Gilligan, Samuel

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Fullname: Samuel Anderson Gilligan
aka: Sam Gilligan, Samuel Gilligan
Born: 18 January 1882
Died: 17 June 1965
Birthplace: Dundee
Signed: 10 Sep 1903 (from Dundee)
Left: 1904 (to Bristol City)
Position: Centre-Forward
Debut: Celtic 1-0 Hibernian, League, 26 Sep 1903
Internationals: N/A

Biog

Despite just one year at Celtic Park, Sam Gilligan boasts one of the most impressive scoring records for the Bhoys.

By background, he was raised in a large Irish family in Dundee, with him and his four brothers remarkably being footballers. Initially, Sam Gilligan was an apprentice riveter, but abandoned ship-building to became a professional footballer joining hometown club Dundee in 1901 at the age of 18.

Two years later, Sam joined Celtic in September 1903 from Dundee, and made his debut on 26 September in a 1-0 league victory at home to Hibernian.

Initially bought as cover for Alec Bennett, Sam Gilligan found himself a regular starter after Alec Bennett was switched to inside-forward. He would achieve an exceptional notch 13 goals in 14 league & Scottish Cup appearances. Despite such a startling ratio, his performances for some reason didn’t always impress, and by 1904 was back to being cover for Jimmy Quinn and Bennett.

In fairness to the Celtic management, in retrospect they looked to have made the right decision as Jimmy Quinn was a phenomenon, so hardly easy for Sam to be able to dislodge him. Celtic went on without Sam Gilligan over the next six years to dominate the league title race, but maybe if Sam had remained he’d have become a big favourite with the support and played his part in this success too.

His goals included a hat-trick over Port Glasgow in the league, as well as doubles over Morton, Kilmarnock, Hearts and former club Dundee. Celtic finished fourth in the league in his one season (joint third on points), and his goals played a strong role to help push the team up the table.

Despite the limited number of appearances, Sam managed to play for Celtic in a Glasgow Cup final (and replay) which Celtic lost overall to Third Lanark.

Sam Gilligan moved to Bristol City where he became a huge fans favourite and then joined Liverpool in 1910.

Kenneth Campbell, a colleague at Liverpool, wrote fondly of him:

“I had quite the happiest of times with the second eleven, or the “preserves,” as Sam Gilligan would persist in calling it. The Dundee man was the life and soul of the party. There never was a dull moment when the Dundonian was about. I never knew a man who was so well up in football lore.
“Sam knew every wrinkle of the game, and to listen to his exposition of transfers, agreements, and the sundry other intricacies connected with the affairs of football was a revelation.”

After three years with Liverpool, he opted to join Gillingham of the Southern Football League as player-manager.

In his first season in charge Gillingham secured their best position in the league for three years. Sam Gilligan did not return to the club after the First World War and returned to ship-building in Dundee. He later moved to the US, and worked for the ‘Republican Iron and Steel Company‘, and played football for Youngstown based Mahoning Valleys.

He passed away in 1965.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

none

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From: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/happened-City-star-Sam/story-11263206-detail/story.html#axzz2VTl2mEmv
GOOD old Sam Gilligan” said the Pittsburgh Press on his arrival at Hamarville, Pennsylvania to play against the local team in 1935. Similar sentiments were no doubt heard in Bristol too, especially as the Division 3, South Bristol City team struggled on in the shadow of former glories. City had once been League 2 Champions, League 1 runners up and FA Cup finalists with Sam Gilligan playing a critical role in those heady days. Despite this, by the 1930s nobody in the UK seemed to know what had become of him. For many years his later life was something of a mystery – a combination of unconfirmed rumours and false sightings. It was even stated that he had emigrated to Canada in 1969 and been spotted, aged 98, in 1980.

Here are the facts.

Born on January 18, 1882, in Dundee, his father Peter was an Irish immigrant and his mother Isabella, a local girl. Sam had two sisters and three brothers with all four Gilligan boys playing football at the highest level – something that must be almost unique. Elder brothers Sandy and Will both started at Dundee before following a well-worn route to the English League where they played for Bolton Wanderers and Derby County respectively. But while his youngest brother, John, played for Clyde, Sam headed south to Bristol City. Starting his working life as an apprentice riveter, Sam soon abandoned ship-building to became a professional footballer joining Dundee in 1901 at the age of 18. He moved to Celtic for the 1903/4 season where he had the honour of kicking-off at the new Hampden Park ground.

