Claude Lambie
Encyclopedia
Claude Lambie was a Scottish
professional footballer who played as a centre forward. He had two spells in the Football League
with Burnley
in the late 19th century, as well as playing in the Scottish Football League
with Clyde
. He is notable for being the first ever Burnley player to score a hat-trick
in a competitive match at Turf Moor
, and actually scored the club's first four competitive hat-tricks at the ground. After retiring from football, he became a private
in the British Army
.
, who at the time played in the Scottish Football Alliance
. His performances and goalscoring for Thistle attracted clubs in the English Football League
. In 1889, he was signed by Burnley
.
In his first season with the Clarets, Lambie played only seven times in the league, but scored five goals in this time. In the 1890–91 season he played 18 matches and scored 16 goals as the side finished eighth in the league. During this first spell at Burnley, he became the first-ever Burnley player to score a hat-trick
in a competitive match at Turf Moor
, in the 7–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers
on 1 March 1890. He went on to score three more hat-tricks in the following season; one against Aston Villa
in a 4–4 draw, and two hat-tricks against Derby County
. In total he made 27 senior appearances for the Clarets, scoring on 22 occasions before he left the club in the summer of 1891.
Upon leaving Burnley, Lambie moved back north to Scotland to join Scottish Football League
outfit Clyde
. He helped Clyde achieve an eighth placed finish in the 1891–1892 campaign before briefly leaving football to join the Highland Light Infantry
.
He returned to Football League First Division
Burnley in the 1892–93 season, but he only made four appearances in the league and did not manage to score. He left Burnley the same season and subsequently retired from football to rejoin the Army.
, Scotland
. He was in the British Army
with the Highland Light Infantry during the late 1890s. He left Britain for active service in South Africa
before later returning to England. In July 1921, aged 53, his body was found on a railway line near Smethwick
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer who played as a centre forward. He had two spells in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
with Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in the late 19th century, as well as playing in the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
with Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
. He is notable for being the first ever Burnley player to score a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a competitive match at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
, and actually scored the club's first four competitive hat-tricks at the ground. After retiring from football, he became a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Playing career
Lambie began his footballing career in his native Glasgow in the latter part of the 1880s when he joined Glasgow ThistleThistle F.C.
Thistle Football Club was a Scottish football club based at Braehead Park near central Glasgow...
, who at the time played in the Scottish Football Alliance
Scottish Football Alliance
The Scottish Football Alliance was a league football competition in Scotland.- 1891 – 1897 :First formed in 1891, the Scottish Alliance was one of a number of leagues set-up a year after the Scottish Football League was formed...
. His performances and goalscoring for Thistle attracted clubs in the English Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. In 1889, he was signed by Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
.
In his first season with the Clarets, Lambie played only seven times in the league, but scored five goals in this time. In the 1890–91 season he played 18 matches and scored 16 goals as the side finished eighth in the league. During this first spell at Burnley, he became the first-ever Burnley player to score a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a competitive match at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
, in the 7–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on 1 March 1890. He went on to score three more hat-tricks in the following season; one against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in a 4–4 draw, and two hat-tricks against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. In total he made 27 senior appearances for the Clarets, scoring on 22 occasions before he left the club in the summer of 1891.
Upon leaving Burnley, Lambie moved back north to Scotland to join Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
outfit Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
. He helped Clyde achieve an eighth placed finish in the 1891–1892 campaign before briefly leaving football to join the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
.
He returned to Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Burnley in the 1892–93 season, but he only made four appearances in the league and did not manage to score. He left Burnley the same season and subsequently retired from football to rejoin the Army.
Personal life
Lambie was born in 1868 in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
with the Highland Light Infantry during the late 1890s. He left Britain for active service in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
before later returning to England. In July 1921, aged 53, his body was found on a railway line near Smethwick
Smethwick
Smethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
.