James Logan (footballer, born 1885)

James Henry Logan (17 October 1885 – 7 June 1961), sometimes known as Jimmy Logan,[1] was a Scottish professional footballer who made 158 appearances in the English Football League playing for Bradford City, Chesterfield Town and Bradford Park Avenue. He also played for and managed Scottish League club Raith Rovers[4][5] and was manager of Wrexham of the English Football League. He played primarily as a half back, but appeared at centre forward in his early career.

James Logan
Logan in military uniform, 1914
Personal information
Full name James Henry Logan[1]
Date of birth (1885-10-17)17 October 1885[1]
Place of birth Dunbar, Scotland
Date of death 7 June 1961(1961-06-07) (aged 75)[2]
Place of death Edinburgh, Scotland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3]
Playing position(s) Centre forward, half back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Edinburgh Myrtle
0000–1905 St Bernard's
1905–1906 Bradford City 5 (1)
1906–1909 Chesterfield Town 94 (9)
1909–1912 Bradford Park Avenue 59 (3)
1912–1916 Raith Rovers 82 (2)
Teams managed
1919–1926 Raith Rovers
1930–1933 Raith Rovers
1937–1938 Wrexham
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Early life and playing career

Logan was born in Dunbar, Scotland, in 1885.[1][2] His younger brother, Peter, also played professional football.[6] As an Edinburgh Myrtle player, Logan was selected at centre forward in two Junior internationals, against Ireland in Belfast in March 1905 and against an English XI at Celtic Park in April.[7][8] He also appeared for St Bernard's.[1][2]

In early April 1905, shortly after his international appearance, Logan signed for English Second Division club Bradford City.[9] During his time with Bradford City he made five appearances in the Football League, scoring once.[10] He moved on to another Second Division club, Chesterfield Town, in August 1906,[11] and made his debut at centre forward on the opening day of the 1906–07 season. He continued as a regular in that position, scoring seven goals from sixteen appearances, but was switched to centre half for the last couple of months of the season,[12] and remained in the half-back line, either at centre half or right half, for the remainder of his Chesterfield career.[13][14] He left the club in 1909 after they failed to be re-elected to the League, and signed for another second-tier club, Bradford Park Avenue.[6]

Logan returned to Scotland in May 1912 to sign for Raith Rovers.[3]

First World War

In December 1914, Logan and four teammates enlisted in the 16th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Scots, known as McCrae's Battalion.[15] Others were to follow.[16] Logan began his military career as a private, was promoted to sergeant major within six months,[17] and received a commission as lieutenant after a further six.[18] On the first day of the Somme offensive, he was sent home and hospitalised "suffering from severe shell shock, which [had] rendered him completely deaf."[19] He recovered, returned to action,[4] and finished the war with the rank of captain.[7]

Managerial career

After Raith Rovers' manager Peter Hodge left for Leicester City in 1919, there were sixty applicants for the vacancy. Logan was appointed to the role of secretary-manager, despite the fact that he was still awaiting demobilisation from the Army.[20] According to a retrospective in the Fife Free Press, he "went on to manage one of the greatest teams in the club's history in the early 1920s."[16] After leading Raith to third place in the top division (their highest ever league finish) in the 1921–22 season,[4] he resigned his post when they were relegated at the end of 1925–26.[21]

He was re-appointed as Raith Rovers' manager in December 1930,[4][22] and resigned in September 1933 after a poor start to the season and a public disagreement between the club's directors and Logan about the extent of his powers and responsibilities.[23][24]

In 1936, the Courier reported that Logan was to be interviewed for the managerial vacancy at English club Lincoln City.[25] He was not appointed to that post, but did come back into management in January of the following year, with Wrexham of the Third Division North.[26] He resigned at the end of the 1937–38 season over a question of team policy.[27]

Personal life

Logan opened a confectionery shop when he moved to Kirkcaldy to play for Raith Rovers. The business expanded, and by 1932 he owned what the Dundee Evening Telegraph dubbed "two of the finest candy stores in the district".[7] After his first spell as Raith Rovers' manager came to an end, he bought and ran a hotel, the Airlie Arms at Kirriemuir.[7][28]