Sam’s appearances, however, were sporadic, as manager Willie Maley experimented with the team. Ultimately he lost out to a golden generation of Celtic stars including Jimmy Quinn, considered by many to be the best centre forward in the world. In 1904, before embarking on his Bristol adventure, Sam married a Scots girl, Elizabeth Cree. The Bristol Times and Mirror newspaper enthused over his imminent arrival saying, “Bristol City’s latest capture is a centre forward, and one of a stamp which they most want if they are to make a serious effort to secure promotion next season” Making something of a habit of this, Sam kicked off at the new Ashton Gate in their pre-season friendly against Arsenal in September, 1904. After finishing the season in fourth position manager Hollis was replaced by Harry Thickett. The 1905/6 City team included another great Scottish forward, Willie Maxwell, the dangerous Walter Bennett plus another emerging talent, Billy (“Fatty”) Wedlock. City then swept all before them, with Maxwell, Bennett and Gilligan scoring an incredible 75 goals between them.

Sam weighed in with 19, including 4 goals in one game against Stockport. The end of the season saw City emerge as champions with 14 consecutive victories. The 1906/7 season surprised everyone when the Bristol team took the runners-up spot behind Newcastle. Sam chipped in with 22 goals. When asked some years later about that season Sam, in his modest way, said simply: “We were tremendously lucky that season – simply couldn’t do wrong” The other major highlight of Sam’s career was the famous FA Cup run of 1909, which saw City beaten 1-0 in the final by Manchester United. Reports on his performance were mixed with some labelling him an, “absolute failure” and others saying that it was Sam who came closest to rescuing the game. The year 1910 saw Sam receive a testimonial against Aston Villa with much made of his good, quiet, unassuming character, a “modern footballer unspoilt by excessive praise.” As a player Sam was said to be occasionally slow and lacking that “champion shot” but words such as “dash” and “cleverness” were frequently used to describe his play. One contemporary wrote,”In every match you will find him where the battle rages hottest” After that Sam was sold to Liverpool where he stayed for two years before moving to Gillingham as player-manager. His UK career, however, came to a close in the summer of 1915 when the club packed up for the remainder of the First World War. Sam’s last appearance in Bristol was in March of that year when he scored against Bristol Rovers for Gillingham in a 2-1 loss. Sam’s life then enters a murky period. Although records mention him at Dundee Hibernians and Forfar later obituaries make no mention of these clubs.

Conventional wisdom has it that Sam emigrated to Vancouver, in Canada, in 1969 when he would have been 87. But that’s unlikely and doesn’t fit the facts. Here’s what really happened. During the First World War Sam returned, as many footballers did, to his old trade. But with ship building in Dundee in the early 1920s subject to strikes and unemployment, Sam decided to emigrate. In October, 1923, he sailed on the ss Columbia from Glasgow to Boston ultimately arriving in Youngstown, Ohio, a centre of the American steel industry. Here Sam worked as an attendant at the Butler Art institute being joined by his wife and children some three years later. In the interim he became one of the leading lights in introducing soccer to the US. As player-manager of the Youngstown based Mahoning Valleys, Sam continued playing until 1932 finally finishing with the Republican Iron and Steel soccer club at the age of 50. But he continued to be involved in the game until as late as 1935 – just long enough to earn the “good old” tag.

In 1942, at the age of 60, he registered for the US Draft but fortunately wasn’t required to fight. Sam worked for the Republican Iron and Steel Company as a foreman and, after retiring, returned to Dundee to meet up with old family and friends. Sam died in June, 1965, aged 83 – just few months after fellow player Billy Wedlock – but the news apparently never reached Bristol. Not a name instantly recognised by City fans, Sam Gilligan still sits at number nine – 87 goals in the list of all time City greats.

Scottish keeper, Kenny Campbell, told his life story in the Weekly News in May and June of 1921. He made 142 apperances for Liverpool from 1912-1920. In the first two chapters he had just left Scotland for Liverpool and was adapting to Merseyside life.Saturday, May 28 – 1921
Amusing story of Buchan and Campbell
When Charlie Buchan’s smile irritated me
Base humour about my transfer

By Kenneth Campbell

“Kenneth Campbell, the famous goalkeeper for Partick Thistle and Scotland, continues the story of his football career. Joining Liverpool when a lad as understudy to the renounced Sam Hardy, the prince of English goalkeepers, Kenneth ultimately succeeded in displacing Hardy, who went to Aston Villa. A year ago he, was chosen to guard Scotia’s goal against England, and shortly afterwards he joined Partick Thistle, and this season he played against Wales and Ireland, and helped his club to win the Scottish Cup.”

