George McLean (footballer, born 1898) explained

George McLean
Fullname:George Thomson McLean
Birth Date:1898
Birth Place:Forfar, Scotland
Death Date:November
Height:[1]
Position:Inside forward
Years1:1920–1921
Years2:1921–1930
Years3:1930–1934
Years4:1935–1939
Clubs4:Forfar Athletic
Caps2:256
Caps3:120
Caps4:102
Goals2:136
Goals3:44
Goals4:29

George Thomson McLean (1898 – 1970) was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Forfar Athletic, Bradford (Park Avenue) and Huddersfield Town.

Career

McLean began playing football in his native Scotland for Scottish Football Alliance side Forfar Athletic in 1920 before coming to England in 1921 to play for Bradford Park Avenue in Football League Division Two. He left Forfar just before the Loons joined the Scottish Football League. He was good enough to sign a contract just before his leaving to ensure the Angus side received £700 from his new club for his services.

Bradford were relegated in his first season but McLean stayed at Horton Park Avenue, becoming one of their legendary players, scoring over a century of league goals and guiding the club to the Division Three North title in 1928.[2] McLean also played in the famous FA Cup upsets of Everton in 1923[3] and Derby County in 1930,[4] scoring the last minute winner in the former. After a decade in Bradford, McLean was signed by First Division Huddersfield Town in 1930. He went home to Forfar and made his second debut in 1935, playing until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.[5]

Personal life

He was the younger brother of footballer David McLean who was a noted goalscorer of the age.[6] They were teammates at Bradford for one season (1921–22, David's last of three campaigns at the club and George's first of nine) and both closed out their careers at Forfar, but David (eight years older) had retired by the time George came 'home'.

He died in 1970.

Notes and References

  1. News: Optimists of the North. Bradford . Athletic News . Manchester . 6 August 1923 . 6.
  2. http://www.allfootballers.com/screen5.php Stats for George McLean
  3. http://www.freewebs.com/captainbeecher/1923.htm Giant Killers 1923 Bradford Park Avenue vs Everton
  4. Web site: Giant Killers 1930 report Bradford Park Avenue vs Derby County . 10 February 2010 . 13 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110813040150/http://captainbeecher.webs.com/1930.htm . dead .
  5. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  6. http://www.scottishleague.net/archive/archive107.htm SFAQs: Davie McLean