Newbigging Alex Image 2 Reading 1905

Description

Larkhall, Lanarkshire born goalkeeper Alex “Sandy” Newbigging began his football career with Lanark Athletic in 1896 and while with them he played in a Scottish Junior International when Scotland won 3-1 against Ireland at Grosvenor Park, Belfast. He joined Abercorn later in 1897, spending three years with the Scottish League club making 22 appearances before a brief spell with Lanark United in 1900. Later in 1900 he moved south to join Southern League Queen’s Park Rangers, playing 5 matches, before joining First Division Nottingham Forest in 1901 as understudy to Harry Linacre. He made his Football League debut at Stoke the same October and deputised 7 times in total over his four seasons at The City Ground.

He joined Southern League Reading in 1905, spending a season at Elm Park before returning to Scotland to join Glasgow Rangers. He made 66 appearances for Rangers over two seasons, before returning to Reading in 1908 as club captain for another single season spell with The Royals. He joined Coventry City in the summer of 1909, where he made 8 appearances as understudy to Robert Evans during 1909-10 before returning to Scotland in the 1910 close season to join Inverness Thistle, with whom he finished his career.

When he was 97 years old he featured in Glasgow Rangers’ 1973 Centenary celebrations.