Andy Blair (footballer)
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Andy Blair
| image =
| fullname= Andrew Blair{{Hugman|1698|accessdate=15 April 2020}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1959|12|18}}
| birth_place = Kirkcaldy, Scotland
| position = Midfielder
| years1 = 1978–1981
| years2 = 1981–1984
| years3 = 1983
| years4 = 1984–1986
| years5 = 1986–1988
| years6 = 1987–1988
| years7 = 1988–1989
| clubs1 = Coventry City
| clubs2 = Aston Villa
| clubs3 = → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan)
| clubs4 = Sheffield Wednesday
| clubs5 = Aston Villa
| clubs6 = → Barnsley (loan)
| clubs7 = Northampton Town
| caps1 = 93
| caps2 = 33
| caps3 = 10
| caps4 = 58
| caps5 = 21
| caps6 = 6
| caps7 = 3
| goals1 = 6
| goals2 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| goals4 = 3
| goals5 = 1
| goals6 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| totalcaps = 224
| totalgoals= 10
| nationalyears1 = 1980–1982
| nationalcaps1 = 5
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U21{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu21/player.php?playerid=67 |title=Andrew Blair |work=fitbastats.com |accessdate=11 October 2012}}
}}
Andrew Blair (born 18 December 1959) is a former footballer who was born in Scotland but grew up in England and spent his career in English football. He played in the Aston Villa team that beat Barcelona 3–0 at Villa Park to win the 1982 European Super Cup.
Football career
Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Blair grew up in Bedworth, Warwickshire, and was educated at Nicholas Chamberlaine School in the town. He made his league debut for Coventry City, whom he had joined as an apprentice, on 28 October 1978 in a 2–1 win against Birmingham City. He also played top-flight football at Aston Villa (in two separate spells) where he won the Charity Shield in 1981 (shared){{cite web|title=1981/82 Charity Shield|url=http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1981-82CharityShield.htm|publisher=footballsite.co.uk|accessdate=4 November 2019}} and the European Cup in 1982 as an unused substitute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villas-european-cup-team-13095606|title = Aston Villa's European Cup legends of 1982 - where are they now?|date = 26 May 2020}} Blair also played for Sheffield Wednesday and on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In November 1984, while playing for Sheffield Wednesday against Luton Town, he achieved the unusual distinction of being the first player to ever score a hat-trick of penalties in the League Cup.{{cite web|title=Sheffield Wednesday Official Website |url=http://www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CompleteHistory/0,,10304~65732,00.html |date=12 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723135343/http://www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CompleteHistory/0%2C%2C10304~65732%2C00.html |archivedate=23 July 2008 }}
He also appeared for Barnsley and Northampton Town, before a knee injury ended his professional career in 1989, at the age of 30. He is currently working as a scout for Stoke City.
Personal life
Blair's son Matty also played for Kidderminster Harriers.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Andy}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Aston Villa F.C. players
Category:Barnsley F.C. players
Category:Coventry City F.C. players
Category:Northampton Town F.C. players
Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Footballers from Kirkcaldy
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Scottish descent
Category:Footballers from Warwickshire
Category:UEFA Champions League–winning players
Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen
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