Sandy Turnbull
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Sandy" Turnbull (30 July 1884 – 3 May 1917) was a Scottish
football player who played as a forward for both Manchester City
and Manchester United
in the early 20th century.
Born in Hurlford
to James and Jessie Turnbull of 1 Gibson Street, Kilmarnock
, Ayrshire
, Turnbull started his football career with his hometown club, Hurlford Thistle. He later moved to Manchester City
. In 1905, City was found guilty of malpractice relating to payments of its players, and the entire squad was suspended from playing football. When the ban was lifted on 31 December 1906, Turnbull before moved to City's crosstown rivals Manchester United
, along with Billy Meredith
, Herbert Burgess
and Jimmy Bannister
. His first game for United came on the next day, 1 January 1907, against Aston Villa
. Along with Meredith, he helped the club to their first championship in 1908 and the 1909 FA Cup
, scoring the only goal in the final, against Bristol City. In 1908 alone, he would score 27 goals in 25 games. He would go on to score 100 goals for the club in 245 games. His final game for the Reds came against Sheffield United
in 1915.
Turnbull died at Arras, France, aged 32, on 3 May 1917 while serving as a Lance-Sergeant in the Eighth Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment
of the British Army
during the First World War
. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Arras memorial
Turnbull, who was married and had four children, had received a lifelong ban from football in 1915 along with several others players after being found guilty of match-fixing. He was posthumously re-instated in 1919.
Manchester United
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football player who played as a forward for both Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the early 20th century.
Born in Hurlford
Hurlford
Hurlford is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Including Crookedholm, it has a population of 4,968. Hurlford's former names include Whirlford and Hurdleford. The village was named Whirlford as a result of a ford crossing the River Irvine east of Hurlford Cross, near Shawhill...
to James and Jessie Turnbull of 1 Gibson Street, Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Turnbull started his football career with his hometown club, Hurlford Thistle. He later moved to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. In 1905, City was found guilty of malpractice relating to payments of its players, and the entire squad was suspended from playing football. When the ban was lifted on 31 December 1906, Turnbull before moved to City's crosstown rivals Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, along with Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
, Herbert Burgess
Herbert Burgess
Herbert Larry Burgess was an English football player.Born in Openshaw, Manchester, Burgess began his football career with Glossop North End, but soon signed for Manchester City. He made his debut for City on 5 September 1903, playing at left back away to Stoke City on the opening day of the...
and Jimmy Bannister
Jimmy Bannister
James "Jimmy" Bannister was an English football player. Bannister was purchased by Manchester United from Manchester City in 1906. He helped the club to the 1908 league championship. He left United in 1909 to go to Preston North End....
. His first game for United came on the next day, 1 January 1907, against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. Along with Meredith, he helped the club to their first championship in 1908 and the 1909 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, scoring the only goal in the final, against Bristol City. In 1908 alone, he would score 27 goals in 25 games. He would go on to score 100 goals for the club in 245 games. His final game for the Reds came against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in 1915.
Turnbull died at Arras, France, aged 32, on 3 May 1917 while serving as a Lance-Sergeant in the Eighth Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Arras memorial
Turnbull, who was married and had four children, had received a lifelong ban from football in 1915 along with several others players after being found guilty of match-fixing. He was posthumously re-instated in 1919.
Club
Manchester City- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(1): 1903–041904 FA Cup FinalThe 1904 FA Cup Final was a football match between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City on 23 April 1904 at Crystal Palace in London. The showpiece match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 32nd Cup final, and the tenth at Crystal...
Manchester United
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(1): 1908–091909 FA Cup FinalThe 1909 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1908–09 FA Cup, the 38th season of England's premier club football cup competition. The match was played on 24 April 1909 at Crystal Palace, and was contested by Manchester United and Bristol City, both of the First Division. Manchester United won by... - First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(2): 1907–08, 1910–11
External links
- Profile at StretfordEnd.co.uk
- CWGC Entry