Angus McKinnon
Encyclopedia
Angus McKinnon was a Scottish
football
er.
McKinnon was born in Paisley
and started his career at junior side Petershill
before moving south of the border to join Carlisle United
, then of the Lancashire Combination
. He then moved even further south, joining London
side Woolwich Arsenal
in May 1908. Initially a reserve player, McKinnon made his debut on 12 December 1908 in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Bradford City
, and only made one more appearance in the 1908-09
season. He mainly played at left half, as an understudy to fellow Scot Roddy McEachrane
, and it wasn't until 1911 did McKinnon supplant his countryman and become a regular in the Woolwich Arsenal side.
McKinnon was a regular from then on, until official competition was suspended, a period with injury between March and November 1914 excepted. Unfortunately for him, his career with Woolwich Arsenal coincided with their relegation from the First Division
in 1913; nevertheless he continued to serve Arsenal (as they had been renamed following their move to Highbury
in 1913) as they pushed for promotion. During the war he served as a driver in the Royal Field Artillery
, and returned to play for Arsenal, who had been elected back to the First Division, once competitive football resumed in 1919. Although by this time 32, he continued to play for Arsenal for another two seasons, and started the 1921-22
season as first-choice left half, before being replaced by the young Tom Whittaker
.
McKinnon was given a free transfer in the summer of 1922, having played 217 matches for Arsenal, scoring 4 goals. He signed for Charlton Athletic
, where he played one season, and then moved to Wigan Borough
but did not play a single league match for the club and retired in 1923. After retiring, he joined New Brighton
; he spent 27 years at the club, between 1935 and 1962, as either trainer or coach. He died in 1968, at the age of 81.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er.
McKinnon was born in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
and started his career at junior side Petershill
Petershill F.C.
Petershill Football Club are a Scottish football club from Springburn in the north of Glasgow. Nicknamed the Peasy, they were formed in 1897 and are traditionally one of the stronger clubs at their level, although they have not been as successful in recent years as they have historically.The play...
before moving south of the border to join Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
, then of the Lancashire Combination
Lancashire Combination
The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League...
. He then moved even further south, joining London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
side Woolwich Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in May 1908. Initially a reserve player, McKinnon made his debut on 12 December 1908 in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, and only made one more appearance in the 1908-09
1908-09 in English football
The 1908–09 season was the 38th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Tottenham Hotspur played their first ever season in the Football League, gaining promotion to the First Division in the process...
season. He mainly played at left half, as an understudy to fellow Scot Roddy McEachrane
Roddy McEachrane
Roderick John "Roddy" McEachrane was a Scottish footballer, born in Inverness.McEachrane moved to Canning Town, London at the age of 20, to work at the Thames Iron Works, and joined the works football team, Thames Ironworks FC. He soon settled in the side as a left half-back with a reputation for...
, and it wasn't until 1911 did McKinnon supplant his countryman and become a regular in the Woolwich Arsenal side.
McKinnon was a regular from then on, until official competition was suspended, a period with injury between March and November 1914 excepted. Unfortunately for him, his career with Woolwich Arsenal coincided with their relegation from the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1913; nevertheless he continued to serve Arsenal (as they had been renamed following their move to Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
in 1913) as they pushed for promotion. During the war he served as a driver in the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
, and returned to play for Arsenal, who had been elected back to the First Division, once competitive football resumed in 1919. Although by this time 32, he continued to play for Arsenal for another two seasons, and started the 1921-22
1921-22 in English football
The 1921–22 season was the 47th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The league underwent a major expansion for the second consecutive season, adding 20 teams from the Midlands and Northern England. They were placed in the new Third Division North, and the existing southern-based...
season as first-choice left half, before being replaced by the young Tom Whittaker
Tom Whittaker (footballer)
Thomas James "Tom" Whittaker MBE was an English football player, trainer and manager, chiefly associated with Arsenal Football Club...
.
McKinnon was given a free transfer in the summer of 1922, having played 217 matches for Arsenal, scoring 4 goals. He signed for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, where he played one season, and then moved to Wigan Borough
Wigan Borough F.C.
Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....
but did not play a single league match for the club and retired in 1923. After retiring, he joined New Brighton
New Brighton A.F.C.
-Revived club:New Brighton A.F.C. were reborn in 1993, and joined the Birkenhead and Wirral League, which they won in their first season. In 1995 the club switched to the South Wirral League. After upgrading their new ground, the club were admitted to the Second Division of the West Cheshire League...
; he spent 27 years at the club, between 1935 and 1962, as either trainer or coach. He died in 1968, at the age of 81.