John Houston MM & Bar (14 May 1889 – 11 December 1964) was an Irish professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Everton and in the Scottish League for Partick Thistle.[1][4] He was capped by Ireland at international level and represented the Irish League XI.[5]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Houston[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 14 May 1889[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Ahoghill, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 11 December 1964 (aged 75)[3] | ||
| Place of death | Belfast, Northern Ireland[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1912 | South End Olympic | ||
| 1912–1913 | Linfield | ||
| 1913–1915 | Everton | 26 | (2) |
| 1915–1919 | Linfield | ||
| 1919–1920 | Ulster Rangers | ||
| 1919–1920 | Partick Thistle | 17 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1912 | Irish League XI | 2 | (0) |
| 1912–1914 | Ireland | 6 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Personal life edit
Houston served in the Royal Irish Rifles before and during the First World War and held the rank of acting colour sergeant.[6] His brother Leslie died of wounds during the war.[2] Houston won the Military Medal in 1917 for conspicuous bravery, when "during an attack on the enemy’s lines all the officers were put out of action and Sergeant Houston took command of his platoon.[7] Houston led the attack in face of a murderous fire, advance 100 yards and succeeded in taking and holding the objective for 36 hours until relief arrived".[7] He was later awarded a bar to his Military Medal.[2] Houston married in 1915 and later worked at the Belfast General Post Office.[2] He served in the Tank Corps during the Second World War.[2]
Career statistics edit
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Everton | 1912–13[8] | First Division | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ― | 9 | 0 | |
| 1913–14[8] | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ― | 18 | 2 | |||
| 1914–15[8] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ― | 28 | 2 | |||
| Partick Thistle | 1919–20[4] | Scottish First Division | 17 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3[a] | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Career total | 43 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 3 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Glasgow Cup
Honours edit
Linfield
References edit
- ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 144. ISBN 978-1905891610.
- ^ a b c d e "Johnny Houston, Footballer and Soldier". Ballymena 1914–1918. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Johnny Houston". The Thistle Archive. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ a b Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
- ^ "Johnny Houston". NIFG. 3 January 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- ^ "John Houston | Service Record". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- ^ a b "December 1917". Everton Chronicles. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- ^ a b c "John Houston". Everton Football Club. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- ^ "Houston Johnny Everton 1913". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
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