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Fullname: Robert MacFarlane
aka: Rab MacFarlane, Robert McFarlane, ‘Mac’
Born: 14 May 1876
Died: 27 July 1943
Birthplace: Greenock
Signed: 6 May 1901
Left: Apr 1902 (to Middlesborough)
Position: Goalkeeper
Debut: Celtic 0-0 Third Lanark, Charity Cup, 9 May 1901
Internationals: none
Biog
Celtic brought Rab MacFarlane back to Scottish football after a run with teams down south including Grimsby and Everton.
It was said that: “In his day a great goalkeeper“, but his match statistics at Celtic don’t indicate that.
Rab MacFarlane was the original self-motivator:
“When the ball is in midfield, he talks to himself, nods, gesticulates, exactly as though he were addressing a public meeting.”
Celtic brought him in as cover for Dan McArthur, but big Rab MacFarlane had none of Dan McArthur’s suicidal tendencies:
“It’s better to lose a goal than a goalie.”
He played against Rangers in the Glasgow Cup at Ibrox on 26th October 1901 “below form unless miracle saves required“. The match ended 2-2, however, Rangers were awarded the cup after Celtic refused a replay at Ibrox.
In the Scottish Cup Final at Parkhead (26 Apr 1902), McGeachan of Hibs nutmegged him with a back-heeler for the only goal of the game. That didn’t bode well for him, and it likely sealed the end at Celtic for him. He didn’t have a great shut-out rate either overall in any case.
He soon after left Celtic to Middlesborough.
He was later sacked at Aberdeen on the absurd suspicion of gifting Celtic a last-minute winner in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Pittodrie (21 Mar 1908). He then moved to Motherwell for a brief spell whereupon he then hung up his playing boots.
After football, Rab MacFarlane ran his own confectionery business in Greenock in the 1930’s.
He passed away in 1943.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1901-02 | 17 | 6 | n/a | n/a | 23 |
| Shut-outs | 3 | 1 | – | – | 4 (17%) |
| Tenure |
Team |
| – | Greenock Roseberry |
| 17/10/1894 | Morton |
| 9/5/1896 | Third Lanark |
| 1897 | Everton |
| 1898 | East Stirling |
| 1899 | Bristol St George’s |
| 1900 | New Brompton |
| December 1900 | Grimsby Town |
| 6/5/1901 |
CELTIC |
| April 1902 | Middlesbrough |
| 2/7/1904 | Aberdeen |
| 2/2/1909 | Motherwell |
| 1909 | retired |
Honours with Celtic
none
Pictures
Notes
- The Excellent Aberdeen AFC Heritage site as below originally had it that Rab MacFarlane had moved to Australia, but latterly updated it and removed that line. Updated: http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=566&Season=1904-05
Articles
Aberdeen FC profile
http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=566&Season=1904-05
Profile:
1904-05 Squad Number: 1
Position: Goalkeeper
Date of Birth: 24th July 1874
Birthplace: Greenock
Nationality: Scottish
Height: 5′ 9
Weight: 12st 7lbs
Signed: 02/07/1904
Career History: Greenock Rosebury/Greenock Morton 17th October 1894/Third Lanark 9th May 1896/Everton 21st April 1897/Bristol St George’s August 1898/East Stirlingshire 15th June 1899/New Brompton 8th August 1900/Grimsby Town December 1900/Celtic 6th May 1901/Middlesbrough April 1902/Aberdeen 2nd July 1904/Motherwell 2nd February 1909/retired – May 1909/emigrated to Australia 3rd September 1909
![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/0dfd6103cff60950ef1d11ee5b08af48 "[Untitled]")
Robert MacFarlane, the goal-keeper, is a player who has had a lot of experience with first-class teams and knows how to utilise it to the best advantage. Amongst the clubs with which he has seen service are Middlesbrough, Morton, Everton, Third Lanark and Celtic. [Aberdeen Evening Gazette. 26th November 1904]
“Mac” as he was popularly known had a spell as team captain in 1907. Sadly his Pittodrie career came to an end in April 1908 after a great deal of speculation that he had deliberately helped Celtic to defeat the Dons in the Scottish Cup semi-final by failing to hold the ball at a corner kick, thus allowing Quinn to head in a very late winner – the only goal of the match. The swell of public opinion took no account of the reportage in the local press where it was clearly stated that “Macfarlane has seldom played better and he was in no way blameable for the goal scored.”