Tom Blair
Scottish footballer
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Thomas Blair (24 February 1892 – 28 August 1961) was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.[4]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Blair | ||
| Date of birth | 24 February 1892 | ||
| Place of birth | Hutchesontown, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 28 August 1961 (aged 69) | ||
| Place of death | Monifieth, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (1.82 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Vale of Clyde[2] | |||
| 1912–1920 | Kilmarnock | 226 | (0) |
| 1920–1922 | Manchester City | 38 | (0) |
| 1925–1926 | Boston | 17 | (0) |
| 1926–1927 | Fall River | 34 | (0) |
| 1927 | Hartford Americans | 11 | (0) |
| 1928–1930 | New Bedford Whalers | 60 | (0) |
| 1931 | Pawtucket Rangers | 9 | (0) |
| 1931–1932 | Ayr United | ||
| 1932–1933 | Linfield | ||
| 1937 | Dundee United | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1917[3] | Scottish League (wartime) | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
Blair was prominent in the 1910s playing for Kilmarnock,[5] with the culmination of his nine-year spell there being a Scottish Cup win in 1920, lifting the trophy as team captain.[6][7] He then moved to England with Manchester City,[8] spending two years there but only the regular in his position in the second campaign. He played on both sides in the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots international trial and conceded only once in each match,[9][10] but this did not lead on to a full cap for Scotland.
By now in his 30s, Blair accepted an invitation to play in the American Soccer League, appearing for teams including Fall River[11] and New Bedford Whalers.[12][13] After several years in the United States he returned to Scotland with Ayr United (no league appearances recorded) then spent time in Northern Ireland at Linfield before becoming a coach at Dundee United in 1937. That same year he made a final, emergency SFL appearance in a 7–1 defeat to St Bernard's, aged 45.[14]
