David Shedden
{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = David Shedden
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = David Shedden
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|05|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Kilwinning, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|10|27|1944|05|24|df=y}}
| death_place = Linwood, Scotland
| height =
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| school = Spier's School
| position = Wing
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 = Old Spierians
| amatteam2 = West of Scotland
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| province1 = Glasgow District
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| repyears1 = 1972-78
| repteam1 = Scotland
| repcaps1 = 15
| reppoints1 = 8
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David Shedden (24 May 1944 in Kilwinning – 27 October 2017 in Linwood) was a Scotland international rugby union footballer, who played on the wing. He died in October 2017 aged 73.{{Cite web|last=Vallance|first=Matt|date=3 November 2017|title=Obituary: David Shedden, Scotland international rugby player|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/15639768.obituary-david-shedden-scotland-international-rugby-player/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-25|website=The Herald|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425034406/https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/15639768.obituary-david-shedden-scotland-international-rugby-player/ |archive-date=25 April 2021 }}
Rugby Union career
=Amateur career=
Shedden went to Spier's School in Beith. His PE teacher was Campbell Bone, an enlightened and passionate rugby coach in Ayrshire.{{cite web|date=20 October 2008|title=Campbell Bone - Edinburgh Rugby|url=http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/08/10/20/campbell-bone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103002615/http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/08/10/20/campbell-bone|archive-date=3 January 2017|website=edinburghrugby.org}}
Leaving school Shedden then played for Old Spierians{{cite web|title=Garnock Rugby Club - Club History|url=http://garnockrugbyclub.com/club-history/|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=garnockrugbyclub.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709210228/http://garnockrugbyclub.com:80/club-history/ |archive-date=9 July 2014 }} before moving on to West of Scotland.{{cite web|title=Big sheet and bundle, Edinburgh Wanderers versus West of Scotland, Murrayfield, 2 January 1971|url=http://www.calmview.eu/Hubcat/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=BML/6/1/27|access-date=25 April 2021|website=calmview.eu}}{{Cite news|last=McMurtrie|first=W.M.|date=7 October 1968|title=Two Shedden Tries Gives West Deserved Victory|page=7|work=The Glasgow Herald|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_9o9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=9UcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1798,1176497|access-date=25 April 2021}}
He was part of the West of Scotland team that won the 'unofficial' Scottish championship title in season 1970–71.{{cite web|date=26 April 2001|title=Bill Nicholson Distinguished rugby figure who excelled at cricket|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12169935.Bill_Nicholson_Distinguished_rugby_figure_who_excelled_at_cricket/|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=The Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103003805/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12169935.Bill_Nicholson_Distinguished_rugby_figure_who_excelled_at_cricket/ |archive-date=3 January 2017 }}
His nickname was 'The Spear' due to his distinctive tackling style.{{cite web|last=Beattie|first=John|date=15 February 2016|title=John Beattie meets former rugby players with dementia|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35558846|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=BBC News|publisher=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215105358/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35558846 |archive-date=15 February 2016 }}
=Provincial career=
Shedden was capped for Glasgow District and played in the Scottish Inter-District Championship.{{Cite news|last=McMurtrie|first=Bill|date=26 October 1977|title=Glasgow misses their chances|page=27|work=The Glasgow Herald|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6eY9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=i0gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2086,5890908|access-date=25 April 2021}}
He played for Glasgow District in the 1974-75 Scottish Inter-District Championship in Glasgow's first Inter-District match of the season against South of Scotland; playing his part to ensure a Glasgow 16-15 win that ultimately helped Glasgow share the 1974–75 season's championship title with North and Midlands.{{Cite news|last=McMurtrie|first=Bill|date=24 October 1974|title=Glasgow Win Again - But Only Just|page=4|work=The Glasgow Herald|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19741024&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|access-date=25 April 2021}}
