Archie McLean was a mechanic

Mechanic

A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...

 and association football player from Paisley, Scotland whose emigration

Emigration

Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...

 in 1912 to São Paulo, Brazil led to the adoption by the locals of a very fast, short-passing style of play which would later come to characterise Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian football.

In São Paulo, McLean's football career flourished and he became known, on the pitch, as Veadinho (the little deer). While Charles William Miller

Charles William Miller

Charles William Miller was a Brazilian sportsman, who is considered to be the father of football in Brazil.-Early life:...

 is commonly regarded as having introduced the sport to the country, McLean has been described as "the forgotten father of Brazilian football" for his role in the development of the Brazilian style.

Early career

McLean was a machine mechanic working for J & P Coats, a textile

Textile

A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...

 company.

McLean had played for the Ayr F.C.

Ayr F.C.

Ayr F.C. was a Scottish Football League club from Ayr, Scotland. They were formed in 1879 by a merger of the Ayr Thistle and Ayr Academical football clubs. Their initial home ground was Springvale Park, which they left in 1884 to play home fixtures at Beresford Park, which they in turn left in 1888...

 team that amalgamated with Ayr Parkhouse F.C.

Ayr Parkhouse F.C.

Ayr Parkhouse Football Club were a football club from the town of Ayr in Scotland. The club was a member of the Scottish Football League until 1910, when they merged with neighbours Ayr F.C. to form Ayr United.- History :...

 to form Ayr United

Ayr United F.C.

Ayr United Football Club are a Scottish association football team based in Ayr, South Ayrshire, that plays in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. Formed in 1910 after the merger of former clubs Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C...

, as well as for Galston and St. Johnstone. With St. Johnstone he had won the Consolation Cup in 1912.

Scottish Wanderers

McLean was transferred to São Paulo in 1912. Initially he had planned for only a three-month stay.

Shortly after taking up residence there, McLean founded an ex-pats' football team, the Scottish Wanderers

Scottish Wanderers Football Club

Scottish Wanderers Football Club, commonly known as Scottish Wanderers, were a Brazilian football club from São Paulo. They competed in the Campeonato Paulista in 1914 and in 1915, and were one of the first professional clubs in the country.-History:...

. They played in the local São Paulo State League

Campeonato Paulista

The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...

.

McLean's performances caught the attention of the Brazilian public within a year. He was picked for the São Paulo state

São Paulo (state)

São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

 team against Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

.

Later career and death

McLean's involvement at the highest level of Brazilian football ended in the mid-1920s.

McLean died of throat cancer

Head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...

at 84 years of age.