Longair William “Plum” Image 1 Dundee 1895

Description

Dundee born centre half William “Plum” Longair began his football career with Dundee side Rockwell from where he joined Dundee East End in 1888 which merged to form Dundee in 1893. He won his only international cap for Scotland against Ireland in a 2-1 victory at Solitude, Belfast in March 1894, and had scored once in 40 matches for The Dees when he signed for Second Division Newton Heath in February 1895, making his Football League debut against Notts County that April. He played just once for Newton Heath before returning to Dundee in June 1895.

He scored once more in 18 matches for The Dees in 1895-96 before joining First Division club Sunderland in February 1896, but didn’t play for them until the following season, when he made 2 appearances in the autumn of 1896 before joining First Division rivals Burnley that December. He scored on his debut in a draw with Sheffield Wednesday and played 13 matches for The Clarets before once again rejoining Dundee in the 1897 close season. After 15 matches during 1897-98 he again ventured back into English football when he spent a season at Southern League club Brighton United, but he again returned to Dundee in 1899 where he enjoyed three more seasons before his retirement in 1902, by when he had scored 4 goals in 136 matches for The Dark Blues since their accession to the senior leagues in 1893.

Longair would later go on to become the club’s trainer and perform the role for over 20 years, including training the eventual 1910 Scottish Cup winners.[6] Longair would also become Dundee’s groundsman in 1924. Upon his death in 1926, a crowd of approximately 20,000 lined the streets as his coffin passed to honour his services to the club and the city.

On 3rd April 2009, Longair was inducted into Dundee’s Hall of Fame (Heritage Award).