Johnny Ballantyne

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}

{{other people||John Ballantyne (disambiguation)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Johnny Ballantyne

| image = Johnny_Ballantyne.jpg

| caption = Ballantyne in 1935 on LCC trading card

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1899|10|27}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| death_date = {{death year and age|1977|1899}}

| death_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| height = 5 ft 9 in{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch-football-guide-1936-xii/134333960/ |title=Queen's Park Rangers. Relying on old team |newspaper=Sunday Dispatch Football Guide |location=London |date=23 August 1936 |page=xii |via=Newspapers.com}}

| position = Inside forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 =

| years2 = 1921–1924

| years3 = 1924–1928

| years4 = 1929–1935

| years5 = 1935

| years6= 1935–1937

| clubs1 = Ashfield

| clubs2 = Partick Thistle

| clubs3 = Boston Soccer Club

| clubs4 = Partick Thistle

| clubs5 = → Falkirk (loan)

| clubs6 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps1 =

| caps2 = 72

| caps3 = 146

| caps4 = 199

| caps5 = 4

| caps6 = 25

| goals1 =

| goals2 = 13

| goals3 = 50

| goals4 = 52

| goals5 = 0

| goals6= 3

| nationalyears1 = 1930[https://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/johnballantyne.html (SFL player) John Ballantyne], London Hearts Supporters Club

| nationalteam1 = Scottish League XI

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

John Ballantyne (27 October 1899 – 1977) was a Scottish footballer who played professionally as an inside forward in Scotland, England and the United States.

Born in Glasgow, Ballantyne began his senior career with Partick Thistle in 1921 after time in the junior leagues with Ashfield.{{cite journal|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|journal=Scottish Football Historian Magazine|date=October 2012}} In 1924, after signing a new one-season contract with Thistle including a signing bonus, he moved to the United States where he signed with the Boston Soccer Club of the American Soccer League."Vespers Upset Scullin Regime In Local Soccer". (April 9, 1923). St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.20 col.5"Live Tips And Topics". (July 25, 1924). Boston Globe, p.5 col.8 This nearly led to the suspension of the United States Football Association, an action prevented by stronger agreements between FIFA member associations on player transfer rules.

Ballantyne spent four seasons with Boston before returning to Thistle in 1929.{{cite book | last = Jose | first = Colin | title = American Soccer League, 1921-1931 | type = Hardback | publisher = The Scarecrow Press | year = 1998 | isbn = 0-8108-3429-4 | id = () }} He stayed with the Jags (featuring on the losing side in the replayed 1930 Scottish Cup Final) until 1935 at which point he was briefly loaned to Falkirk, before moving to Queens Park Rangers. He finished his career with the West London club in 1937.[http://www.qprnet.com/seasonal-stats---files.html Seasonal Stats | Files], QPRnet

His younger brothers Willie aka 'Red' and Bobby were also footballers who featured for clubs in Scotland and the United States.[https://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/first-xi-player-pen-pics/players-b/ballantyne-johnny-1920-21-1928-29/ Ballantyne, Johnny 1920-21 & 1928-29], Partick Thistle History Archive. Retrieved 12 April 2022