Fairgray Norrie Image 1 Chelsea 1908

Description

Dumfries born outside left Norman “Norrie” Fairgray played junior football for Dumfries Primrose in 1900, and Maxwelltown Volunteers in 1901 before joining Scottish League club Kilmarnock in 1903, making his Scottish League debut and only appearance for Killy against Dundee that November, staying only a year at Rugby Park before returning to Maxwelltown Volunteers in 1904. He joined Second Division club Lincoln City in 1905, making his Football League debut that December against Hull City, soon establishing himself as a regular in their first eleven under manager David Calderhead.

When Calderhead moved to become First Division club Chelsea’s manager Fairgray soon followed him, joining Chelsea in September 1907 after 7 goals in 65 appearances for The Imps. He stayed at Chelsea for seven years  and was selected to play in a trial match for the Anglo-Scots against The Home Scots, but was never selected to play for his country. From 1909 he rarely had a significant run in the team first besides his first two seasons when he made 48 appearances, and in 1914 joined Motherwell after 5 goals in 84 matches for The Pensioners.

After a single goal in 33 appearances for Motherwell during 1914 and 1915, Fairgray’s career was interrupted by the onset of the First World War, and after the War he signed for hometown club Queen of the South in August 1919. He played in the club’s first ever competitive game, a first round tie in the Scottish Qualifying Cup against Thornhill at Palmerston Park, and had two seasons with Queens before retiring in 1921.