James McGiffen
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James McGiffen[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 January 1904[1] | ||
| Place of birth | South Bank,[1] England | ||
| Date of death | 3 August 1929 (aged 25)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Stockton-on-Tees,[2] England | ||
| Position(s) | Outside left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 19??–1927 | Stockton | ||
| 1927–1929 | Darlington | 23 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James McGiffen (30 January 1904 – 3 August 1929) was an English professional footballer who played as an outside left in the Football League for Darlington. He also played non-league football as an amateur for Stockton.[1]
Life and career[edit]
McGiffen, the third child of John McGiffen, an iron worker, and his wife Alice, was born in 1904 in South Bank, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and raised in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.[3]
By 1924, he was playing football for his hometown club, the amateur club Stockton F.C.; he scored in a 9–4 defeat to Ferryhill Athletic on the last day of the 1923–24 Northern League season.[4] The Daily Express preview of Stockton's Amateur Cup tie against London Caledonians in 1926 described the youthful McGiffen as "very fast and tricky, with a penchant for goals".[5] He helped Stockton win the Northern League Challenge Cup in 1926–27, before leaving the club at the end of the season to turn professional with Third Division North club Darlington.[6]
McGiffen scored in Darlington's 9–3 win against Lincoln City in January 1928,[7] and according to the Burnley Express, he was the pick of their forwards as he scored twice in a 4–2 defeat of Nelson in April.[8] By the end of his second season with the club, McGiffen had made 23 League appearances and scored four times.[1] He was included on Darlington's retained list, and was reported to have signed on again for the coming season.[9]
At the end of July, he underwent a mastoid operation in Stockton Hospital; he died there three days later, on 3 August, at the age of 25.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 168. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
- ^ a b c "James McGiffen. Darlington footballer dies in hospital". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 3 August 1929. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
James McGiffen, who played outside left as a professional for Darlington and who formerly assisted Stockton as an amateur, died in Stockton Hospital this morning following an operation last Wednesday for mastoid. He resided at Thornaby-on-Tees.
- ^ "1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription 30 Norfolk Street Stockton-On-Tees, Stockton on Tees, Durham, England". James McGiffen. Age: 7. Birth place: Yorkshire South Bank. Census reference: RG14PN29554 RG78PN1717A RD544 SD1 ED8 SN104. Retrieved 27 October 2014 – via Findmypast.
- ^ "Northern League". Yorkshire Post. 5 May 1924. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Calies beware. Stockton men who are making history". Daily Express. 3 February 1926. p. 13.
- ^ Dale, D.; Livingtone, P. "Stockton Football Club". This is the North East Communigate. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011.
In 1926/27 Stockton added a new trophy to their list of honours by claiming the Northern League Challenge Cup when, at the fourth attempt, they defeated Bishop Auckland after a series of three drawn games. ... At the end of the campaign outside left James McGiffen left the club to join Darlington where he became a regular member of their side until his untimely death in 1929 at the age of 25.
- ^ "Phenomenal scoring. League records broken". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 9 January 1928. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Third successive defeat". Burnley Express. 18 April 1928. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Darlington's new pivot". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 10 June 1929. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.