Kilpatrick Tommy Image 2 Ayr United 1924

Description

Uddingston, Lanarkshire born inside left Tommy Kilpatrick played junior football for Benburb, Kilsyth St Patricks and Glasgow Ashfield, and started his professional career with Hibernian, joining them in the summer of 1915 during the First World War, his Scottish League debut coming in a home defeat to Heart of Midlothian in September 1915, and he scored 12 goals the following season, 1916-17, including scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory over Queen’s Park in March 1917. In all he scored 27 goals in 105 appearances for Hibs over five seasons before joining Cowdenbeath in the 1920 close season.

His stay with Cowden was brief, joining Dundee that November, making his Dees debut against Airdrie at Dens Park, scoring his only goal in 38 matches for The Dark Blues against Clydebank the following April, remaining two seasons with Dundee before a move to Ayr United in the 1922 close season.

He was given a testimonial match in April 1927, when Ayr United hosted Glasgow Rangers, Rangers winning the match 4-1, and was still playing regularly for Ayr United through the 1927-28 season.

It seems he then played for East Stirlingshire (it’s possible he also played for Cowdenbeath) and finished his playing career with a spell in Irish League football with Ballymena, joining them in October 1929, going straight into their team for his debut in a 5-0 win over Glenavon, scoring his first of  5 goals the next month in a defeat at Distillery. He played 60 matches for The Sky Blues over two seasons, his final appearance coming in May 1931, Ballymena being his last known club.