at full-back, deputising for Harry Thickitt and Boyle in 1903–04. Annan made 18 appearances in 1904–05, as United finished sixth in the First Division.

Bristol City[edit]

Annan followed manager Harry Thickitt to Ashton Gate for £200 in April 1905.[7] When Bristol City finished as Second Division champions in 1905–06, Annan was ever-present with 38 appearances at right-back, and formed a notable defensive full-back partnership with Joe Cottle. Ever present again for a second-successive season in 1906–07, City finished the campaign as runners-up in the First Division. Annan played just 13 games in 1907–08 as new signing Bob Young was preferred at right-back. In 1908–09, Annan replaced Young as the regular right-back, making 26 appearances and playing in all 10 FA Cup ties, including the 1909 FA Cup final – City lost the final 1–0 to Manchester United at Crystal Palace. He made a further 28 appearances in 1909–10, and was again replaced by Bob Young in the later stages of the season. Annan did not feature in the City team in the 1910–11 season, as Bristol City were relegated back to the Second Division.[8] The final league match of the season, a 1–0 defeat to Everton on 29 April 1911, was awarded as a joint benefit for Arthur Spear and Archie Annan, although neither played in the game.[7]

Burslem Port Vale[edit]

In July 1911, Annan moved onto Burslem Port Vale.[9] He made his debut at the Athletic Ground in a 1–0 win over Oldham Athletic Reserves on 4 September, but injured himself in a match against Crewe Alexandra twelve days later.[9] He failed to hold onto his first-team place upon his recovery, and was released at the end of the 1911–12 season, after picking up a Central League runners-up medal.[9]

Managerial career[edit]

Annan was appointed manager of Welsh Southern Football League club Mid Rhondda in July 1911, where he was assisted by former Bristol City colleagues Joe Cottle and Bill Demmery. He subsequently returned to Bristol City in March 1921 and spent five years as coach at the club. He was later a police constable stationed at St George in Bristol.[7]

Career statistics[edit]

Source:[10]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sunderland 1902–03 First Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
Sheffield United 1903–04 First Division 9 0 0 0 9 0
1904–05 First Division 18 0 1 0 19 0
Total 27 0 1 0 28 0
Bristol City 1905–06 Second Division 38 0 1 0 39 0
1906–07 First Division 38 0 2 0 40 0
1907–08 First Division 13 0 2 0 15 0
1908–09 First Division 26 0 10 0 36 0
1909–10 First Division 28 0 3 0 31 0
Total 143 0 18 0 161 0
Burslem Port Vale 1911–12 Central League 7 0 0 0 7 0
Career total 178 0 19 0 197 0

Honours[edit]

Bristol City

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Special pact led to FA Cup Final for Bristol City legend". This is Bristol. 23 April 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b "1877 ANNAN, WALTER ARCHIBAL (Statutory registers Births 632/ 92)". scotlandspeople.gov.uk. National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b Walter Archibald Annan in the 1911 England Census; Occupation: Professional footballer
  4. ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939. Tony Brown. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  5. ^ 1881 Scotland Census
  6. ^ a b Dykes, Garth; Lamming, Doug (1999). All the Lads Complete Who's Who of Sunderland AFC. Polar. ISBN 1-899538-14-3.
  7. ^ a b c Woods, David; Edwards, Leigh (1997). Bristol City FC The First 100 years. Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-900178-26-5.
  8. ^ Woods, David (1994). Bristol Babe The First 100 years of Bristol City FC. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-95-X.
  9. ^ a b c Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 7. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
  10. ^ Archie Annan at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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