John Fraser | |
Fullname: | John Fraser |
Height: | [1] |
Birth Date: | 1936 3, df=y |
Birth Place: | Edinburgh, Scotland |
Position: | Outside right |
Youthclubs1: | Edinburgh Thistle |
Years1: | 1954–1968 |
Years2: | 1968–1969 |
Clubs1: | Hibernian |
Clubs2: | Stenhousemuir |
Caps1: | 195 |
Goals1: | 24 |
Caps2: | 7 |
Goals2: | 0 |
Totalcaps: | 202 |
Totalgoals: | 24 |
John Fraser (born 2 March 1936) is a Scottish former footballer, who played primarily as an outside right for Hibernian (Hibs) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After a brief spell with Stenhousemuir, Fraser returned to Hibs as a coach, a position he held for 10 years under three different managers.[2]
Fraser signed for Hibs in 1954, but was initially a part-time player while he completed his national service.[2] He had the unenviable task of covering for and eventually replacing Gordon Smith, who Fraser idolised.[2] Fraser played in the 1958 Scottish Cup Final and some of Hibs' famous European nights in the early 1960s, including a friendly match win against Real Madrid and a Fairs Cup win against Barcelona.[2]
After spending a few years as a player-coach in Hibs' reserve team, Fraser briefly played for Stenhousemuir, before returning to Hibs as a coach. Bob Shankly brought him back initially, and Willie MacFarlane then offered Fraser a full-time coaching position.[2] Fraser continued in this position under Eddie Turnbull, as Hibs enjoyed one of the most successful periods in their history in the early 1970s.[2]