Jock Stirling Explained

Jock Stirling
Fullname:John Hamilton Stirling
Birth Date:1887
Birth Place:Clydebank, Scotland
Position:Outside right
Years1:1907–1908
Years2:1908–1911
Caps2:75
Goals2:18
Years3:1911–1914
Caps3:103
Goals3:8
Years4:1914–1919
Clubs4:Bradford Park Avenue
Caps4:31
Goals4:2
Years5:1917
Clubs5:Third Lanark (loan)
Caps5:3
Goals5:0
Years6:1919–1920
Caps6:20
Goals6:1
Years7:1920
Caps7:5
Goals7:0
Years8:1920
Years9:1920–1924
Caps9:64
Goals9:7
Totalcaps:301
Totalgoals:36

John Hamilton Stirling (1887–1924) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Bradford Park Avenue, Coventry City, Middlesbrough and Stoke.[1]

Career

Stirling was born in Clydebank and played for both local side Clydebank Juniors and then for Clyde (where he featured on the losing side in the 1910 Scottish Cup Final)[2] before moving to England with Middlesbrough in 1911.[1] He spent three seasons with the Ayresome Park club under the management of Thomas McIntosh the side finished in 3rd position in the First Division during the 1913–14 season. Stirling left for Bradford Park Avenue where he spent the 1914–15 season before football was halted due to the outbreak of World War I.[1]

After the end of the war Stirling joined Stoke who had just re-gained their Football League status after falling foul of financial mismanagement.[1] He played in 21 matches for Stoke, scoring once against Stockport County in October 1919.[1] He left for Coventry City in March 1920 and played five matches for the Sky Blues before returning to Scotland with Dunfermline Athletic (then playing in the Central League) and Alloa Athletic.[2]

At representative level, he played in the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots annual trial matches in 1912[3] and 1914[4] while with Middlesbrough, but never gained a full cap for Scotland. He also played in two editions of the Glasgow FA's annual challenge match against Sheffield while with Clyde.[2]

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Middlesbrough1911–12First Division36340403
1912–13First Division33140371
1913–14First Division34410354
Total10381001128
Bradford Park Avenue1914–15First Division31230342
Stoke1919–20Second Division20110211
Coventry City1919–20Second Division500050
Career Total1591114017211

Notes and References

  1. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  3. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SxQ-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=H0oMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2789%2C1438688 Football. Anglo-Scots, 4; Home Scots, 1.
  4. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wcZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K6YMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5920%2C2064148 Association Football. International Trial Match.