Arnott, Walter

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Fullname: Walter Arnott
aka: Wattie Arnott
Born: 12 May 1861
Died: 18 May 1931
Birthplace: Pollokshields, Glasgow
Position: Full-Back
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: None with Celtic

Biog

‘A giant among giants’
‘Not only was he the best defender, but he was also the most artistic back I have ever seen’.
William Pickford (English FA President)

The great Scotland international full-back Walter Arnott reputedly had made one appearance for Celtic, but the various records were actually incorrect.

Various databases & Sources have incorrectly stated he had played in one invitation game for Celtic (e.g. Alphabet of the Celts book). However, it has been confirmed from contemporary reports from the Glasgow Herald, Dundee Courier & Scottish Referee that Walter Arnott did not end up playing for Celtic and actually pulled out of the match he was invited to as he reportedly didn’t agree with the soft conditions: league match Celtic 4-4 Third Lanark, 23 Feb 1895.

He is best known for his time as a Queen’s Park player, Pollokshields-born Walter Arnott enjoyed a nomadic football career playing for clubs in England and Ireland as well as his homeland.

He is regarded as one of the old greats of Scottish football, if not one of the finest footballers in the whole Victorian age. He is argued to have been the greatest Scottish footballer of the amateur age.

He played in ten consecutive Scotland v England matches (a Scottish record in that old series of matches). The SFA  honoured Walter Arnott by presenting him with a special International Cap to commemorate his achievement.

His solitary non-appearance for the Bhoys came on 23rd February 1895 in a 4-4 draw at home to Third Lanark in a league clash. The then veteran Walter Arnott had been drafted in as a ‘guest’ to help plug the gaps in a leaky Celtic defence, but he pulled out. Maybe if he’d played, Celtic might have won, and it would have been a great honour that Celtic could then count him as having played for our club. It would also have been a boon for Celtic having played & taken a legendary player from the establishment arch-rivals Queen’s Park.

At this stage of his career, he was quite elderly for a footballer of the time, and he retired from senior level football soon afterwards which likely explains why he opted NOT to play in that match, although he returned to play for junior side Mossknow Rovers in Kirkpatrik Fleming where he worked locally in a quarry.

Over the years, he had guested for a number of clubs including Blackburn Rovers, London Caledonian, Third Lanark, the Corinthians, Newcastle West End, Notts County and St Bernard’s.

He later spoke well of Celtic, and on reading the following, we can only wonder now if in later life he ever regretted turning down the opportunity to play for Celtic:

“The institution of that club was only welcomed in the west of Scotland by those who had most to do with its formation. But, if ever a club confounded its enemies, surely that club is Celtic”.
Walter Arnott, former Queens Park captain on the 7th March 1914 in the Evening Times.

A keen sportsman, Walter Arnott was also a noted bowls, cricket, and tennis player, and an avid yachtsman. He was also Secretary of the Crossmyloof Curling Club from 1912 to 1931.

Walter Arnott also proves the lie that was amateurism back in his day as promoted by the establishment. The idea that he travelled so widely guesting for sides solely as an unpaid amateur is not wholly credible. There will have likely been inducements in place, and likely this will have included the invitation made by the Celtic management.

He passed away in May 1931.

Playing Career

none

Honours with Celtic

none

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Scottish Sport History

link: http://www.scottishsporthistory.com/1/post/2013/05/celebrating-walter-arnott-born-150-years-ago-today.html

(birth date is 1861 NOT 1863 as below states)

Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Walter Arnott, one of football’s true ‘greats’ in the Victorian era. Born in Pollokshields on 12 May 1863, he was inspired as a young boy by watching the first international at Hamilton Crescent in 1872, and joined Queen’s Park ten years later. Over the following decade he was capped 14 times by Scotland, including a record ten consecutive appearances against England.

He won the Scottish Cup with Queen’s Park three times appeared for them in two FA Cup finals, and even found time to guest for a range of other clubs in Scotland, England and Ireland – winning an Irish Cup medal with Linfield and turning out for Newcastle West End, St Bernard’s and Notts County. He died in Glasgow on 18 May 1931.

He regularly wrote articles for newspapers and was interviewed about the early days, but never compiled a full biography. However, in 1928 he did publish privately a little booklet for distribution at a reunion of Vale of Leven players, and I have now digitised this for posterity. Click here to read it or visit my Publications