During my term with the reserve team I figured in many exciting games. We had a very good reserve eleven. In front of me I generally had Chorlton or Holden at right back, Rodgers at left back, and the half-back line was Scott, Peake (who will be remembered as playing for a term with Third Lanark) and Mackinlay. The forwards were taken from Speakman, Gilligan, Dave MacDonald, Beveridge, Bowyer, Rowlands, Dargie, and Lester.

Bowyer was a great player. He adapted himself to the centre forward berth just as readily as outside left, but it was as an extreme winger that he shone. He was a great goal-getter and many a match he won for us off his own bat.

I had quite the happiest of times with the second eleven, or the “preserves,” as Sam Gilligan would persist in calling is. The Dundee man was the life and soul of the party. There never was a dull moment when the Dundonian was about. I never knew a man who was so well up in football love.

Sam knew every wrinkle of the game, and to listen to his exposition of transfers, agreements, and the sundry other intricacies connected with the affairs of football was a revelation.

Of course, he was brought up in a good school. He had three brothers who had been through the mill, all well-known professionals in their day. All the family started their careers in Dundee. Alec, the elder brother, went ultimately to Bolton, Willie to Derby County, and Johnny to Partick Thistle, finishing up with a long term at Shawfield.

San Gilligan

To hear Sam dilate on the Gilligan family was a fair treat. He was an unconscious humourist, and if I could remember some of his tales I could make you laugh for a week.

Sam will ever be remembered at Anfield for one great feat. Liverpool were in grave danger of going down into the Second Division, and their last match was with Oldham. The “Reds” had to win this to steer clear of relegation.

It was an anxious time for the Anfield people. I can remember poor old Tom Watson was in such a state of nerves that he went behind the stand when the match was on. He could not bear to look on. The suspense was terrific.

Gilligan’s great feat
It was Sam Gilligan who headed the goal that won the match, and Liverpool were safe for another season. What a scene of excitement! The Dundee man came in for a great ovation, and I’ll guarantee it was one of the proudest moments of his life.

It was at this time that I began to be taken notice of, and I had a notion of what it was like to be famous.

My debut as a First League player – which I referred to last week – was made on February 10 – 1912, at Blackburn, and I played in six other League games that season.

The followed Hardy’s departure, and at the beginning of season 1912-13 I assumed the role of Liverpool’s League team goalkeeper.

It might be worth mentioning that during my first season as regular goalkeeper I figured in thirty-seven out of thirty-eight League matches. Liverpool’s position was slightly improved that season. From fourth bottom place we slipped up to tenth from the bottom, or exactly in the middle of the League table, with thirty-seven points.

Everyone was very kind to me. The press gave me every encouragement, and I remember that one or two correspondents burst into poetry about me. For curiosity, I have kept one screed, the writer of which was apparently an Englishman wrestling with the daric. Here’s a swatch of it to show you what I had to “suffer”: –

Kenneth Campbell
Come listen to anither song
Aboot a bonnie boy,
Whose name is heard on every tongue,
Whose fitba’ given us joy;
He heids the list o’ a’ the Scots
Wha play the winter game,
He fills the breach and stops the shots –
And Campbell is his name.

A skeely man, ye maun admit,
The best ‘n a’ the earth;
For every game we fin’ him fit,
And keen to prove his worth,
He saves the “Reds” from going down,
An when they play at hame
Ae man at least is a’ways soun’ –
An’ Campbell is his name.

No wonder, then, that every girl
Wha lives oot Anfield way,
Can feel her heart gang a’ awhirl
When she sees Kenneth play.
This bonnie Scot is aye the pet
Of maiden and of dame;
A man we’ll keep for seasons yet –
An’ Campbell is his name.

A humiliating experience
It was during this season I had the most humiliating experience of my life. That was when we visited Roker Park to play Sunderland and were beaten 7-0.

