Cairney, James

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Fullname: James Mougan Cairney
aka: Jim Cairney, James Cairney
Born: 29 Nov 1902
Died: […]
Birthplace: Calton, Glasgow
Signed: 27 Sep 1922
Left: 11 May 1923 (free); 29 Aug 1923 (to Arthurlie)
Position: Inside-Forward
Debut: Celtic 4-3 Partick Thistle, League, 7 Oct 1922
Internationals: none

Biog

Calton-born James ‘Jim’ Cairney joined local club Celtic in September 1922 from junior side St Anthony’s, and was described as a “brilliant inside man“.

His Celtic career was a brief one and after making his debut at home to Partick Thistle on 7th October 1922 in a 4-3 league victory at Parkhead the inside-forward went on to only make a further 3 league & Scottish Cup appearances.

His other league appearances were a 0-0 draw with Clyde and a 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen.

Celtic won the Scottish Cup in season 1922/23, but Jim Cairney’s only appearance was in the opening round match v Lochgelly Utd (the ‘Happlanders‘ as they were nicknamed). It was a closer match than should have been the case, a 3-2 victory for Celtic.

After having managed a first team place for three matches in a row in January 1923, he was then replaced in the following game after the Lochgelly Utd match by Jimmy McGrory who was to play in his debut match. It may have been a 1-0 defeat to Third Lanark, but the rest as they say is history.

Regardless, he could look back as having played a small part in that successful Scottish Cup run of 1922/23.

Both his debut and final matches were close high scoring games, winning ones so he had some good memories to look back on in those matches, but despite being a forward he never managed to hit the net and score a goal.

After a loan spell at Arbroath he eventually signed for Arthurlie in August 1923 before moving to the United States the following year where he went on to play for Boston.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

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