Lawson Hector Image 2 Liverpool 1924

Description

Shettleston, Glasgow born left winger Hector Lawson played junior football for Shettleston in 1914 and Cambuslang Rangers in 1915 before joining Glasgow Rangers in 1916. He made his Scottish League debut against Kilmarnock in September 1916, and over the next seven years he scored 4 goals in 47 appearances for Rangers, mainly as with Alan Morton being the absolute first choice at Ibrox he spent quite a lot of that time on loan at other clubs, playing for Third Lanark in 1917 and 1921, Clyde in 1918 and 1922, and Vale of Leven in 1919, all the while remaining a Rangers player.

He then moved to Liverpool in January 1924, making his Football League debut the same month at Manchester City. Described as “not a “big ‘un,” being little over the 5ft. 6in. mark, yet he is proving one of the cleverest wing raiders Liverpool have had for many a long day”, he played 14 matches for Liverpool during the 1923-24 season and started his career promisingly, at least according to the Derby Daily Telegraph. “Glasgow Rangers appear to have sent Liverpool a real artiste in Hector Lawson, an outside left who has already made a deep impression in his two games with the ex-champions. Lawson has speed, ball control, and confidence, and he and Harry Chambers look like becoming a famous wing. Liverpool and the Rangers have always had friendly relations, and no doubt this transfer comes about through this and seals it once again.”

However Lawson was only selected twice in 1924-25 and returned to Scotland with Airdrieonians. Lawson never made an appearance for Airdrie as he had the misfortune to develop varicose veins. The blood didn’t flow properly through the veins in his legs causing great pain and skin sores and he required surgery to strip the swollen areas. The club cancelled his contract and he joined Vale of Leven in March 1926. His stay was only short as he moved to Aberdeen, where he converted into a half back, scoring once in 25 appearances for The Dons before heading back south to join Third Division (South) Brighton & Hove Albion in 1928, where he made 7 appearances before joining Newport County in the 1929 close season. He stayed two seasons with County, making 60 appearances and scoring once, before finishing his career in the Irish League joining Shamrock Rovers in 1931.