Milne Arthur Image 3 St Mirren 1948

Description

Brechin, Angus born centre forward Arthur Milne signed for Scottish Second Division club Dundee United from junior club Brechin Victoria in October 1934 and made a sensational debut against Edinburgh City at the end of the following month, scoring four goals to set the trend for what was to come. He struck up an immediate understanding with Bobby Gardiner and the pair soon became known as ‘The Mighty Midgets’. Milne ended all four of his seasons at United as top scorer. He went to Liverpool on loan in March 1937 where he didn’t feature in their first eleven but due to an administrative error he became a free agent and was signed by Hibernian after 85 goals in 82 appearances for no fee. No other player in the club’s history has achieved a ratio better than one goal per game.

Affectionally known as “Little Arthur”, Milne also scored goals at a good rate for Hibs, finishing as their top scorer in the next two seasons with 38 goals in 69 appearances before the outbreak of The Second World War forced the abandonment of peacetime football in September 1939. In November 1939 he returned to Dundee United, featuring regularly in the side during 1939-40 and he was in their side for the Emergency War Cup Final in May 1940 which they lost 1-0 to Rangers. Milne represented Scotland once, in a wartime (unofficial) international against England at Wembley. Milne scored one of the Scotland goals in a 6-2 defeat on 14th October 1944.

After the War he returned to Easter Road but played only 3 matches, scoring once, before he was transferred to St Mirren for £1,650 in late 1946. Affectionately known as “Little Arthur”, and described as “a great attraction with his speedy thrusts, clever dribbling and scoring shots”, Milne played for the Paisley club for four seasons, scoring 24 goals in 71 appearances, before moving to Northern Ireland in the summer of 1950 to become player-coach of Coleraine. In 1952 he returned to Scotland and finished his playing career with a season at Cowdenbeath before his retirement.