Gordon Dan Image 1 Southampton 1911

Description

West Calder, Midlothian born right back Dan Gordon began his football career with Broxburn, and, still an amateur, joined the books of Heart of Midlothian in 1901 before returning to Broxburn. In April 1903 he was signed by Everton, spending 1903-04 on the books at Goodison Park without making their first eleven, and he made his bow in English football with Southern League club Southampton, joining them in the 1904 close season. At The Dell, Gordon was understudy to England international George Molyneux. Described as “a capable fullback with the physique of a blacksmith”, he had a “deceptive burst of speed” which helped The Saints’ reserves win the Hampshire Senior Cup in 1905. In the first team, Gordon made only six Southern League appearances, each time as replacement for Molyneux at left back.

In the summer of 1905, Gordon returned to his native Scotland to join Falkirk for two seasons, then on to St Mirren in May 1907 where he remained for a further year, playing among 32 appearances in the 1908 Scottish Cup Final which was lost to Celtic at Hampden Park, before signing for Second Division club Middlesbrough in May 1908. He made his Football League debut at Manchester United that September but after six months and his sole appearance for Middlesbrough, he then joined fellow Second Division club, Bradford Park Avenue where he remained for two years making 53 appearances. By the end of the 1909-10 season, he had joined Hull City in April 1910, for whom he made only 11 appearances during a year at Anlaby Road as understudy to Tommy Nevins, before returning to Southampton in the summer of 1911. Back at The Dell, Gordon added some valuable experience to a struggling side, generally acting as cover for Jack Eastham, but after a single season and a further 12 League appearances for The Saints, Gordon retired in 1912.

NB although published in 1911 when with Southampton, the image appears to show Gordon wearing another team strip, most likely that of Hull City although there are no stripes evident on the shirt as Hull wore. But in all likelihood this photograph was taken in 1910 or before.