Willie Woodburn
Encyclopedia
William 'Willie' Woodburn (8 August 1919 – 2 December 2001) was a Scottish
footballer
. He was the last footballer in Britain
to receive a life ban from the game for indiscipline
. He is also an inductee of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame and the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame
.
Born in Edinburgh, he played for junior side Edinburgh Ashton before signing as a professional for Rangers
in October 1937. He made his debut on 20 August 1938 in a 2-2 draw in the League against Motherwell
. After the war he established himself in the Rangers side and won four League Championship
s with the club. He appeared in the first Scottish League Cup
Final in April 1947, when Rangers beat Aberdeen 4-0.
Woodburn won 24 caps
for Scotland
. He made his debut in a 1-1 draw with England
at Wembley. Woodburn also appeared seven times for the Scottish League XI
.
In 1947 he received a 14-day ban for a "violent exchange" with Motherwell's Dave Mathie, then in 1953 he punched the Clyde
striker Billy McPhail
, which earned a 21-day ban. Later that year, Woodburn was sent off for retaliation in a match with Stirling Albion
. The clubs met again, the following season, in a League Cup tie at Ibrox on 28 August 1954. Playing with a knee injury, Woodburn took exception to a bad foul and retaliated by headbutting a Stirling player.
The SFA
convened a disciplinary hearing the following month, which lasted just four minutes, and Woodburn was suspended sine die. The England international Tom Finney
, one of many well-known forwards Woodburn had encountered in his international career, described the ban as "a grave injustice". The SFA revoked their punishment three years later, but by then Woodburn was 37 and his playing career was over.
On his retirement from football he ran a garage business before becoming a sportswriter with The News of the World
.
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...
footballer
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...
. He was the last footballer in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to receive a life ban from the game for indiscipline
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
. He is also an inductee of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame and the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame
Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame
The Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame is a list established in 2000 by the then Rangers chairman, Sir David Murray, to honour the club's notable players.Each year more names are added by a panel consisting of selected ex-Rangers legends...
.
Born in Edinburgh, he played for junior side Edinburgh Ashton before signing as a professional 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...
in October 1937. He made his debut on 20 August 1938 in a 2-2 draw in the League against 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...
. After the war he established himself in the Rangers side and won four League Championship
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
s with the club. He appeared in the first Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
Final in April 1947, when Rangers beat Aberdeen 4-0.
Woodburn won 24 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
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...
. He made his debut in a 1-1 draw with England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Wembley. Woodburn also appeared seven times for the Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
.
In 1947 he received a 14-day ban for a "violent exchange" with Motherwell's Dave Mathie, then in 1953 he punched the 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...
striker Billy McPhail
Billy McPhail
William "Billy" S. McPhail was a Scottish football player who played for Celtic, Clyde and Queen's Park. He scored three goals in Celtic's record 7–1 victory over Rangers in the 1957 Scottish League Cup Final. After retiring, he developed a neurodegenerative disease, which he believed to be...
, which earned a 21-day ban. Later that year, Woodburn was sent off for retaliation in a match with Stirling Albion
Stirling Albion F.C.
Stirling Albion F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. The club are nicknamed The Binos . They play at Doubletree Dunblane Stadium in Stirling, on the outskirts of the city near the River Forth...
. The clubs met again, the following season, in a League Cup tie at Ibrox on 28 August 1954. Playing with a knee injury, Woodburn took exception to a bad foul and retaliated by headbutting a Stirling player.
The SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
convened a disciplinary hearing the following month, which lasted just four minutes, and Woodburn was suspended sine die. The England international Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
, one of many well-known forwards Woodburn had encountered in his international career, described the ban as "a grave injustice". The SFA revoked their punishment three years later, but by then Woodburn was 37 and his playing career was over.
On his retirement from football he ran a garage business before becoming a sportswriter with The News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
.
External links
- Career stats at Newcastlefans.com
- Independent Obituary