Eddie Rutherford

Edward Rutherford (8 February 1921 – 29 August 2007) was a Scottish footballer who played for Rangers, Heart of Midlothian and Scotland as an outside forward.

Eddie Rutherford
Personal information
Full name Edward Rutherford
Date of birth (1921-02-08)8 February 1921
Place of birth Govan, Scotland
Date of death 29 June 2007(2007-06-29) (aged 86)
Place of death Rutherglen, Scotland
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Mossvale YMCA
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1941–1951 Rangers 96 (19)
1951–1955 Heart of Midlothian 38 (11)
1955 Raith Rovers 4 (0)
1955–1956 Hamilton Academical 21 (6)
National team
1948 Scotland 1 (0)
1950[1] Scottish League XI 1 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Govan, Rutherford joined Rangers from Mossvale YMCA in 1941 but during the Second World War he was posted to England with the Royal Air Force so guested for Leeds United, Lincoln City and Bradford City;[2] he played three games for Bradford in 1944–45 in the Football League War Cup North section.[3]

After he had completed his service, Rutherford returned to Rangers and made his first appearance for the club on 19 October 1946 against Queen's Park in the Scottish League Cup. However, he never became a first-team regular on the right wing and was used as back-up to William Waddell, so decided to swap position to the left flank to increase his chance of playing and spent most of his Rangers career there.[2] Whilst at Ibrox he was part of the squad that won the first ever treble in 1949.[2] Rutherford won two Scottish League championships, three Scottish Cups, two League Cups, two Glasgow Cups and a Charity Cup.

After ten years, 147 appearances and 31 goals,[4] Rutherford left Rangers and joined Hearts in 1951, in a swap deal that saw Colin Liddell move to Rangers. In his four years at Tynecastle he made 50 appearances and netted 15 times in all competitions.[5] He was sold to Raith Rovers in January 1955 but joined Hamilton five months later. After a season with Accies he retired.[2]

Rutherford was capped once by Scotland, in 1948, a 3–0 friendly home defeat to France.[6] After retiring from football he ran a newsagents in Rutherglen. He died on 29 June 2007, aged 86.[2]

References
  1. (SFL player) Eddie Rutherford, London Hearts Supporters Club
  2. Eddie Rutherford, The Herald, 18 July 2007
  3. Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport. pp. 346–347. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
  4. (Rangers player) Rutherford, Eddie, FitbaStats
  5. (Hearts player) Eddie Rutherford, London Hearts Supporters Club
  6. (Scotland player) Edward Rutherford, London Hearts Supporters Club
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