Wilson: Andrew Nesbit (Andy)

1918-1918 (Leeds City War-time Guest Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Newmains, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire: 14-02-1896

Debut: v Bradford Park Avenue (a): 06-04-1918

Height & Weight: Unknown

One of the best centre forwards of his generation, he missed out on greater honours because of the First World War, and in fact had to overcome a seriously broken arm which he sustained in 1918. He is one of the few players to score more goals in internationals than his total of appearances. Scottish International Wilson began with local Lanarkshire club Cambuslang Rangers before signing for First Division Middlesbrough in 1914. He scored five goals in nine League appearances in his first season with them, but when World War One started he went back to Heart of Midlothian and guested with them. Wilson played twice for Leeds City as a guest during the Wartime fixtures. On 6th April 1918 he scored twice in a 2-1 win at Bradford Park Avenue and then the following Saturday he played in the 0-0 draw with Bradford City, both games being in the Midland Section Subsidiary Tournament. When peace was restored he stayed in Scotland with Hearts and represented Scotland twice in “Wartime” Internationals, making his debut on 22nd March 1919 at Centre Forward as Scotland defeated Northern Ireland 2-1 at Ibrox Park with Wilson getting both the Scottish goals, the first from a penalty. He was on the mark twice again in the second game as Scotland went down to England by 3-4 at Hampden Park on 3rd May 1919 and playing Centre Forward he scored the first and third Scottish goals. He gained the first six of his twelve Scottish full International Caps while playing with Dunfermline Athletic his debut came in a 1-1 draw with Wales at Ninian Park on 26th February 1920 and for once he did not score from Centre Forward. The second came in a 3-0 win over Northern Ireland at Parkhead on 13th March 1920 and he got the first Scottish goal. The third, on 10th April 1920 saw Scotland lose to England 4-5 at Hillsborough Sheffield and Wilson was not on the score-sheet as Scotland failed to hold on to a 4-2 Half-Time lead. He made up for that by scoring both Scottish goals as Scotland beat Wales 2-1 at Pittodrie, Aberdeen on 12th February 1921. The fifth game saw Scotland win 2-0 over Northern Ireland at Windsor Park Belfast on 26th February 1921, with Wilson bagging the first goal from the penalty spot. On 9th April 1921, Scotland had a resounding 3-0 win over old rivals England at Hampden Park in front of 100,000 and it was Wilson who opened the scoring for Scotland. He also represented Scotland against Canada on 9th July 1921 at Alexandra Park, Montreal, Ontario which Scotland won 1-0 but Wilson did not score and it was not classed as a full International. He had remained on the books of Middlesbrough but, as Dunfermline was not in the Scottish League, they could pay and play him, but when they joined the Scottish League that was forbidden and so it was not until the start of the 1921-22 season that he returned to Ayresome Park and he gained his other six Scottish Caps while there. On 4th February 1922 he was in the Scottish team that lost to Wales 1-2 at the Racecourse Ground Wrexham and he was unable to find the net from Centre-Forward, he kept his place on 4th March 1922 as Scotland beat Northern Ireland at Parkhead and he scored both goals, but his next goal was even more important as on 8th April 1922 at Villa Park, Birmingham it was his goal that enabled Scotland to beat England 1-0. He remained Scotland’s first choice striker and in the next season they won the Home Championship by beating Northern Ireland 1-0 on 3rd March 1923 at Windsor Park, Belfast, with Wilson getting the only goal, Wales 2-0 on 17th March 1923 at Love St, Paisley, home of St Mirren, and drawing with England 2-2 on 14th April 1923 at Centre Forward and he scored the second Scottish goal in front of a 71,000 crowd at Hampden Park. After he had returned to Ayresome Park he added fifty-one goals, of which four were from penalties in seventy-seven League games and also scored one penalty in four F.A. Cup ties. In his last season he scored eight goals in thirteen games which was still enough to make him Middlesbrough’s leading scorer for the season despite having left before Xmas. He went to First Division Chelsea for a then record fee of £6,000, but he gave Chelsea value for money as he started by scoring five goals, one being a penalty in nineteen games to become their leading scorer that season, which saw him leading goal-scorer at both Middlesbrough and Chelsea, but unfortunately both teams were relegated to the Second Division. He did eventually help Chelsea back into the First Division, as he scored ten goals, three of which were from the spot, in thirty nine appearances as the Pensioners finished Runners-Up in 1929-30. He was at Stamford Bridge for over eight seasons and went on to score fifty-nine goals, seven being penalties, in two hundred and thirty-eight League games, and also scored three goals, in fifteen F.A. Cup ties. He joined Third Division South Queens Park Rangers early in the 1931-32 season and scored three goals, including one penalty, in twenty League games and also played three F.A. Cup ties before leaving at the end of the season to joined French side SC Nimes, where he spent two years. He came back to England and was Manager of Third Division South side Walsall for three years from 1934 and then coached at several clubs, including Gravesend and Northfleet and Chelsea. He represented England at Lawn Bowls, had a single digit Golf handicap and made century breaks at snooker. He died 15th October 1973.

There were two famous Scottish Centre Forwards named Andy Wilson at that time and while the player who guested for Leeds City was thought to be with Middlesbrough, it could have been. (Player Details)