David Russell (footballer)

David Kennedy Russell (6 July 1863 – 18 January 1918) was a Scottish footballer.

For other footballers of this name, see David Russell (disambiguation).
David Russell
1889 sketch of Russell
Personal information
Full name David Kennedy Russell
Date of birth 6 July 1863
Place of birth Beith, Scotland
Date of death 18 January 1918(1918-01-18) (aged 54)
Place of death Galston, Scotland[1]
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1882–188? Stewarton Cunnington
188?–1889 Preston North End 39 (4)
1890–1892 Nottingham Forest 43 (5)
1892–1894 Ardwick 17 (3)
1895–1896 Notts County 9 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Born in Beith, Ayrshire, centre–half Russell first signed for Scottish club,l Stewart Cunnington in 1882. It isn't precisely recorded when he left and joined Preston North End, but it was before 1886.[2] He joined Preston in their pre–League days and soon gained a reputation as a strong–tackling defender. He was certainly not a player to cross, as he showed in the match against Blackburn Olympic in 1886: Russell chased an opponent down the pitch and kicked him in the back. He was the club's first–choice centre–half when the first Football League season got underway.[2]

Playing at centre–half, made his League debut on 22 September 1888 at Deepdale in a match against Bolton Wanderers. The home team defeated the visitors 3–1. He appeared in 18 of the 22 League matches played by Preston North End in season 1888–89, and was a member of the defence that kept 12 clean–sheets and restricted the opposition to one goal on three separate occasions. He also played in all the FA Cup ties, scoring in the semi–final, and achieved a winner's medal in the Final which Preston won 3–0 over Wolverhampton Wanderers.[2]

Russell played in all but one of the games the following season as Preston retained their title, and then informed the management team that he no longer wished to play for the club. He moved on to Nottingham Forest, where he spent two seasons, then moved North to Ardwick for one season (1892–93), making 19 appearances (17 League), scoring three goals.[2][3]

Russell played for Notts County in season 1895–96 for one season, playing nine times. Russell's appearances for Ardwick and Notts County were in Division Two.[3]

He died in Galston, East Ayrshire in January 1918.[4]

References
  1. Statutory registers - Deaths - Search results, ScotlandsPeople
  2. Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Preston North End. Breedon Books. p. 207. ISBN 1 85983 516 3.
  3. "English National Football Archive". Retrieved 18 April 2018. (registration & fee required)
  4. "Old Footballer Dead". Winnipeg Tribune. 8 March 1918. p. 17. Retrieved 18 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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