| James Blessington | |
| Height: | 5ft 7in[1] |
| Position: | Inside right |
| Birth Date: | 28 February 1874 |
| Birth Place: | Linlithgow, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Newton Abbott, England |
| Youthclubs1: | Harp Athletic |
| Years1: | 1890–1892 |
| Clubs1: | Hibernian |
| Years2: | 1891–1892 |
| Clubs2: | → Leith Athletic (loan) |
| Caps2: | 20 |
| Goals2: | 8 |
| Years3: | 1892–1898 |
| Clubs3: | Celtic |
| Caps3: | 83 |
| Goals3: | 31 |
| Years4: | 1898 |
| Clubs4: | → Preston North End (loan) |
| Years5: | 1898–1899 |
| Clubs5: | Preston North End |
| Years6: | 1899 |
| Clubs6: | Derby County |
| Caps6: | 2 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 1899–1900 |
| Clubs7: | Bristol City |
| Years8: | 1900–1903 |
| Years9: | 1903–1909 |
| Caps9: | 100 |
| Goals9: | 18 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1892–1898 |
| Nationalteam1: | Scottish League XI |
| Nationalcaps1: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 1894–1896 |
| Nationalteam2: | Scotland |
| Nationalcaps2: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Manageryears1: | 1907–1909 |
James Blessington (28 February 1874 – 18 April 1939) was a Scottish football player (an inside right) and manager.
Born in Linlithgow, West Lothian,[2] Blessington began his playing career with several Edinburgh sides, including Hibernian (then temporarily known as Leith Hibernians)[3] and Leith Athletic, before moving to Glasgow to join Celtic in 1892.[4] He spent six seasons at Celtic Park, earning three Scottish Football League titles (1892–93, 1893–94 and 1895–96).[5] [6]
He moved to England in 1898, spending short periods with Preston North End, Derby County, Bristol City followed by three years at Luton Town and his longest spell at Leicester Fosse[2] between 1903 and 1909.[7]
Blessington was capped four times by the Scotland national team between 1894 and 1896 during his time with Celtic.[8] He also made six appearances for the Scottish League representative side, scoring one goal.[9] [10] [11]
Between 1907 and 1909 Blessington acted as player-manager of Leicester Fosse (though he played only very occasionally),[7] becoming that club's first manager, and was in charge for a total of 84 games.
He then moved to Ireland, where he helped coach Belfast Celtic and also assisted the Irish Amateur Athletic Association as a handicapper.[2] He later moved to Newton Abbot in Devon, where he ran a pub.[2]