Hughie Gallacher

Hugh Kilpatrick Gallacher (2 February 1903 – 11 June 1957) was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s.

In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 goals, playing senior league football for Airdrieonians, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Derby County, Notts County, Grimsby Town and Gateshead.

Prior to this he also played and scored for then non-league Queen of the South.

He is one of the Scotland national football team's most prolific goalscorers with 24 goals from his 20 internationals, a strike rate of more than a goal a game.

Gallacher was born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire in 1903.

He started "biffing a twopenny ball" almost as soon as he could walk.

He began a long friendship with Alex James when both were students at Bellshill Academy.

His Irish father had moved to Scotland in search of work in the vast coal mining areas the country had to offer.

He soon settled and married a local woman, raising a family with a strict Protestant upbringing.

This didn't stop the diminutive Gallacher son from having Catholic friends.

He had been down the Hattonrig Pit at the age of 15, working 10-hour shifts.

Aged 16, he left Lanarkshire junior league side Tannochside Athletic to join Hattonrigg Thistle.

However fate played a part in his next move up the football ladder.

As a spectator he attended to watch Bellshill Athletic (who had previously rejected Gallacher and James for being too small) playing St Mirren Juniors.

Bellshill were a man short and Gallacher was asked to play.

After hitting his side's goal in the 1–1 draw, he was asked to join the club.

He was barely 17 when he met and married Annie McIlvaney, a girl who worked at the pit where he worked as a miner.

The marriage broke up within a few years, although Annie refused to grant Hughie a divorce.

Their dispute generated large legal fees, which contributed to his bankruptcy.

In December 1920, Gallacher was picked for the Scottish junior side to play against Ireland at Shawfield.

Gallacher hit the Scotland equaliser with a fine header with two minutes remaining in the 1–1 draw.

Among those at the game was James Jolly, secretary of Dumfries club Queen of the South.

Jolly approached Gallacher after the game and offered him a trial at Queens, with the prospect of a £30 signing-on fee and £5 per week plus expenses should he do well in the trial.

At the time Queens were in their second season after formation and, cup games aside, played only local fixtures.

However it was professional football and that was good enough for Gallacher.

Gallacher's name on the team sheet replaced Ian Dickson who was on his way to Aston Villa (they were two of the four players to play in Queens' first three seasons before moving on to successful careers in England's top division, the others being Dave Halliday and Willie Ferguson).

Rejecting the opportunity of an international trial game at Methil, Gallacher made his Queen of the South debut aged 17 against St Cuthbert Wanderers on 29 January 1921.

Gallacher scored four goals in a 7–0 victory.

The Herald and Courier wrote after the game, "Gallacher was the pick of the front line. He is only a young player but knows all that is required of him in the centre. He gathers the ball to perfection and possesses a first time shot of a deadly nature. His four goals were all well taken and it was not his fault that he did not have more".

The contract was waiting for Gallacher after the game.

Gallacher's next game was his senior debut, a Scottish Cup second round tie against Nithsdale Wanderers.

Queens lost 3–1.

In the 5–2 victory over Dumbarton, the Herald and Courier said of Gallacher, "From the first kick until the last, he showed exceptional dash and had the unusual record of scoring all five goals. He was continuously the source of great danger and showed no mercy with his rocket shooting".

While enjoying a holiday in Dumfries, Gallacher took ill with double pneumonia.

Doctors believed that he would never play football again, but a week later he was said to be recovering well.

While in Dumfries Infirmary he was approached by directors of Airdrieonians who had noted his performance in a recent challenge game.

Soon after he moved to Newcastle in 1925, Hughie met and fell in love with Hannah Anderson, a 17-year-old daughter of the landlord of one of his favourite pubs.

They married soon after he divorced from Annie, and they had three sons.

Gallacher was one of the Wembley Wizards who beat England 5–1 at Wembley Stadium in 1928.

During his early life Hughie had three children; Hughie (Jr), who died before his first birthday, Catherine (both to Annie McIllvaney) and Jackie Gallacher, who scored prolifically for Celtic in the 1940s.