Torrance Gillick
Encyclopedia
Torrance 'Torry' Gillick (19 May 1915-December 12, 1971) was a Scottish footballer
who played on the wing for Rangers
, Everton
and Partick Thistle
.
Born in Airdrie
, Gillick was signed in 1933, at the age of 18, for Rangers by manager Bill Struth
, after playing for prominent Glasgow junior club Petershill F.C.
. He won a Scottish Cup
winners medal in 1935, and that summer was sold to Everton for, a then record fee for the club, £8000. He stayed on Merseyside until the Second World War and during that time earned his five Scotland
caps and a Football League Championship
medal in 1939.
During the conflict Gillick "guested" for home-town Airdrieonians
and Rangers and at the cessation of hostilities in 1945, Struth brought him back to Ibrox
. He soon developed into a forward with excellent ball control and vision and became a feature in the famous post-war Rangers side, forming a partnership on the left with Willie Waddell
. In his time at Ibrox, he played 140 times, scoring 62 goals. He won one League Championship medal (1946/47
), two Scottish Cup medals (1934/35
, 1947/48
) and two League Cup medals (1946/47
, 1948/49
).
Gillick left Rangers for Partick Thistle in August 1951. He played one season with the Jags before retiring to oversee his business interest, a Lanarkshire
scrap metal firm. He died on December 12, 1971, on the same day as fellow former Rangers player Alan Morton
.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played on the wing for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle F.C.
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...
.
Born in Airdrie
Airdrie, North Lanarkshire
Airdrie is a town within North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau roughly 400 ft above sea level, and is approximately 12 miles east of Glasgow city centre. Airdrie forms part of a conurbation with its neighbour Coatbridge, in the former district known as the Monklands. As of 2006,...
, Gillick was signed in 1933, at the age of 18, for Rangers by manager Bill Struth
Bill Struth
Bill Struth was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954, as well as the holder of a number of other positions, including director...
, after playing for prominent Glasgow junior club Petershill F.C.
Petershill F.C.
Petershill Football Club are a Scottish football club from Springburn in the north of Glasgow. Nicknamed the Peasy, they were formed in 1897 and are traditionally one of the stronger clubs at their level, although they have not been as successful in recent years as they have historically.The play...
. He won a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
winners medal in 1935, and that summer was sold to Everton for, a then record fee for the club, £8000. He stayed on Merseyside until the Second World War and during that time earned his five Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
caps and a Football League Championship
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...
medal in 1939.
During the conflict Gillick "guested" for home-town Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
and Rangers and at the cessation of hostilities in 1945, Struth brought him back to Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
. He soon developed into a forward with excellent ball control and vision and became a feature in the famous post-war Rangers side, forming a partnership on the left with Willie Waddell
Willie Waddell
Willie Waddell is a former professional footballer who played as a defender for Aberdeen and Kettering Town. Waddell played for Aberdeen in the 1947 Scottish Cup Final victory against Hibernian.- Notes :...
. In his time at Ibrox, he played 140 times, scoring 62 goals. He won one League Championship medal (1946/47
1946-47 in Scottish football
The 1946–47 season was the 50th season of competitive football in Scotland, and the first since the 1938–39 season.-Scottish League Division A:Champions: Rangers-Scottish League Division B:-Scottish League Division C:...
), two Scottish Cup medals (1934/35
1934-35 in Scottish football
The 1934–35 season was the 45th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: St...
, 1947/48
1947-48 in Scottish football
The 1947–48 season was the 51st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division A:Champions: Hibernian Relegated: Airdrie, Queen's Park-Scottish League Division B:Champions: East Fife, Albion Rovers...
) and two League Cup medals (1946/47
1946-47 in Scottish football
The 1946–47 season was the 50th season of competitive football in Scotland, and the first since the 1938–39 season.-Scottish League Division A:Champions: Rangers-Scottish League Division B:-Scottish League Division C:...
, 1948/49
1948-49 in Scottish football
The 1948–49 season was the 52nd season of competitive football in Scotland. Rangers became the first team to win the Scottish domestic treble. Scottish League Division "C" was disbanded...
).
Gillick left Rangers for Partick Thistle in August 1951. He played one season with the Jags before retiring to oversee his business interest, a Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
scrap metal firm. He died on December 12, 1971, on the same day as fellow former Rangers player Alan Morton
Alan Morton
Alan Lauder Morton was a Scottish international footballer and 'Wembley Wizard'. He was known for his stirring wing play as an outside-left and commitment to Rangers. He retired from active play in 1933.-Early life:...
.