Bob McFarlane (footballer, died 1898)

Robert McFarlane (1866 – October 1898) was a Scottish footballer who played as a full-back.

Bob McFarlane
Personal information
Full name Robert McFarlane
Date of birth c. 1866
Place of birth Airdrie, Scotland
Date of death October 1898 (aged 31–32)
Place of death Airdrie, Scotland
Position(s) Full-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
000?–1888 Airdrieonians
1888–1890 Bootle
1890–1891 Sunderland Albion
1891–1892 Newton Heath 18 (1)
1892–1898 Airdrieonians 66 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Born in Airdrie, McFarlane began his career with local side Airdrieonians, before moving to England to play for Bootle.[1] He was part of the Bootle side that took part in the inaugural season of the Football Alliance in 1889–90, helping them to second place behind The Wednesday.[2] That summer, he joined Sunderland Albion,[1] whom he also helped to a runners-up spot in 1890–91.[3]

He moved on to Newton Heath in 1891–92,[4] where he took over as captain from the departing Jack Powell.[5] He immediately became the club's first-choice right-back and played in all but four league matches during the season, scoring once in a 5–0 win at home to Walsall Town Swifts on 5 March 1892,[6] as he secured his third successive second-place finish.[7] He also played in four FA Cup matches (although the Second Round Qualifying match was technically a friendly after their opponents, Heywood, were disqualified from the competition) and the Manchester Senior Cup semi-final defeat to Bolton Wanderers.[6]

At the end of the season, while on holiday back home in Airdrie, he re-signed for Airdrieonians after being allowed to resume his amateur status.[8] To replace McFarlane, Newton Heath signed Airdrieonians full-back Andrew Mitchell, who had been set to partner McFarlane in defence for the Scottish club.[8] McFarlane played a further 66 league games between 1894 (when the club joined the Scottish Football League) and 1898,[9] when he contracted pneumonia and died.[8] His final appearance for the club came against Morton at Cappielow on 8 October 1898, and he died later that month.[8]

McFarlane was married to a sister of the Doughty brothers, Jack and Roger, who also played for Newton Heath in their pre-League days.[4]

References
General
  • Dykes, Garth (1994). The United Alphabet: A Complete Who's Who of Manchester United F.C. Leicester: ACL & Polar Publishing (UK). ISBN 0-9514862-6-8.
  • McCartney, Iain (2002). Tartan Reds. Cradley Heath: Britespot Publishing Solutions. ISBN 1-904103-05-7.
  • Shury, Alan; Landamore, Brian (2005). The Definitive Newton Heath F.C. SoccerData. ISBN 1899468161.
Specific
  1. Shury and Landamore (2005), p. 68.
  2. "1889-90 Football Alliance". FCHD.info. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  3. "1890-91 Football Alliance". FCHD.info. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  4. Dykes (1994), pp. 239–40.
  5. "Newton Heath and Manchester United Captains". Manchester United Museum information sheets. Manchester United. June 2009.
  6. Shury and Landamore (2005), p. 53.
  7. "1891-92 Football Alliance". FCHD.info. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  8. McCartney (2002), p. 15.
  9. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jack Powell		 Newton Heath captain
1891–1892		 Succeeded by
Joe Cassidy
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