Lyall Jack Image 3 Dundee 1912

Description

Dundee born goalkeeper Jack Lyall played for Jarrow in 1900 before joining First Division Sheffield Wednesday in 1901, making his Football League debut that September against Bolton Wanderers and immediately establishing himself as Wednesday’s first choice glovesman. He played 33 games each season as Wednesday won back to back League Championships in 1902-03 and 1903-04, and he was their goalkeeper in their 1907 FA Cup Final triumph when they beat Everton 2-1 at The Crystal Palace. By then Lyall had won his single cap for Scotland when he was selected against England in a 1-0 defeat at The Crystal Palace in April 1905. He was unlucky to play in an era of several fine Scottish goalkeepers from Harry Rennie to Jimmy Brownlie, or undoubtedly he would have won more caps.

Lyall played eight seasons for The Wednesday, making 296 appearances, before moving to recently relegated Manchester City in the 1909 close season. In his first season they won the Second Division Championship, but in October 1910 he returned north to join hometown club Dundee after 44 appearances for The Citizens. He had three seasons at Dens Park making 83 appearances for The Dark Blues, before joining Ayr United in 1913, where he finished his professional career making a further 48 appearances through to 1915. Lyall served as a corporal in the Royal Engineers during the First World War and was deployed in India, but also once again played for Jarrow in 1916-17. After the First World War he returned to Jarrow to play for non league Palmer’s in 1919 before his eventual retirement.