It is rare that a player can spend a decade with Rangers, and leave with no major honours to show for it, but Sandy Craig suffered such a fate…Name: Alexander Brackenridge Craig
Born: 2 April 1886, Galway
Died:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Full-Back
Representative Honours: Ireland: 9 Full Caps (1908-1914).
Club Honours: (with Rangers) Scottish Cup Runner-Up 1904/05; Glasgow Merchant's Charity Cup Winner 1905/06, 1906/07, 1908/09.
Club Career:
Teams
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA.Cup
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Other
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Rutherglen
Glencairn
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-
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-
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(Scottish Junior)
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|||
Rangers
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04/05-10/11
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Jan-05
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-
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102/0
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16/0
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29/0
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Morton
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11/12-13/14
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c/s-11
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-
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81/1
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-
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-
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Rangers
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13/14-15/16
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May-14
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-
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42/0
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-
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5/0
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Johnstone
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-
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-
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(Scottish Western League)
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|||
TOTALS
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-
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£-
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225/1
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16/0
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34/0
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|
Biography:
Galway born full-back Sandy Craig joined Rangers from junior side Rutherglen Glencairn. His initial ten seasons at Ibrox coincided with a rare lean spell, and he left without a single major winner’s medal. The closest he came was in 1905 when Rangers lost a replayed Scottish Cup Final 3-1 to Third Lanark. In his final season, 1910/11 Rangers did win the League title, but Craig made just a single appearance, and so was not entitled to a medal.
It was after his move to Morton that Craig had his only major success, and then it was with Ireland. His international career began as he reaped the benefits of Bill McCracken’s expulsion by the Irish FA. He made his Ireland debut in a 3-1 defeat by England in February 1908, playing in each of that year’s Home Nations Championship ties at right-back. By the time of his move to Morton, Craig was proving his versatility by slotting in regularly on the left-hand side of defence. It was at left-back that Craig played in each of the 1914 Championship games as Ireland claimed the title outright for the first time.
In May 1914 Craig retuned to Ibrox, making his second debut in a Merchant's Cup Final defeat by Celtic. He was a regular in the Gers' side for the intial war-time campaign and was still on he club's books when hostilities ended though his last appearances were made in April 1916. Still without a significant club honour, Craig finished his playing days in the Western League with Johnstone.
Ireland Cap Details:
15/02/1908 England. H L 1-3 BC
14/03/1908 Scotland H L 0-5 BC
11/04/1908 Wales... A W 1-0 BC
15/03/1909 Scotland A L 0-5 BC
16/03/1912 Scotland H L 1-4 BC
13/04/1912 Wales... A W 3-2 BC
19/01/1914 Wales... A W 2-1 BC
14/02/1914 England. A W 3-0 BC
14/03/1914 Scotland H D 1-1 BC
Summary: 9/0. Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 4.
Often listed as Alex/Alec in modern sources, Sandy was normally used in contemporary reports.
With thanks to Cris Freddi and George Glass.
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