Hugh Flack
{{Short description|Irish footballer (1903–1986)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Hugh Flack
| fullname = Hugh David Flack
| birth_date = 26 April 1903
| birth_place = Belfast, Ireland
| death_date = 18 June 1986
| position = Full back
| years1 = 1922–1927 | clubs1 = Crusaders | caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 1927–1929 | clubs2 = Burnley | caps2 = 3 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1929–1930 | clubs3 = Swansea Town | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 1930–1932 | clubs4 = Distillery | caps4 = | goals4 =
| years5 = 1932–1934 | clubs5 = Halifax Town | caps5 = 74 | goals5 = 0
| years6 = 1932–1934 | clubs6 = Portadon | caps6 = | goals6 =
| nationalyears1 = 1929 | nationalteam1 = Ireland | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
Hugh David Flack (26 April 1903 – 18 June 1986) was an Irish professional footballer who played as a full back. He played for a number of teams in Ireland and England and won one cap for the Ireland national team.
Early life
Flack was born in Belfast on 26 April 1903.{{Cite book |first1=Ray |last1=Simpson |first2=Wallace |last2=Chadwick |title=The Complete Clarets Collection 1882–2018 – A complete who's who of Burnley Football Club |publisher=Burnley Football Club |location=Burnley |date=2018 |ISBN=978-0955746826 |page=21}}
Before turning professional in 1924, Flack made a living a shipyard worker in Belfast. He continued to work on the shipyard until he moved to England in 1927.{{Cite journal |title=ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. |journal=Northern Whig |date=22 July 1924 |page=3 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19240722/056/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{Cite journal |title=FLACK'S SUDDEN RISE TO FAME. |journal=Burnley Express |date=23 February 1929 |page=4 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000283/19290223/069/0004 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
Club career
Flack began his career playing at Intermediate level for Linfield Rangers in 1922.{{cite journal |title=Junior Football Notes. A Serious Complaint. |journal=Northern Whig |date=11 April 1922 |page=3 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19220411/058/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} Later that year, he joined Crusaders.{{cite journal |title=Ulster Football Notes. Steel & Son's Final. |journal=Belfast Telegraph |date=20 November 1922 |page=2 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19221130/028/0002 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} He took part in the 1922 Steel & Sons Cup final which Crusaders won 3–1 after 20 minutes of extra time in a second replay against Bangor.{{cite journal |title=Association Football. Steel & Sons' Cup Final. |journal=Northern Whig |date=4 April 1923 |page=5 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19230104/081/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} In a successful spell at Crusaders, Flack helped the team to the Intermediate League title in 1922–23,{{cite journal |title=Crusaders Club |journal=Northern Whig |date=9 July 1923 |page=8 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19230709/235/0008 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} the Steel & Sons cup and Intermdiate Cup in 1926.{{Cite journal |title=Steel & Sons' Cup Final |journal=Belfast News-Letter |date=27 December 1926 |page=5 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000038/19261227/081/0005 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{Cite journal |title=Crusaders' Double. Intermediate Cup Final. |journal=Belfast Telegraph |date=30 December 1926 |page=3 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19261230/028/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
In 1927, Flack made the move to England to play in the Football League when he signed for Burnley. In his first season, he was limited to playing in the reserves{{cite journal |title=The Reserve Team |journal=Burnley Express |date=9 May 1928 |page=2 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000699/19280509/021/0002 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} but was promoted to the first team in February 1929 and made his first team debut in the Football League First Division a 0–0 draw with Bury on 18 February.{{cite journal |title=Bury Bustle Earns Point |journal=Burnley Express |date=20 February 1929 |page=6 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000283/19290220/062/0006 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{cite journal |title=Burnley's Lucky Escape |journal=Burnley News |date=20 February 1929 |page=2 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000699/19290220/039/0002 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}} Flack made two more appearances for Burnley before he was sold to Football League Second Division side Swansea Town for £500 in May 1929.{{cite journal |title=Players Transferred |journal=Burnley Express |date=1929-05-08 |page=6 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000283/19290508/193/0006 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
Flack did not make a first team appearance for Swansea Town and was placed on the transfer list in December 1929. His contract was not renewed at the end of the season.{{cite journal |title=Swansea Players On Transfer List |journal=Western Daily Press |date=5 December 1929 |page=3 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/19291205/013/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{cite journal |title=Swansea Players |journal=Western Mail |date=2 May 1930 |page=6 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19300502/155/0006 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
He returned to Belfast in 1930 and joined Distillery where he helped the team win the Belfast Charity Cup in May 1931.{{cite journal |title=Distillery Make a Great Pull-out |journal=Northern Whig |date=18 May 1931 |page=3 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19310518/069/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
Flack returned to English football in October 1932 when he joined Halifax Town on trial. He quickly impressed and, after a temporary extension of the trial period, he was signed permanently by the Football League Third Division North club at the beginning of December.{{cite journal |title=On Trial With Halifax Town |journal=Portadown News |date=5 October 1932 |page=17 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19321005/474/0017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{cite journal |title=Sports Snaps |journal=Hull Daily Mail |date=2 December 1932 |page=15 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19321202/124/0015 |via=British Newspaper Archive |access-date=13 April 2025}}
International career
Flack made his only appearance for Ireland in a 7–3 defeat to Scotland on 23 February 1929 at Windsor Park, Belfast.{{cite web |title=Scotland - International Matches 1921-1930 |publisher=RSSSF |date=8 January 2023 |first1=Alan |last1=Brown |first2=Gabriele |last2=Tossani |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot-intres1930.html |access-date=13 April 2025}}{{cite web |title=Hugh Flack |publisher=Northern Ireland Footballing Greats |url=http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/11/hugh-flack.html |access-date=13 April 2025}}
Death
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flack, Hugh}}
Category:Association footballers from Belfast
Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland
Category:Pre-1950 IFA men's international footballers
Category:Crusaders F.C. players
Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players
Category:Lisburn Distillery F.C. players
Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football fullbacks