Name: Robert J. NixonBorn:
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Position: Inside-Right
Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1914); Irish League: 3 Caps / 2 Goals (1914).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion; Irish Cup Winner 1912/13, 1914/15, 1915/16, Runner-Up 1913/14, 1917/18; Co. Antrim Shield Winner; Belfast & District "War-Time" League Champion.
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Biography:
Rab Nixon was granted his only cap due to the unavailability of Billy Gillespie for the key 1914 Home Nations tie with Scotland. Even then cicumstance favoured Nixon as the first choice replacement, Bradford Park Avenue’s Jack McCandless, failed to secure a release from his club and so in came Nixon at inside-right, with Linfield teammate Sam Young moving to centre-forward. It proved a happy switch, with Young scoring the equaliser that saw Ireland claim their first ever Home Nations title outright. Nixon might well have added further international caps to his collection had it not been for the outbreak of World War One.
Also honoured at inter-league level on three occasions, Nixon marked his first appearance for the Irish League with a goal in a 2-1 defeat by the Football League at West Brom in October 1914. Later that month he scored another for the Irish League to secure a draw with the Southern League in Swansea. Nixon’s final inter-league appearance, in the Irish side’s final match at that level until after the War, was a 2-1 defeat by the Scottish League at Grosvenor Park.
On the domestic front Nixon claimed a host of medals. He claimed Irish League and War-Time League titles, Co. Antrim Shield winner’s medals, but had the greatest success in the Irish Cup. He played in six final matches, finishing on the losing side just once against Glentoran in 1913 (he missed the second replay defeat by Belfast Celtic in 1918). He scored two goals, one in each of the matches it took to see off the Glens in 1915, and claimed three winner’s medals.
Nixon's twin sons, George and Matt, would later also enjoy success with Linfield.
Ireland Cap Details:
14-03-1914 Scotland H D 1-1 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.
Ireland Cap Details:
14-03-1914 Scotland H D 1-1 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.
A very Happy 88th Birthday to a couple of Linfield legends - The Nixon twins - George & Matt. Both were heros of my...
Posted by Northern Ireland Football Museum on Monday, 26 October 2020
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