Willie MacFadyen
Encyclopedia
William "Willie" MacFadyen (23 June 1904 - 1971) was a Scottish
football player and manager. A goalscoring centre forward, his 52 league goals for Motherwell
's 1931-32
championship winning side remains the record goals total for a single season in Scottish League
history. He also topped the scoring charts again the following season, netting 45 times. In total, he scored 251 league goals for Motherwell - the eighth-best top flight total in Scottish League history. http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scottops-allt.html
, MacFadyen played junior football
for Wishaw YMCA before beginning his Motherwell career in 1921. Before establishing himself at Fir Park
, he spent periods on loan with Bo'ness
and Clyde
. As well as the 1932 league title, he gained two Scottish Cup
runners-up medals while at Motherwell, in 1931
and 1933
. He appeared for Scotland
twice during 1933, against Wales
and Austria
. Despite scoring in both matches, he wasn't selected for international duty again, although he did also represent the Scottish League against the Irish League in 1934, scoring twice.
After leaving Motherwell, he played for Huddersfield Town
, for whom he appeared in the 1938 FA Cup Final
, and Clapton Orient
. During the Second World War
, he served in the Royal Air Force
and was a guest player for Blackpool
, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest
and Rochdale
.
, a position he would hold for nine years. While he led the club to a memorable Scottish Cup giant killing against Celtic
in 1949
, he also oversaw United's record defeat when they lost 12-1 against the team where MacFadyen had been idolised as a player, Motherwell. He resigned from his post not long afterwards, in August 1954.
The Dundee United job was to be his last in football. After leaving the game, he worked as a physiotherapist
and chiropodist. MacFadyen died in 1971.
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...
football player and manager. A goalscoring centre forward, his 52 league goals for Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
's 1931-32
1931-32 in Scottish football
The 1931–32 season was the 42nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: MotherwellRelegated: Dundee United, Leith Athletic-Scottish League Division Two:...
championship winning side remains the record goals total for a single season in Scottish 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...
history. He also topped the scoring charts again the following season, netting 45 times. In total, he scored 251 league goals for Motherwell - the eighth-best top flight total in Scottish League history. http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scottops-allt.html
Playing career
Born in Owertown, North LanarkshireNorth Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, MacFadyen played junior football
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
for Wishaw YMCA before beginning his Motherwell career in 1921. Before establishing himself at Fir Park
Fir Park
Fir Park Stadium is a football stadium situated in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League club Motherwell.- History :...
, he spent periods on loan with Bo'ness
Bo'ness F.C.
Bo'ness F.C. was a Scottish football club based at Newtown Park in Bo'ness. The club was a member of the Scottish Football League from 1921 to November 1932.-History:...
and 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...
. As well as the 1932 league title, he gained two 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...
runners-up medals while at Motherwell, in 1931
1930-31 in Scottish football
The 1930–31 season was the 41st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Hibernian, East Fife-Scottish League Division Two:Promoted: Third Lanark, Dundee United...
and 1933
1932-33 in Scottish football
The 1932–33 season was the 43rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Greenock Morton, East Stirlingshire-Scottish League Division Two:...
. He appeared for 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...
twice during 1933, against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
. Despite scoring in both matches, he wasn't selected for international duty again, although he did also represent the Scottish League against the Irish League in 1934, scoring twice.
After leaving Motherwell, he played for Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, for whom he appeared in the 1938 FA Cup Final
1938 FA Cup Final
The 1938 FA Cup Final was contested by Preston North End and Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. Preston, losing finalists the previous year, won by a single goal. After 29 minutes of extra time it was still 0–0 and BBC commentator Thomas Woodrooffe said "if there's a goal scored now, I'll...
, and Clapton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and was a guest player for Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
.
Management and later life
In October 1945, MacFadyen was appointed as secretary-manager of Dundee UnitedDundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
, a position he would hold for nine years. While he led the club to a memorable Scottish Cup giant killing against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in 1949
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...
, he also oversaw United's record defeat when they lost 12-1 against the team where MacFadyen had been idolised as a player, Motherwell. He resigned from his post not long afterwards, in August 1954.
The Dundee United job was to be his last in football. After leaving the game, he worked as a physiotherapist
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
and chiropodist. MacFadyen died in 1971.
Honours
First DivisionScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
-
- Winner (1): 1931–321931-32 in Scottish footballThe 1931–32 season was the 42nd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: MotherwellRelegated: Dundee United, Leith Athletic-Scottish League Division Two:...
(MotherwellMotherwell F.C.Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
) Scottish CupScottish CupThe 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... - Runner-up (2): 1930–311930-31 in Scottish footballThe 1930–31 season was the 41st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Hibernian, East Fife-Scottish League Division Two:Promoted: Third Lanark, Dundee United...
, 1932–331932-33 in Scottish footballThe 1932–33 season was the 43rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Greenock Morton, East Stirlingshire-Scottish League Division Two:...
(MotherwellMotherwell F.C.Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
) FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... - Runner-up (1): 19381938 FA Cup FinalThe 1938 FA Cup Final was contested by Preston North End and Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. Preston, losing finalists the previous year, won by a single goal. After 29 minutes of extra time it was still 0–0 and BBC commentator Thomas Woodrooffe said "if there's a goal scored now, I'll...
(Huddersfield TownHuddersfield Town F.C.Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
)
- Winner (1): 1931–32