He died in Edinburgh in 1961 at the age of 75.[2]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chesterfield Town 1906–07[12] Second Division 26720287
1907–08[13] 33131362
1908–09[14] 35120371
Total 9497110110
Raith Rovers 1912–13[2] Scottish First Division 31170381
1913–14[2] 25120271
1914–15[2] 250—250
1915–16[2] 10—10
Total 82290911
Career total 1761116119212

Sources
  • Frost, Terry (1988). Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 0-907969-38-0.
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References
  1. Joyce, Michael (16 October 2012). Football League Players' Records 1888–1939 (3rd Revised ed.). Tony Brown. p. 177. ISBN 9781905891610.
  2. Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  3. "Football". Yorkshire Post. 21 May 1912. p. 14. The Bradford Association Club have transferred J. H. Logan, half back, to Raith Rovers, the Scottish First League team. Logan joined Bradford in 1909, and two seasons ago played in 32 English League games. He stands 6ft. 2in. in height, and can play anywhere in the half back line. He is a brother of Peter Logan, of Bradford City. At the end of last season he was placed upon the Bradford transfer list.
  4. Ross, David (2013). Gaffers. Lulu.com. p. 229. ISBN 9780743429917. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  5. Crow, Allan (26 April 2014). "Raith WW1 strip ensures 'Kirkcaldy never forgets'". Fife Today. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  6. "Ex-City player for Bradford Park Avenue". Leeds Mercury. 29 June 1909. p. 6. The Bradford club have secured the transfer of J. H. Logan, half back, from Chesterfield. Logan came to Bradford City two or three years ago as a centre forward from an Edinburgh club, and is the elder brother of P. Logan, the present City inside forward.
  7. "Man behind the scenes at Stark's Park". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 9 February 1932. p. 8.
  8. McGouran, Tom; Davidson, Stewart; McColl, Brian; Newport, Phil; Gorman, Douglas; Bradley, Robert; Wire, Jamie. "Scotland Junior Internationals". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original (XLS) on 27 November 2016.
  9. "New centre forward for Bradford City". Leeds Mercury. 4 April 1905. p. 9.
  10. Frost, p. 385
  11. Frost, p. 401
  12. "Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource – Line-ups – 1906–07". Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  13. "Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource – Line-ups – 1907–08". Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  14. "Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource – Line-ups – 1908–09". Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  15. "Raith Rovers". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 2 December 1914. p. 8. Five of Raith Rovers' players travelled to Edinburgh yesterday afternoon and enlisted in Sir George McCrae's Battalion for active service The players were James Todd, outside right; James Logan, right half; William Porter, centre half; John Rattray, inside right; and George M'Lay, centre half. Several of the remaining players are also expected to join the battalion.
  16. "A unique strip with a simple, poignant message ..." Fife Free Press. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  17. "Raith Rover's promotion". Fifeshire Advertiser. 19 June 1915. p. 5. The popular and esteemed half back of Raith Rovers Football Club, James H. Logan, has come rapidly to the front line, joining the 16th Battalion of the Royal Scots. It is only a week or two since we recorded his promotion to the rank of sergeant, and now we have pleasure in stating that he has been further promoted to Sergt.-Major.
  18. "Commission for Kirkcaldy footballer". The Courier. Dundee. 29 December 1915. p. 5.
  19. "Kirkcaldy footballer amongst wounded". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 5 July 1916. p. 3.
  20. "Raith Rovers' new manager". Fifeshire Advertiser. 13 September 1919. p. 6.
  21. "Changes at Stark's Park. Manager and trainer resign". Fife Free Press. 15 May 1926. p. 2.
  22. "Raith's new manager appointed". The Courier. Dundee. 9 December 1930. p. 8.
  23. "The Raith resignation". The Courier. Dundee. 27 September 1933. p. 9.
  24. "Why Raith manager resigned". The Courier. Dundee. 30 September 1933. p. 7.
  25. "Mr J. H. Logan in running for English post". The Courier. Dundee. 27 May 1936. p. 4.
  26. "New Wrexham manager. Captain Logan, of Raith Rovers, appointed". Liverpool Echo. 30 January 1937. p. 5.
  27. "Wrexham manager resigns". Birmingham Gazette. 14 April 1938. p. 12.
  28. "Kirriemuir hotel deal. Raith Rovers ex-manager's purchase". The Courier. Dundee. 20 September 1926. p. 3.
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