Tom Blair

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Tom Blair
Personal information
Full name Thomas Blair
Date of birth 24 February 1892
Place of birth Hutchesontown, Scotland
Date of death 28 August 1961(1961-08-28) (aged 69)
Place of death Monifieth, Scotland
Height 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (1.82 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Vale of Clyde[2]
1912–1920 Kilmarnock 226 (0)
1920–1922 Manchester City 38 (0)
1925–1926 Boston 17 (0)
1926–1927 Fall River F.C. 34 (0)
1927 Hartford Americans 11 (0)
1928–1930 New Bedford Whalers 60 (0)
1931 Pawtucket Rangers 9 (0)
1931–1932 Ayr United
1932–1933 Linfield
1937 Dundee United 1 (0)
International career
1917[3] Scottish League (wartime) 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas Blair (24 February 1892 – 28 August 1961) was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.[4]

Career[edit]

Blair was prominent in the 1910s playing for Kilmarnock,[5] with the culimation of his nine-year spell there being a Scottish Cup win in 1920, lifting the trophy as team captain.[6][7] He then moved to England with Manchester City,[8] spending two years there but only the regular in his position in the second campaign. He played on both sides in the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots international trial and conceded only once in each match,[9][10] but this did not lead on to a full cap for Scotland.

By now in his 30s, Blair accepted an invitation to play in the American Soccer League, appearing for teams including Fall River F.C.[11] and New Bedford Whalers.[12][13] After several years in the United States he returned to Scotland with Ayr United (no league appearances recorded) then spent time in Northern Ireland at Linfield before becoming a coach at Dundee United in 1937. That same year he made a final, emergency SFL appearance in a 7–1 defeat to St Bernard's, aged 45.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ The Pilgrim (22 August 1921). "First Division prospects. Manchester City". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
  2. ^ Mainly About Players. The Scottish Referee, 31 March 1913. Scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
  3. ^ Association Football. War Funds Match | The Army XI, 4; Scottish League, 3., The Glasgow Herald, 21 May 1917
  4. ^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ "[Kilmarnock player] Blair, Tom". FitbaStats.
  6. ^ "Killie 3–2 Albion Rovers". Killie FC. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Kilmarnock, 3; Albion Rovers, 2. Scottish Cup–Final Tie". The Glasgow Herald. 19 April 1920. p. 13. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Tom Blair". Blue Moon.
  9. ^ Football | Home Scots v. Anglo-Scots. The Scotsman, 31 March 1920, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
  10. ^ Football | Trial Game At Glasgow. The Scotsman, 23 March 1922, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
  11. ^ "Interest Grows in Fall River's Visit". The Globe-Times – Bethlehem. 15 September 1926. Retrieved 8 June 2020 – via Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club.
  12. ^ "Rousing Reception for Bethlehem Invaders". The Globe-Times – Bethlehem. 25 March 1929. Retrieved 8 June 2020 – via Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club.
  13. ^ Tommy Blair, StatsCrew. Retrieved 12 April 2022
  14. ^ "Tom Blair Player Profile". Arab Archive.


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