Jock Gilfillan Explained

Jock Gilfillan
Fullname:John E Gilfillan[1]
Birth Date:29 September 1898
Birth Place:Townhill, Fife, Scotland
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthyears2:Townhill Juveniles
Years1:1919–1920
Caps1:?
Years2:1920–1928
Caps2:85
Goals2:0
Years3:1920
Clubs3:Ayr United (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:1924
Clubs4:East Fife (loan)
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Years5:1927
Clubs5:East Fife (loan)
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:1928–1937
Caps6:331
Goals6:0
Years7:1937–1938
Clubs7:Queens Park Rangers
Caps7:21
Goals7:0
Years8:1937
Clubs8:Clapton Orient (loan)
Caps8:0
Goals8:0

John E Gilfillan (29 September 1898 – 2 January 1976)[1] was a Scottish-born footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the 1920s and 1930s, notably with Portsmouth.

He joined Heart of Midlothian from his local team Inverkeithing United,[1] and played for Hearts in a 1922–23 Scottish Cup tie against Bo'ness.[2] He was later loaned to East Fife,[1] and played for them in the 1927 Scottish Cup Final against Celtic.[3] [4] [5]

Gilfillan moved to play in England with Portsmouth of the Football League in December 1928. He was to go on to make 359 senior appearances with the south coast club, including playing for them in the 1929 and 1934 FA Cup Finals. In his nine seasons with the club he kept 107 clean sheets in 330 League matches.[6]

In April 2009, he was included in a Times list of the Top 50 Portsmouth players of all time, and was described as being "one of the finest keepers in the club's history with excellent positioning and agility the key to his success."[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . Soccerdata . 2004 . 1-899468-67-6 .
  2. Web site: History 1914-1924 (Buying Success) . David Speed and Alex Knight . Heart of Midlothian Official Site . 1 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120328112954/http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20070615/1914-1924_2241543_1045309 . 28 March 2012 .
  3. Web site: The Scottish Cup 1926–27: Final . . 9 January 2021.
  4. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  5. https://www.londonhearts.com/scores/newplayers/h00915.html Jock Gilfillan
  6. News: Top 50 greatest Portsmouth players . 21 April 2009 . The Times. 1 August 2010 . London . Calvin . Shulman.