He also played for Glasgow in the 1977–78 Scottish Inter-District Championship. He was part of the side that beat South 19–6 in the final match, again ensuring that Glasgow shared the championship title, this time with South and Edinburgh District.{{Cite news|last=McMurtrie|first=Bill|date=19 December 1977|title=South fall to Glasgow aggression|page=16|work=The Glasgow Herald|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wI5AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3qQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2257,3997296|access-date=25 April 2021}}
=International career=
He played for Scotland 15 times between 1972 and 1978.{{cite web|title=Ruby - Stats & Records - David Shedden (Scotland)|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/7996.html|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=ESPN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703042622/http://en.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/7996.html |archive-date=3 July 2016 }}
Richard Bath writes of him that:
:"As with most great players, their greatness comes in part from their ability to combine with other great players of the era. David Shedden, a flier from the Glasgow's West of Scotland club, was lucky to be playing at the same time as Andy Irvine, one of the great attacking full-backs of all time. A classic speed merchant, Sheddden profited from Irvine's ability to slice through opposing defences, and would regular pop up on the full-back's shoulder to take a final scoring pass. Shedden, who was limited to only 15 caps because his career overlapped with another of Scotland's great wingers Billy Steele, was also defensively astute and went on providing cover when Irvine went on his charging runs upfield... It was not until Tony Stanger won his first cap eleven years later that Scotland had another out-and-out flier to rely on."{{Cite book|title=The Complete Book of Rugby|publisher=Seven Oaks LTD|year=1997|isbn=9781862000131|editor-last=Bath|editor-first=Richard|pages=158}}
He won the Calcutta Cup with Scotland against England at Murrayfield in 1976. Unfortunately he suffered concussion after bravely tackling Andy Ripley of England during the match.{{cite web|date=5 February 2016|title=The story of Scotland's 1976 Calcutta Cup win - final part|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scotland/the-story-of-scotland-s-1976-calcutta-cup-win-final-part-1-4021822|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=The Scotsman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316125906/http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scotland/the-story-of-scotland-s-1976-calcutta-cup-win-final-part-1-4021822 |archive-date=16 March 2016 }} While he was on the park however he provided rugby commentator Bill McLaren with one of his top five sporting memories with his counterattack setting up of Alan Lawson's first try that day.{{cite web|last=McLaren|first=Bill|date=24 January 2002|title=Rugby Union - My favourite five|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/1778247.stm|url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2021|website=BBC Sport|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030420062300/http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/sport1/hi/rugby_union/1778247.stm |archive-date=20 April 2003 }}
After rugby
Shedden developed dementia in his early 50s. This was thought to be linked to his rugby career as he suffered 13 concussions throughout his rugby career. Shedden's form of dementia was thought to be Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), brought on by the cumulative effect of head trauma. He took part in the Rugby Memories programme for its therapeutic effects.{{cite web|title=Alzheimer Scotland Reminiscence Networks (ASRN)|url=http://www.alzscot.org/asrn|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315020026/http://www.alzscot.org/asrn|archive-date=15 March 2016|website=alzscot.org}}
On his death his former West of Scotland and Scotland international team-mate Sandy Carmichael gave this tribute:
:"I used to pull his leg about his thin-ness but he was a brave, brave player."
:"In those days, the Scottish selectors had a policy that you had to weigh more than 11 stones to be picked. We knew we'd be weighed at the first District game and we piled keys, coins, anything we could find, into Dave's tracksuit pockets to get the scales over 11 stones. He was a great man."{{cite web|last=Law|first=Graham|date=30 October 2017|title=David Shedden - Scottish Rugby Union|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/17/10/30/david-shedden|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109005207/http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/17/10/30/david-shedden|archive-date=9 November 2017|website=scottishrugby.org}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{ESPNscrum|7996}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shedden, David}}
Category:Glasgow District (rugby union) players
Category:Old Spierians players
Category:Rugby union players from Kilwinning
Category:Scotland international rugby union players
Category:Scottish rugby union players