John Irving (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Irving also known as Johnnie or Johnny Irving, was a Scottish professional association footballer who scored 10 goals from 51 appearances in the Football League
in the 1890s playing as an inside right for Lincoln City
.
in 1867. He played for home-town club Queen of the South Wanderers for two years before moving to England to join Lincoln City
. He made his debut on 5 November 1889 in the Midland League
, and played for the club until the 1894–95 season, their second in the Football League
. In the 1890–91 season, Irving was the club's leading scorer, with 12 goals from Football Alliance
and FA Cup
games. He is believed to have been the first Lincoln player to be sent off
in a Football League match: in November 1894, he and Grimsby Town
's Tom Frith were dismissed for fighting.
After losing his first-team place, Irving moved on in February 1895 to Newark Town
in the Midland League before returning to Lincoln City a few months later. His last game for their first team came in the Football League Second Division
, a 3–0 defeat to Loughborough
on 6 March 1897, and he retired as a player later that year. Over both spells with Lincoln, Irving scored 43 goals from 123 senior appearances.
, who had been a team-mate of Irving's at Queen of the South Wanderers, joined Lincoln as manager. Irving's two sons also went on to become directors of the club. Irving then kept a pub in Lincoln
until his retirement in 1930, when he moved to Nottingham
with one of his sons, who had joined the board of Notts County F.C.
Irving died in that city in 1942 aged 75.
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...
in the 1890s playing as an inside right for Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
.
Playing career
Irving was born in DumfriesDumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
in 1867. He played for home-town club Queen of the South Wanderers for two years before moving to England to join Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. He made his debut on 5 November 1889 in the Midland League
Midland Football League
There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League....
, and played for the club until the 1894–95 season, their second 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...
. In the 1890–91 season, Irving was the club's leading scorer, with 12 goals from Football Alliance
Football Alliance
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90 to 1891–92.It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League, which had begun in the 1888–89 season, also with 12 member clubs...
and FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
games. He is believed to have been the first Lincoln player to be sent off
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
in a Football League match: in November 1894, he and Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
's Tom Frith were dismissed for fighting.
After losing his first-team place, Irving moved on in February 1895 to Newark Town
Newark Town F.C.
Newark Town Football Club is a football club that plays its home games at the Station Road ground in the village of Collingham, near Newark-on-Trent, England....
in the Midland League before returning to Lincoln City a few months later. His last game for their first team came in the Football League 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...
, a 3–0 defeat to Loughborough
Loughborough F.C.
Loughborough Athletic and Football Club were an English football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, that played in The Football League at the end of the 19th century.-History:...
on 6 March 1897, and he retired as a player later that year. Over both spells with Lincoln, Irving scored 43 goals from 123 senior appearances.
After playing
After finishing his playing career, Irving became Lincoln City's trainer, and served on their board of directors between 1897 and 1901. It was during this period that David CalderheadDavid Calderhead
David Calderhead was a Scottish footballer who later became a manager, notably of Chelsea.-Playing career:...
, who had been a team-mate of Irving's at Queen of the South Wanderers, joined Lincoln as manager. Irving's two sons also went on to become directors of the club. Irving then kept a pub in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
until his retirement in 1930, when he moved to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
with one of his sons, who had joined the board of Notts County F.C.
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
Irving died in that city in 1942 aged 75.