Dickson Ian Image 2 Aston Villa 1922

Description

Maxwelltown, Dumfries, born centre forward Ian Dickson played for Maxwelltown United and Cheshaw Juniors before he joined Queen of the South after the end of the First World War in 1919, and he played in Queen of the South’s first ever game, against Nithsdale Wanderers, in August 1919. He helped Queens win the Dumfries Charity Cup in May 1920. Dickson was then sold to Aston Villa in January 1921 to help fund their purchase of Palmerston Park. He made his Football League debut in a 4-1 victory at Middlesbrough in March 1921 and the following season was Villa’s top goalscorer with 28 goals as Villa finished 5th in the table, including hat-tricks against Sheffield United in the League in December 1921 and Stoke in the FA Cup in February 1922.

The season was his career high point and thereafter goals became less regular and by the time he was sold to Middlesbrough in December 1923 for £3,000 he had scored 38 goals in 83 games for Villa. He couldn’t save ‘Boro from relegation from the First Division at the end of the 1923-24 season and played a further season in the Second Division at Ayresome Park, for most of the first half of which he was injured, before being released by ‘Boro in May 1925, joining non league Wesbrough after 12 goals in 38 appearances on Teeside.