James P. McGuire -Players Who Never Played a Competitive First Team Match M – Z

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Personal

Fullname: James Paxton McGuire
aka: "Jimmy"
Born: 27th April 1910
Birthplace: Canongate, Edinburgh
Died: November 26, 1974 in Hyde Park, New York
Signed: In the USA to start in season 1931-32
Left: – End of Season 1931-32
Position: Centre-half

Hall of Famers US Soccer entry

James McGuire. President of the United States Soccer Football Association for two separate terms, from 1952 to 1954 and from 1971 to 1974. During his second term as USSFA president, McGuire was a member of the FIFA Organizing Committee for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. McGuire, who was born in Scotland, was president of the American Soccer League from 1947 to 1950, after having played in that league in the 1930s, winning a U.S. Open Cup title with St. Mary’s Celtic of Brooklyn in 1939. Inducted in 1951.

Biog

UNDER CONSTRUCTION 6/6/2014

Put shortly Edinburgh-born James went to the USA, as a two-time Scottish Schoolboys cap, played soccer for Brooklyn Wanderers for several years and when playing against Celtic on their 1931 tour was spotted, signed by Willie Maley and taken back to Scotland with the touring squad. James never made the breakthrough into the first team with Celtic and was transferred to Northampton Town where he played until 1936 when injury forced him to retire for a while.

James returned to the states and worked in real-estate while still playing part time and coaching soccer. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1943. James rose through the ranks to manage the USA National squad and he brought his squad to Hampden in 1952 and then became an administrator of the game in the USA. His success as President of the United States Soccer Federation and then was elected on to the board of FIFA and involved in the organisation of the World Cup. From rags to riches and from humble beginnings as a boy footballer in Edinburgh to a major force in world football, Jimmy McGuire certainly lived the American Dream.

To see a pic of the man himself and just how important the trophy named in honour of this former Celt is in the USA view this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f3jblYt4pc

Playing Career

The table below shows what is known of James's club career outwith Celtic. The New Yorker article below also reports that he twice captained a USA team, against Scotland in 1939 and against Mexico in 1940. The SFA's Scotland squad that toured the USA & Canada in 1939 was considered by the Americans to be a full international team but the 17 man squad was a Select and featured Willie Lyon who was born in England and Welshman Ben Ellis of Motherwell. The game itself played in New York on 19 June ended in a 2-2 draw, but extra-time was played and Scotland went on to win 4-2 thanks to two goals from Jimmy Carabine of Third Lanark.

James began life, the son of Lawrence an Engine Fitter working for The Edinburgh Tramways Co., Bridget his wife and older brother George all living in the Canongate area of Edinburgh, a short distance from Hibernian's Easter Road football stadium.

The 1911 Census shows 11 month old James still living at 73 Albert Street, Calton, Edinburgh. He attended Holy Cross Academy and while there won two schoolboy international caps.

While still a schoolboy James emigrated to the USA with his family and it was 1931 in the USA that he faced Celtic when he played as centre-half for the Brooklyn Wanderers in a 5-0 defeat at Ebbet's Field, New York.

Willie Maley must have saw something about the young centre-half as he signed him up for Celtic and took him back to Scotland where he spend 1-2 years with the club.

Unable to make the break through into the first team, where Jimmy McStay dominated his position James moved to Northampton Town in England and played there until 1939 when a bad injury looked to have ended his career.

He returned to his US home and family and went back to playing part-time with Brooklyn St Mary's Celtic and was with that team in 1939 when they had their best ever season winning the US Open Cup.

James then went on to be player-manager of Brooklyn Wanderers, the team he played for when he opposed Jimmy McGrory in 1931.

As well as having a management role in soccer James had risen through the ranks in Cushman and Wakefield, the realtors and must have been a natural administrator as he soon rose to the top in the US soccer scene.

The prodigal's return to Scotland in 1952 was hardly an auspicious occasion. In a tour organised by Erno Schwartz a big crowd (107,765) turned out at Hampden to see the USA soccer sensations who had recently defeated England in the World Cup in Brazil fail to rise to the occasion and go down 6-0.

The Evening Times reported: Jim McGuire, of the American Soccer League, speaking at the dinner after the Scotland- USA game last night said – “I was worrying terribly about this 6-0 defeat until I suddenly remembered that a Scottish team once went down to Wembley and defeated England by five goals to one. “ We know what happened to the English International teams as a result of that defeat. “We won’t come back to Scotland until we are ready to beat you.”

By a strange coincidence Bill Jeffrey, the coach of the USA team at the 1950, World Cup, in Brazil, like James McGuire, also came from Edinburgh. Proud of his American citizenship James was able to "rub it in" to FA chief Sir Stanley Rouse that the USA soccer team's victory over the English was the biggest upset since 1776

US Soccer Hall of Fame