Sam Gilligan

Samuel Anderson Gilligan (18 January 1882[3] – 17 June 1965) was a Scottish professional association football player in the years prior to the First World War who played as a forward. He made over 200 appearances in The Football League for Bristol City and Liverpool, and a smaller number of appearances in the Scottish Football League with Dundee and Celtic.[4]

Sam Gilligan
Personal information
Full name Samuel Anderson Gilligan
Date of birth (1882-01-18)18 January 1882
Place of birth Dundee, Scotland
Date of death 17 June 1965(1965-06-17) (aged 83)
Place of death Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.[1]
Height 5 ft 9.5 in (177 cm)[2]
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
Dalry
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1898–1901 Belmont Athletic
1901–1902 Dundee Violet
1902–1903 Dundee 9 (3)
1903–1904 Celtic 14 (15)
1904–1910 Bristol City 188 (78)
1910–1913 Liverpool 40 (16)
1913–1915 Gillingham 65 (15)
1917 Dundee Hibernian 0 (0)
Forfar Athletic
1921 Dundee Hibernian 1 (0)
Total 317 (127)
Teams managed
1913–1915 Gillingham
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Dundee, Gilligan was initially an apprentice shipyard riveter, but eventually abandoned the trade to become a professional footballer; his career began with Junior-level clubs Belmont Athletic and Dundee Violet before moving up to Dundee F.C. in October 1902.[5][3][6]

In 1903 he moved to Celtic, where he spent a single season, scoring often[7] but failing to totally convince the management (who eventually chose Jimmy Quinn to lead the forward line instead); he was allowed to move to England to play for Bristol City.[8][3] He made 188 League appearances for City,[3] and played in the 1909 FA Cup Final.[9]

He joined Liverpool in 1910, scoring the goal which saved the club from being relegated from the top tier in the 1911–12 season.[10][11] After three years at Anfield, he joined Gillingham of the Southern Football League as player-manager.[12] In his first season in charge, Gillingham secured their best position in the league for three years.[12]

Gilligan did not return to the Kent club after the First World War, he instead went back to Scotland and returned to shipbuilding in Dundee, during which time he also played for Forfar Athletic.[3] He had also featured for Dundee Hibernian in November 1917, playing and scoring in two minor cup matches.[13]

He later moved to the United States and worked for the Republic Iron and Steel Company, whilst playing football for Youngstown-based Mahoning Valleys. He died in 1965.[1]

Playing style

A matchday programme from 1910 described him as: "a player who can adapt himself to any position on the field".[2]

Personal life

He was one of four brothers who were professional footballers, the others being Sandy, Billy and John.[14][6][11]

Honours
Bristol City

References
  1. Footballers A to Z: Samuel Anderson Gilligan (Sam Gilligan), Play Up Liverpool
  2. "Personalia: Sam Gilligan, Liverpool F.C." Play Up, Liverpool. 15 October 1910. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 - 1939. Tony Brown. p. 101. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  4. Emms, Steve; Richard Wells (2007). Scottish League Players' Records 1890-91 to 1938-39. SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-66-9.
  5. Sam Gilligan transferred to Dundee, Dundee Evening Post, 24 October 1902, via Play Up Liverpool
  6. Blether with Brown: Three Gilligans turned out for Dundee — Sandy, William and Sam, Evening Telegraph, 2 December 2015
  7. (Celtic player) Gilligan, Sam, FitbaStats
  8. Sam Gilligan transferred to Bristol City, Dundee Evening Post, 13 May 1904, via Play Up Liverpool
  9. Barnes, Stuart (2008). Nationwide Football Annual 2008–2009. SportsBooks Ltd. p. 136. ISBN 1-899807-72-1.
  10. Sam Gilligan, LFCHistory.net
  11. Kenneth Campbell’s life story – Part IV, The Weekly News, 28 May 1921, via Play Up Liverpool
  12. Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs (1994). Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. Gillingham F.C. p. 57. ISBN 0-9523361-0-3.
  13. Gracie, Steve (2008). A Passion for Survival : Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945. Dundee: Arabest Publishing. p. 194. ISBN 9780955834103.
  14. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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