Stark James Image 3 Greenock Morton 1912

Description

Ruchazie, Glasgow born centre half James Stark began his football career with Mansewood in 1897 and played for Pollokshaws Eastwood in 1898 and Glasgow Perthshire in 1899. He joined Glasgow Rangers in May 1900 and made his Scottish League debut at Partick Thistle in September 1900, steadily establishing himself in the first team, scoring 12 goals in 152 appearances for The Gers, winning the Scottish League Championship twice in 1901 and 1902, and being part of the victorious 1903 Scottish Cup Final team that emerged victorious over Heart of Midlothian in a second replay.

He first played for The Scottish League in a 0-0 draw with The Football League at Ibrox in March 1907, before signing for First Division Chelsea later that summer, making his Football League debut at Blackburn Rovers in October 1907. He stayed a single season at Stamford Bridge, scoring twice in 32 appearances, before rejoining Rangers in the summer of 1908. He had a further two seasons at Ibrox, scoring twice in 50 appearances, representing The Scottish League for a second time in February 1909, this time in a 3-1 win over The Football League at Parkhead, and he also won two caps for Scotland, playing in a 5-0 victory over Ireland at Ibrox in March 1909 and in a 2-0 defeat to England at The Crystal Palace the following month. In the 1910 close season he joined Greenock Morton and played for them for several seasons before his eventual retirement.

NB in the photograph he appears to be wearing either a Rangers or a Scotland shirt, so the image is probably c.1909.