Andy McCall (footballer, born 1925)

Andrew McCall (15 March 1925 – December 2014) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a winger, making over 300 appearances in the Football League.

Andy McCall
Personal information
Full name Andrew McCall[1]
Date of birth (1925-03-15)15 March 1925[1]
Place of birth Hamilton,[1] Scotland
Date of death December 2014(2014-12-00) (aged 89)[1]
Place of death Leeds,[1] England
Position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Bent Royal Oak PSA
Blantyre Celtic
1947–1951 Blackpool 87 (15)
1951–1952 West Bromwich Albion 31 (3)
1952–1955 Leeds United 62 (8)
1955–1956 Lovell's Athletic
1956–1960 Halifax Town 139 (15)
Total 319 (41)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early and personal life edit

Born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, McCall joined the Royal Navy at the age of seventeen. He later served with the King's Own Scottish Borderers before starting his football career at Junior level with Bent Royal Oak PSA and Blantyre Celtic.[2][3]

His son, Stuart, is a former international footballer who later became a manager.[4][5] McCall suffered burns to around 25% of his body[6] in the 1985 Bradford City stadium fire. He was watching his son play.[3][7]

Career edit

McCall moved to England to sign with Blackpool in 1947, making 87 league appearances over the next four years.[8] On a low wage, he supplemented his income by working at Blackpool Pleasure Beach during the summers.[6] In 2021, exactly seventy years after McCall left Blackpool, his son, Stuart, joined the club as assistant to head coach Neil Critchley.[9]

McCall signed for West Bromwich Albion in 1951, and in his sole season at the club made 31 league appearances.[8] He then signed for Leeds United in 1952, and in three years made 62 league appearances.[8] He later played with Welsh side Lovell's Athletic, before returning to English football with Halifax Town, for whom he made 139 league appearances.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Andy McCall". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Player search". The English National Football Archive. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b Hill, Tony. "Leeds United Player Profiles - McCall: Andrew (Andy)". Leeds United F.C. History. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. ^ Paul, Ian (6 November 1984). "Scotland lose out as McCall decides to play for England". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Champions League joy for Motherwell boss Stuart McCall". BBC Sport. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Si Ferry Meets... Stuart McCall" - YouTube, 6 May 2019
  7. ^ Shaw, Phil (7 March 2003). "Why Leeds no longer have place in McCall's affections". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Andy McCall at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
  9. ^ "Stuart McCall Joins Blackpool's Coaching Staff" – Blackpool F.C., 22 July 2021