Hugh Baird
Encyclopedia
Hugh Baird was a Scottish
footballer who played for Airdrieonians
, Leeds United
and Aberdeen
. He also represented the Scotland national football team
once.
Baird started his professional playing career aged 21 with local side Airdrieonians
, whom he joined from Dalry Thistle. A striker
, he quickly gained a reputation as a prolific goal scorer. In 1957 Leeds United
signed him for £12,000 but he only stayed one season in England. In 1958 Aberdeen paid a then club record transfer fee of £11,500 to ensure his return north. He stayed with Aberdeen until 1962 making 86 appearances for the Dons.
Baird continued playing for another 4 years following his departure from Pittodrie
, enjoying brief spells with Brechin City
and Highland League
sides Deveronvale
and Rothes
before retiring from football aged 36 to become a bricklayer.
Baird made one appearance for the Scottish national side
in May 1956 at Hampden Park
against Austria
. He only received an international cap
in 2006, after a successful campaign was started by Gary Imlach
calling for his father
and other affected players (including Baird) to receive caps. Until the early 1970s, the SFA
did not award caps to players for matches other than those in the British Home Championship
.
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...
footballer who played for Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
, Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. He also represented the Scotland national football team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
once.
Baird started his professional playing career aged 21 with local side Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
, whom he joined from Dalry Thistle. A striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, he quickly gained a reputation as a prolific goal scorer. In 1957 Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
signed him for £12,000 but he only stayed one season in England. In 1958 Aberdeen paid a then club record transfer fee of £11,500 to ensure his return north. He stayed with Aberdeen until 1962 making 86 appearances for the Dons.
Baird continued playing for another 4 years following his departure from Pittodrie
Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Stadium is an all-seated football stadium situated in the Scottish city of Aberdeen. It was first used in 1899 and from 1903 has been the home of Aberdeen Football Club...
, enjoying brief spells with Brechin City
Brechin City F.C.
Brechin City Football Club is a Scottish football team based in Brechin, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and play in the Second Division in the 2010–11 season...
and Highland League
Highland Football League
The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
sides Deveronvale
Deveronvale F.C.
Deveronvale F.C. are senior football club currently playing the Highland Football League in Scotland. They were founded in 1938 and play their football at the Princess Royal Park in the town of Banff, , Scotland. The club was formed in 1938 when Deveron Valley and Banff Rovers joined together...
and Rothes
Rothes F.C.
Rothes F.C. are a senior football club who play in the Highland Football League.They were founded in 1938 and play their football at Mackessack Park in Rothes, a small town near Elgin in North East Scotland. They play in tangerine and black strips, colours that they inherited from Dundee United...
before retiring from football aged 36 to become a bricklayer.
Baird made one appearance for the Scottish national side
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in May 1956 at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
. He only received an international cap
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...
in 2006, after a successful campaign was started by Gary Imlach
Gary Imlach
Gary Imlach is a British author, journalist and broadcaster, specialising in sport. Imlach is particularly associated with non-mainstream sports, working for many years as the face of Channel 4's coverage of American Football and the Tour de France, having transferred to ITV when the station...
calling for his father
Stewart Imlach
-External links:* * by Angus Robertson MP....
and other affected players (including Baird) to receive caps. Until the early 1970s, the SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
did not award caps to players for matches other than those in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
.