McKee Fred Image 2 Belfast Celtic 1914

Description

Belfast born goalkeeper Fred McKee was an amateur throughout his career, and started his career with amateur Irish League club Cliftonville, winning the Irish League Championship with The Reds in 1906 and the Irish Cup in 1907. McKee made his debut for Ireland at the Home Championship on 17th March 1906, in a 1-0 defeat to Scotland at Dalymount Park. His second cap was a 4-4 draw with Wales at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham two weeks later. In October 1906 he was first selected for The Irish League in a heavy defeat to The Football League at Solitude, and he went on to win 5 inter league caps through to November 1914, as well as 5 Ireland Amateur caps between 1910 and 1921.

In the summer of 1907 McKee joined Sunderland, spending 1907-08 at Roker Park without making a first team appearance and he returned to Cliftonville, where he was again an Irish Cup winner in 1909 and an Irish League champion in 1910, when he was a beaten finalist in the Cup. His next foray into English football came with Bradford City in 1911 and he made his Football League debut, and only appearance for The Bantams in place of Mark Mellors, on New Year’s Day 1912 in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. McKee joined Belfast Celtic in 1912 and in August that year he had been heavily linked with signing for Liverpool, but some sources suggest he did so, albeit if he did it would have been a brief engagement and he never played for their first team.

He stayed at Belfast Celtic for two seasons where he won 3 further caps for Ireland in the early months of 1914 in Ireland’s Home Championship matches, helping to win the British Championship for the first ever time, before joining Linfield in the summer of 1914. At Linfield he won the Irish Cup three more times in 1915, 1916 and 1919, and although he was never called on for another full international appearance he did win further amateur recognition after the First World War had ended.

McKee’s Linfield career began to wane during their great 1921-22 seven-trophy campaign during which, having started as first choice, he lost his place to Alfie Harland. Consequently McKee claimed just one winner’s medal that season, in a 1-0 victory over Cliftonville in the Alhambra Cup. One of McKee’s final appearances for The Blues before his retirement was in their 4-1 1923 Co. Antrim Shield Final win against Glentoran.

His elder brother, Hymie had won three caps for Ireland in the 1890’s.

NB the photograph was taken on 19th January 1914 before Ireland’s match with Wales at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham.