John Smith (footballer, born 1855)

Dr. John Smith (12 August 1855 – 16 November 1934) was a Scottish footballer of the 1870s and 1880s. He is also notable for playing rugby union and was a member of the first British Lions team that toured Australia and New Zealand in 1888.

John Smith
Personal information
Date of birth 12 August 1855
Place of birth Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland
Date of death 16 November 1934(1934-11-16) (aged 79)
Place of death Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Playing position(s) Inside-Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1877–79 Mauchline
1880–81 Edinburgh University
1883–84 Queen's Park
1884–88 Corinthian FC
National team‡
1877–84 Scotland 10 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of
Rugby career
Rugby union career
Position(s) Full Back
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Edinburgh University
Edinburgh Wanderers		 ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1876
1876		 Edinburgh District
East of Scotland District		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1888 British and Irish Lions 9 (0)

Football career

Amateur career

Smith began playing football at Mauchline F.C. before transferring to Edinburgh University while he studied. After completing his studies in the early 1880s he joined Queen's Park

At Queen's Park he won the Scottish Cup in 1881, 1882 and 1884. He became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Scottish Cup final when he scored all three of Queen's Park's goals in the 1881 final replay against Dumbarton.[1] He was not selected to play in the 1882 cup final and no final took place in 1884 but Queen's Park were awarded the trophy after Vale of Leven failed to appear for the final. In 1884 Smith was part of the Queens Park team that reached the FA Cup Final, Queens Park lost 2–1 to Blackburn Rovers.

Professional career

Smith often played under the pseudonym J.C. Miller and J.S. Miller. He also played occasionally as a guest for the Corinthians, Swifts and Liverpool Ramblers. He was banned from playing for or against any Scottish club or the Scottish national team in 1885 after he played for Corinthians against a professional English club, thus breaching the Scottish Football Association's amateur regulations.[2]

International career

By the 1880s he had already made several appearances for the Scotland national team.

He earned ten caps in total for Scotland, scoring 10 goals.

International goals
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
15 April 1879Kennington Oval, London England3–14–5Friendly
27 April 1879Acton Park, Wrexham Wales2–03–0Friendly
37 April 1879Acton Park, Wrexham Wales3–03–0Friendly
412 March 1881Kennington Oval, London England1–06–1Friendly
512 March 1881Kennington Oval, London England3–16–1Friendly
612 March 1881Kennington Oval, London England5–16–1Friendly
710 March 1883Bramall Lane, Sheffield England1–03–2Friendly
810 March 1883Bramall Lane, Sheffield England2–13–2Friendly
912 March 1883Acton Park, Wrexham Wales1–03–0Friendly
1015 March 1884Cathkin Park, Glasgow England1–01–0British Home Championship

Referee career

Smith sometimes officiated as a football referee.

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

As well as football, Smith also played rugby union. He played as a forward for Edinburgh University and Edinburgh Wanderers.

Provincial career

He was capped by Edinburgh District.[3]

He was also capped by East of Scotland District.[4]

International career

In 1876 was a reserve for the Scottish national rugby team.

In 1888 he was selected as a member of the British and Irish Lions team to tour New Zealand and Australia.[5] His skills as a player were called upon on nine occasions, though he failed to score in any of the matches.[5][6]

Referee career

His primary role on the 1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia was to act as the team's tour referee.

Medical career

As a physician, he practised in Brycehall, Kirkcaldy.

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References
  1. "Cup Final Hat-tricks". Scottishleague.net.
  2. Doctor on the national team suspended
  3. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N_NEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NbcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1313%2C5413612
  4. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000269/18770115/017/0003
  5. "John Smith". lionsrugby.com. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  6. Thomas, Clem (2013). 125 Years of the British and Irish Lions: The Official History. Random House. ISBN 9781780577388.
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