Alfie Briggs

Alfred Ernest Briggs (4 February 1888 – 18 March 1950) was a Scottish professional football wing half who played in the Scottish League for Heart of Midlothian.[1][2] He later scouted for Partick Thistle.[3]

Alfie Briggs
Personal information
Full name Alfred Ernest Briggs[1]
Date of birth 4 February 1888
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 18 March 1950(1950-03-18) (aged 62)[2]
Place of death Scotland
Playing position(s) Wing half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1912 Clydebank Juniors
1912–1917 Heart of Midlothian 58 (0)
National team
1912 Scotland Juniors 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Briggs began his career with junior club Clydebank Juniors.[4] After being capped by the Scotland junior team in 1912,[4] he was signed by Heart of Midlothian manager John McCartney.[5] Briggs made 70 appearances for the club between 1912 and 1917 and was forced to retire due to wounds sustained during the First World War.[1][6] He later returned to play in Peter Nellies' testimonial match in April 1921.[7]

Personal life

After the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Briggs enlisted as a corporal in McCrae's Battalion of the Royal Scots.[3][8] He was badly wounded near La Boisselle on the first day of the Somme, being "hit by four machine gun bullets; one in his leg, another in his left foot and through his arm, another in his right ankle, coming out above the knee and another winging his forehead, knocking him out".[3] He sought refuge in a shell hole and was returned to an advanced dressing station near Bécourt,[5] where he was expected to die, but made a recovery before being returned to Britain.[3]

Prior to becoming a professional footballer, Briggs worked as a machine builder for the Singer Corporation in Clydebank.[2] He later returned to work after the war as a boilermaker.[2] At the time of his death in 1950, Briggs still had two German bullets lodged in his back.[3]

Honours

Heart of Midlothian

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Heart of Midlothian 1912–13[1] Scottish First Division 10 0 0 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 12 0
1913–14[1] 3 0 0 0 4[lower-alpha 2] 0 7 0
1914–15[1] 38 0 — 6[lower-alpha 3] 0 44 0
1915–16[1] 1 0 — 0 0 1 0
1917–18[1] 6 0 — 0 0 6 0
Career total 58 0 0 0 12 0 70 0
  1. Appearances in Rosebery Charity Cup
  2. 2 appearances in Rosebery Charity Cup, 1 appearance in East of Scotland Shield, 1 appearance in Wilson Cup
  3. 2 appearances in East of Scotland Shield, 2 appearances in Dunedin Cup, 1 appearance in Rosebery Charity Cup, 1 appearance in Wilson Cup
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References
  1. "Alfred Ernest Briggs – Hearts Career – from 23 Oct 1912 to 25 Apr 1921". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  2. Purdie, Tom (30 August 2014). Hearts: The Supreme Sacrifice to Hearts at War. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445633343.
  3. "Hearts of courage – The legendary McCrae's Own". Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  4. "Scotland Junior International Results and Lineups". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  5. Alexander, Jack. McCrae's Battalion: The Story of the 16th Royal Scots. Random House. ISBN 9781845968212.
  6. McCarthy, David (10 January 2015). "The story of the Hearts players who served their country during the Great War". scotlandnow. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  7. "1921-04-25 Mon Hearts 0 Bradford City 1". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  8. "The Heart of Midlothian FC Players' Roll of Honour" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  9. "1913-05-10 Sat Hearts 0 Hibernian 2". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
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