Sammy Baird
Encyclopedia
Stuart Samuel "Sammy" Baird (13 May 1930 – 21 April 2010) was a Scottish
football player and manager.
, Preston North End
, Rangers
, Hibernian
, Third Lanark
and Stirling Albion
. He won three Scottish league titles (1956
, 1957
and 1959
) and one Scottish Cup
(1960) with Rangers.
He earned seven international caps for Scotland
from 1956 to 1958. He scored on his debut against Yugoslavia
, and also in his last match, a 2–1 defeat by France
in the 1958 FIFA World Cup
. The latter goal was the first time a Rangers player scored in a World Cup Finals match.
As the manager of Stirling Albion he led them to promotion to Division One in the 1964–65 season
, but he was sacked in 1968
because the club were heading for relegation back to Division Two.
Baird died on the morning of 21 April 2010.
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 player and manager.
Career
During his playing career he played for ClydeClyde 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...
, Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, 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...
, Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, Third Lanark
Third Lanark A.C.
Third Lanark Athletic Club was a football club that originally existed between 1872 and 1967, 95 years in existence, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Third Lanark were known as Thirds, the Warriors, the Redcoats and the Hi Hi's...
and Stirling Albion
Stirling Albion F.C.
Stirling Albion F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. The club are nicknamed The Binos . They play at Doubletree Dunblane Stadium in Stirling, on the outskirts of the city near the River Forth...
. He won three Scottish league titles (1956
1955-56 in Scottish football
The 1955–56 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:Following league reconstruction League Division One was expanded from 16 to 18 teams with Airdrieonians and Dunfermline Athletic being promoted...
, 1957
1956-57 in Scottish football
The 1956–57 season was the 60th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Dunfermline Athletic, Ayr United-Scottish League Division Two:...
and 1959
1958-59 in Scottish football
The 1958–59 season was the 62nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:The last day of the season saw Rangers holding a 2 point lead over Hearts, with the clubs having an identical goal average....
) and one Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
(1960) with Rangers.
He earned seven international caps for Scotland
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...
from 1956 to 1958. He scored on his debut against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, and also in his last match, a 2–1 defeat by France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in the 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
. The latter goal was the first time a Rangers player scored in a World Cup Finals match.
As the manager of Stirling Albion he led them to promotion to Division One in the 1964–65 season
1964-65 in Scottish football
The 1964–65 season was the 68th season of Scottish league football.-Scottish League Division One:In one of the closest finishes ever seen in a league competition in Britain, Hearts faced Kilmarnock on the last day of the season with...
, but he was sacked in 1968
1967-68 in Scottish football
The 1967–68 season was the 71st season of Scottish league football.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: Celtic Relegated: Motherwell, Stirling Albion-Scottish League Division Two:Promoted: St...
because the club were heading for relegation back to Division Two.
Baird died on the morning of 21 April 2010.