Bob Bonthron

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Bob Bonthron

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Robert Pollock Bonthron

| birth_date = 14 July 1880{{cite web |title= 1880 BONTHRONE, ROBERT POLLOCK (Statutory registers Births 411/ 124)|url=https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/image-viewer/stat_births/stat_births-15552151_7845320 |website=Scotland's People |publisher=National Records of Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon |url-access=subscription}}

| birth_place = Burntisland, Scotland

| death_date = 19 February 1947 (aged 66)

| death_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}

| position = Right-back

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Raith Athletic

| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–1900

| youthclubs2 = Burntisland Thistle

| years1 = 1900–1902

| clubs1 = Raith Rovers

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1902–1903

| clubs2 = Dundee

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1903–1907

| clubs3 = Manchester United

| caps3 = 119

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 1907–1908

| clubs4 = Sunderland

| caps4 = 23

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1908–1910

| clubs5 = Northampton Town

| caps5 = 59

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 1910–1911

| clubs6 = Birmingham

| caps6 = 11

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 1911–1912

| clubs7 = Airdrieonians

| caps7 = 5

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 1912–1913

| clubs8 = Leith Athletic

| caps8 = 11

| goals8 = 0

}}

Robert Pollock Bonthron (14 July 1880 – 19 February 1947) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a right-back for Manchester United, Sunderland and Birmingham in the Football League.{{cite book |last=Joyce |first=Michael |title=Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 |publisher=SoccerData (Tony Brown) |location=Nottingham |year=2004 |page=30 |isbn=978-1-899468-67-6}}

Bonthron was born in Burntisland, Fife. He played for Raith Rovers and Dundee before joining Manchester United in May 1903.{{cite web |url=http://www.red11.org/mufc/alltransfer.htm |title=United All-Time Transfer List |publisher=red11.org |accessdate=8 April 2008}} He helped them to promotion to the First Division in the 1905–06 season and made a total of 134 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring three goals.{{cite web |url=http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/playermenu/bonthron.html |title=Bonthron |work=Manchester United: The Official Statistics Website |publisher=Barn End Media |accessdate=9 October 2010}}

Bonthron was a combative player and during the promotion season was at the centre of a serious incident after Manchester United's match at Bradford City. His treatment of Bradford player Jimmy Conlin during the match enraged the crowd, and after the game Bonthron was attacked by home supporters. Criminal charges followed against the perpetrators and a Football Association (FA) inquiry resulted in the temporary closure of Bradford City's Valley Parade ground.{{cite book |last=Frost |first=Terry |title=Bradford City A Complete Record 1903–1988 |publisher=Breedon Books Sport |year=1988 |isbn=0-907969-38-0 |page=53}}{{Cite web |url=http://bantamspast.co.uk/earlydays/fallenheroes.html |title=Fallen Heroes of the Great War |publisher=bantamspast Museum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915051347/http://bantamspast.co.uk/earlydays/fallenheroes.html |archive-date=15 September 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |access-date=9 October 2010 }}

He joined Sunderland in May 1907, playing 24 games,{{cite web|url=http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Player.aspx?PlayerID=177|title=Robert Bonthron|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=StatCat|accessdate=8 April 2008}} before moving on the following year to Northampton Town, with whom he won the Southern League championship in the 1908–09 season.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |page=73 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/NORTHAMT.HTM|title=Northampton Town|last=|first=|date=|publisher=Richard Rundle|access-date=|work=Football Club History Database}} He spent the 1910–11 season with Birmingham before returning to Scotland with Airdrieonians and Leith Athletic.