Charlie Duncan
Encyclopedia
Charles Stanley "Charlie" Duncan (1889 – after 1920) was a Scottish professional footballer who scored six goals in 22 appearances in the Football League
playing for Birmingham
and 15 goals in 25 appearances in the Scottish League
for Rangers
. He also played for Scottish League clubs Dunfermline Athletic
and Clyde
, and was capped
once for the Scottish League representative team. He played as a centre forward.
. He played for Dunfermline Athletic
before coming to England to sign for Birmingham
of the Second Division
in 1913. He made his debut in the Football League
on 22 February 1913, scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 home win against Hull City
, and followed up with three more goals in the next five games, but lost his place when Billy Jones
returned to fitness. Unable to establish himself in the first team, Duncan scored a remarkable 52 goals in the 1914–15 season for Birmingham's reserve team
as they won the Birmingham & District League title. When the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War, Duncan returned to Scotland and signed for Clyde
. He joined Rangers
for the 1916–17 season
, scored twice in the opening game against Dundee
and a hat-trick
in the third game, against Dumbarton
, and finished the season as the club's top scorer, with 15 goals from 25 League games.
While a Clyde player, he was selected by the Scottish League
for a representative match against the Irish League
. The game took place on 26 October 1921 at Clyde's home ground, Shawfield Stadium
, and Duncan scored the third goal of a 3–0 win.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and 15 goals in 25 appearances in the Scottish League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. He also played for Scottish League clubs Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
and Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
, and was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
once for the Scottish League representative team. He played as a centre forward.
Career
Duncan was born in KinrossKinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
. He played for Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
before coming to England to sign for Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1913. He made his debut in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
on 22 February 1913, scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 home win against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, and followed up with three more goals in the next five games, but lost his place when Billy Jones
Billy Jones (footballer born 1880)
William Henry "Billy" Jones , also known as Bullet Jones and the Tipton Smasher, was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward for Small Heath in the Football League and for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Southern League.-Career:Jones was born in Tipton, Staffordshire...
returned to fitness. Unable to establish himself in the first team, Duncan scored a remarkable 52 goals in the 1914–15 season for Birmingham's reserve team
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
as they won the Birmingham & District League title. When the Football League was suspended for the duration of the First World War, Duncan returned to Scotland and signed for Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
. He joined Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
for the 1916–17 season
Rangers F.C. season 1916–17
The 1916–17 season is the 27th season of competitive football by Rangers.-Overview:Rangers played a total of 38 competitive matches during the 1916–17 season...
, scored twice in the opening game against Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
and a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the third game, against Dumbarton
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
, and finished the season as the club's top scorer, with 15 goals from 25 League games.
While a Clyde player, he was selected by the Scottish League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
for a representative match against the Irish League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
. The game took place on 26 October 1921 at Clyde's home ground, Shawfield Stadium
Shawfield Stadium
Shawfield Stadium is a greyhound racing venue in the town of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located close to the boundary with Glasgow. It has also previously been a regular venue for football and speedway, as home to Clyde F.C. and the Glasgow Tigers respectively...
, and Duncan scored the third goal of a 3–0 win.