James Mathieson

James Adamson Mathieson (10 May 1904 – 13 April 1950) was a Scottish professional football goalkeeper who played in the Football League for Middlesbrough and Brentford. He made over 500 professional appearances in the English and Scottish leagues.[2] Mathieson is the only player to win three English Second Division championship medals, as an ever-present in each season.[2]

James Mathieson
Personal information
Full name James Adamson Mathieson[1]
Date of birth (1904-05-10)10 May 1904
Place of birth Methil, Scotland
Date of death 13 April 1950(1950-04-13) (aged 45)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Dubbleside Hearts
Colinsburgh United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1922–1923 Partick Thistle
1923–1926 Raith Rovers 92 (0)
1926–1934 Middlesbrough 245 (0)
1934–1938 Brentford 126 (0)
1938–1939 Queen of the South 38 (0)
Total 502 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Early years

A goalkeeper, Mathieson began his career in Scotland with junior clubs Dubbleside Hearts and Colinsburgh United.[3][4] He got his break when he signed for Scottish League First Division club Partick Thistle in 1922.[5] Mathieson moved to fellow top flight club Raith Rovers the following year and made 92 league appearances in three seasons before departing after Rovers' relegation to the Second Division was confirmed at the end of the 1925–26 season.[5]

Middlesbrough

Mathieson moved to England to join Second Division club Middlesbrough in June 1926.[2] He was an ever-present in the Boro team which was promoted to the First Division as Second Division champions in the 1926–27 season,[6] giving Mathieson his first taste of top flight football in England.[7] Middlesbrough were relegated straight back to the Second Division, but with Mathieson again an ever-present in goal,[6] the club won promotion straight back as Division Two champions in the 1928–29 season.[2] He made 264 appearances for the club before departing in 1934.[6]

Brentford

Mathieson dropped to the Second Division to sign for Brentford during the 1934 off-season.[2] He was one of a number of former Middlesbrough players recruited by Bees manager Harry Curtis in the early 1930s and he linked up with former teammates Jack Holliday, Billy Scott, Herbert Watson and Ernie Muttitt at Griffin Park.[2] Mathieson went straight into the team and was an ever-present during the 1934–35 season, helping Brentford to the Second Division title and promotion to the top-flight for the first time in the club's history.[8] He missed just one league game during the 1935–36 season, as the Bees finished in their highest-ever league placing of fifth in the First Division.[8] Mathieson lost his place in goal to another Scot, Joe Crozier,[8] during the 1937–38 season and departed the club at the end of the campaign.[2] He made 129 appearances during his four years with Brentford.[8]

Queen of the South

Mathieson returned to Scotland in 1938 and joined Dumfries club Queen of the South, then in Scotland's top tier.[2] Things went well for Mathieson at Queens, with the club finishing in sixth position and reaching the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup.[9][10] He made 38 league appearances before the breakout of the Second World War ended his career in 1939.[5]

Personal life

Before becoming a professional footballer, Mathieson worked as a miner.[2]

Honours

Middlesbrough

Brentford

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Raith Rovers 1923–24[5] Scottish First Division 17 0 1 0 18 0
1924–25[5] 37 0 4 0 41 0
1925–26[5] 38 0 2 0 40 0
Total 92 0 7 0 99 0
Middlesbrough 1926–27[6] Second Division 42 0 3 0 45 0
1927–28[6] First Division 42 0 3 0 45 0
1928–29[6] Second Division 40 0 3 0 43 0
1929–30[6] First Division 41 0 6 0 47 0
1930–31[6] 38 0 2 0 40 0
1931–32[6] 30 0 2 0 32 0
1932–33[6] 12 0 0 0 12 0
Total 245 0 19 0 264 0
Brentford 1934–35[8] Second Division 42 0 1 0 43 0
1935–36[8] First Division 42 0 1 0 43 0
1936–37[8] 35 0 2 0 37 0
1937–38[8] 7 0 0 0 7 0
Total 126 0 4 0 130 0
Queen of the South 1938–39[5] Scottish First Division 38 0 3 0 41 0
Career total 501 0 33 0 534 0
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References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 199. ISBN 190589161X.
  2. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. pp. 43, 44. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  3. "Towns, Fields & Clubs of Fife" (PDF). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. "East Neuk Junior Football League 1919–1922". Scottish-football-historical-archive.com. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  5. Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  6. "James Mathieson". 11v11.com. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  7. Chapman, Mark. "Boro Connections: Five players that shaped Brentford football Club's history". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 373–374. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. "QosFC: Club History". qosfc.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. "QosFC: Legends – Jackie Oakes". qosfc.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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