As I have said already, I had earned a pretty good reputation in the English League. We made a good opening by defeating Oldham Athletic 2-0 at Anfield. I must have pleased the critics there, for I can remember one pressman never noted for handing out bouquets wrote thus of my appearances in this game: –

“I yield to no one in admiration of Hardy’s skill, but of what I saw is an average sample of Campbell’s abilities, then Liverpool have another Scotsman likely to be a successor to Ned Doig. Tall, cleanly built, ample reach, as agile as a cat, keen anticipation, and, above all things, courage, it seems to me that Kenneth Campbell is a goalkeeper who will make a name. Already he is climbing the ladder of reputation. If what I saw be his ordinary form goals will, I repeat, never be easy to get against Liverpool.”

And yet here was the man so landed to the skier with seven goals piled against him in one match the self-same season. How I blush to think of it!

Charlie Buchan was the player who did all the damage that day. I can’t say what went wrong with our lads, but it is a cert that they were never in the hunt. After the first quarter of an hour I could see that we were a beaten side. Buchan, at inside right, was a fair demon that day.

The big Sunderland man and I were fairly good pals, and after the home team had scored three goals I ventured to speak to him.

“Look here, Charlie,” said I, “you’ve scored enough goals now. Three goals is a fair enough lead, and you’ve got all you want by winning the match.”
“Right-o,” replied Charlie and I believe he really meant to be lenient with me. Sunderland could do nothing wrong that day, and Liverpool were simply wretched.

Bob Pursell was, I think drafted in at the last moment as outside right, and felt far from happy, and for more than half the game Donald Mackinlay, our outside left, was absent, so we were handicapped.

What raised my temper
Well, as I have said, Charlie signified that he was agreeable that no more goals would be scored, but of course, he was in no way to blame for Mordue coming along before half-time and scoring a fourth goal.

In the second half matters were, if anything, worse. The ball was lashed against the crossbar, the posts, against me, and everywhere but through the goal. I thought we had seen the end of the scoring.

Then along the wing sped Holley, of the Roker Parkers. He centred just from the bye-line. I saw the ball coming across, and also Buchan standing ready for the cross. I saw it was hopeless to come out and get the ball ere it reached the big forward, so I just stood looking beseechingly at Charlie.

A big grin spread over his feature as he simply nodded the ball well out of my reach.

I am afraid I lost my temper and called him some names then for breaking, as I understood it, a pact between us, but I was sorry for it afterwards, for he had his revenge in scoring another couple of goals before the finish, making the score seven goals, of which he had five!

Despite this terrible flogging, it is pleasing to recall I received the utmost credit for my display of that afternoon, one scribe going so far as to liken me to a modern Horatius. Between ourselves I had nothing of the Roman gladiator feeling about me.

During my stay in Liverpool I made many friends who were very assiduous in their endeavours to make me happy, and I am certain it was through the mistaken efforts of some of them that I was once placed in a very uncomfortable position with my Directors,

An unfounded rumour
Great was my astonishment to read in one of the local papers one evening something like the following: –

“ Rumours have spread around Liverpool concerning the two senior clubs, Liverpool and Everton. They are of a sensational character, and hint at a swopping of players.

“The rumour further says that Liverpool had been asked to transfer Campbell, their brilliant goalkeeper, to Everton, who were prepared to give two forwards in return.

“There was, for once in a way, some truth in the rumours, but it is learned that the matter of exchange is now at an end. Liverpool will not part company with Campbell, who has served them so well. Of course, the idea was that Liverpool, having two such capable goalkeepers as Elisha Scott and Campbell, could afford to give up one so that they might buy good forwards.

“The Everton forwards, named by Dame Rumour, were Bradshaw, Beare, Browell, and Grenyer. There can be no mistaking Liverpool’s verdict. They will not part with Campbell. But there can be no doubt that Everton desired his transfer.”

Now, the funny part of the business was that neither the Directors of Liverpool nor myself knew anything about this proposed “deal.”

I was called before the Directors one day, and asked if I knew anything about the matter which had appeared in the public print. Of course, I could only answer that I was as ignorant as they seemed to be about the matter, and then I was asked if I wanted to leave Liverpool.

At that time nothing was further from my thoughts, and I replied accordingly, and the matter was dropped.

It was a very annoying experience, however, and I did not like it at all, as there was always a suspicion in my mind that the Directors fancied I knew something about the rumours.

But I say here and now that whoever was responsible for the suggestion, it certainly was not I.

The notion of leaving Anfield had not come to me then. I will have an interesting story to tell you later about my way-going.

Copyright – The Weekly News, 28-05-1921 – Transcribed by Kjell Hanssen
Thanks to The Partick Thistle History Archive for finding these press articles