Tom McQueen

For the outfield player, see Tommy McQueen.

Tom McQueen
Personal information
Date of birth (1929-02-21)21 February 1929
Place of birth West Calder, Scotland
Date of death 10 February 2015(2015-02-10) (aged 85)[1]
Place of death Kilmarnock, Scotland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1946–1947 Motherwell 0 (0)
1947–1948 Leith Athletic 8 (0)
1947–1948 Alloa Athletic 2 (0)
1948–1952 Kilbirnie Ladeside
1952–1953 Hibernian 3 (0)
1953–1954 Queen of the South 0 (0)
1954–1957 Accrington Stanley 80 (0)
1956–1957 East Fife 6 (0)
1957–1960 Berwick Rangers 72 (0)
1960–1961 Stranraer 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Thomas McQueen (21 February 1929 – 10 February 2015) was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper in both the Scottish and English Football Leagues. He was the father of former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen.

Career

Raised in Kilbirnie, as a youth McQueen was signed for Motherwell by former Scotland international George Stevenson, who came from the same town.[2] He made no first team appearances at the club and after short spells at Leith Athletic and Alloa Athletic, joined his local Junior side, Kilbirnie Ladeside. His four years at the club culminated in a victorious Scottish Junior Cup final appearance in 1952, with Ladeside defeating Camelon Juniors 1–0 in front of 69,959 supporters at Hampden Park (the Camelon side contained John Hansen, father of future Scotland internationalists Alan and John).[3]

McQueen's success at that level earned him a move to reigning Scottish League champions Hibernian, but he was unable to dislodge incumbent goalkeeper Tommy Younger and made only three league appearances for the Edinburgh side.[4] He moved on to Queen of the South in 1953 before joining the large Scots colony at Accrington Stanley under manager Walter Galbraith. McQueen made eighty appearances for Accrington and his renowned long kicking became a tactic in the club's most successful era.[5][6] Returning to Scotland, McQueen played out his career with East Fife, Berwick Rangers and Stranraer.[7]

After retiring, McQueen returned to his trade as a joiner while in his spare time, he was a successful breeder of Border canaries as well as being a member of The Salvation Army.[8]

McQueen died 11 days before his 86th birthday at the University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. He was survived by his three children, including former Scotland international and Leeds United defender Gordon, and Iain who is assistant secretary and treasurer of the Scottish Junior Football Association.[9] He was also the grandfather of Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen.

Honours

Kilburnie Laeside

See also

References

  1. ^ Obituary, legacy.com; accessed 25 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Vallance, Matt (6 March 2015). "Tom McQueen". The Herald. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  3. ^ Archer, Ian (10 November 1999). "Culture shock in land of fitba'". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ Jamieson, Thomas; Sinnet, Bobby. "Hibernian Player Tom McQueen Details". fitbastats.com. Fitbastats. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. ^ "McQueen misses out on Leith reunion". The Scotsman. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Bid to honour sporting greats". Accrington Observer. 20 January 2005. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  7. ^ Newcastle Fans profile, neilbrown.newcastlefans.com; accessed 14 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Tom McQueen 1929 - 2015". borderconvention.org. The Border Convention. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  9. ^ McGowan, Eric (2 November 2012). "McQueen joins Junior Football's Royal set". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 March 2015.