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Paddy Travers

{{Short description|Scottish footballer (1883–1962)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Paddy Travers

| image =

| fullname = Patrick Travers

| birth_date = 28 May 1883

| birth_place = Beith, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1962|02|05|1883|05|28}}

| death_place = Dublin, Republic of Ireland

| height = 5ft 8in

| position = Inside left

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Renfrew Victoria

| years1 = 1900–1901

| clubs1 = Thornliebank

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1901–1902

| clubs2 = Barnsley

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 1902–1903

| clubs3 = Thornliebank

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1903–1904

| clubs4 = Barnsley

| caps4 = 8

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1904

| clubs5 = Thornliebank

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 1904–1907

| clubs6 = New Brompton

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 1907–1908

| clubs7 = Renton

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| years8 = 1908–1910

| clubs8 = Clyde

| caps8 = 36

| goals8 = 8

| years9 = 1910–1911

|clubs9 = Aberdeen

| caps9 = 34

| goals9 = 10

| years10 = 1911–1912

| clubs10 = Celtic

| caps10 = 18

| goals10 = 3

| years11 = 1912–1914

| clubs11 = Aberdeen

| caps11 = 63

| goals11 = 11

| years12 = 1914–1917

| clubs12 = Dumbarton

| caps12 = 92

| goals12 = 10

| years13 = 1917–1919

| clubs13 = Clydebank

| caps13 = 61

| goals13 = 12

| years14 = 1920

| clubs14 = Vale of Leven

| caps14 =

| goals14 =

| years15 = 1920

| clubs15= Dumbarton Harp

| caps15=

| goals15 =

|years16 = 1920–1922

| clubs16 = Dumbarton

| caps16 = 17

| goals16 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1920–1922| managerclubs1 = Dumbarton

| manageryears2 = 1923–1938| managerclubs2 = Aberdeen

| manageryears3 = 1938–1956| managerclubs3 = Clyde

}}

Patrick Travers (28 May 1883 – 5 February 1962) was a Scottish football player and manager in the first half of the 20th century. He played for many clubs in his native Scotland and for Barnsley in England, before becoming involved in coaching, and later, management, winning the Scottish Cup with Clyde on two occasions either side of World War II.

Playing career

Raised in Renfrew, Travers first played for his hometown team Renfrew Victoria around the turn of the century. In 1901 he played 13 games for Barnsley, before returning to Scotland to play for Thornliebank. He had a further spell at Barnsley, then went back to Thornliebank, followed by games for New Brompton and Renton before moving to Clyde.[A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players], John Litster / Scottish Football Historian magazine, October 2012

In 1910, Travers was signed by Jimmy Philip to play for Aberdeen,[http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=541 Paddy Travers], AFC Heritage Trust but only played one season for them before returning to Glasgow, where he had business interests, to play for Celtic.[http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2361 Celtic player Patrick Travers], FitbaStats He had one season with the Bhoys, playing regularly after coming in for the injured Jimmy McMenemy until he himself was injured and Patsy Gallacher took the place, resulting in him missing out on the latter stages of the 1911–12 Scottish Cup as the club won the competition.[http://www.celticfc.net/news/9280 Final game of the legendary Patsy Gallacher], Celtic FC, 10 October 2015 He then returned to Aberdeen, and this time stayed until the end of the 1913–14 season when he moved on to Dumbarton.{{cite book | last = McAllister | first = Jim | title = The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club | publisher = J&J Robertson Printers | year = 2002 | location = Dumbarton}}[http://sonsarchive.com/player.php?id=792 Paddy Travers], Sons Archive He spent the remainder of his playing career in the West Dunbartonshire area, also playing for Clydebank, Vale of Leven and Dumbarton Harp.

Managerial career

=Aberdeen=

Travers coached in Norway and was trainer then player-manager of Dumbarton before being engaged to coach Aberdeen in 1922.[http://www.valeofleven.org.uk/valefootballers.html#colman Donald Colman], The Vale of Leven He remained in that position until the retirement of Philip in the summer of 1924. One of his first acts as manager was the signing of Alec Jackson, together with his brother George. Jackson went on to be one of the most renowned players of his generation. In spite of this, however, Travers' first season in charge ended with relegation only avoided on goal difference. In the following seasons, many players came and went – Travers worked hard in the transfer market of the time, and his dealings are credited with improving the club's previously precarious financial situation.

Travers' Aberdeen were the first Scottish club to tour South Africa in 1927.{{cite web | url = https://www.afc.co.uk/2016/05/19/the-dons-on-tour/ | title = THE DONS ON TOUR | publisher = Aberdeen FC | date = 19 May 2016 | access-date = 20 July 2023 }} He also oversaw club tours of Norway in 1929, Scandinavia in 1933,{{cite web | url = https://aberdeen-fc.com/aberdeen-fc-1935-36-team/team-page-1935-36-dewar-shield-final.html#gsc.tab=0 | title = ABERDEEN FC - TEAM - 1935/36 | publisher = Aberdeen-FC.com | access-date = 20 July 2023 }} and South Africa again in 1937.

In 1931, Travers mysteriously dropped three of the club's regular players before a match against Falkirk. In all, five players never played for the club again, and it was reported in the 1970s that this was the result of an alleged plot to win fixed-odds bets on half-time and full-time scores. No police action was ever taken, and many of those involved protested their innocence for the remainder of their lives. The same year, he brought Donald Colman to the club from Dumbarton to act as a coach.

Between April and September 1936, the team set a club record seven consecutive away league game wins.{{cite web | url = https://www.afc.co.uk/2019/03/06/reds-on-the-road/ | title = REDS ON THE ROAD | publisher = Aberdeen FC | date = 6 March 2019 | access-date = 20 July 2023 }}

In 1937, Travers took his team to the Scottish Cup final, the first time Aberdeen had ever appeared in the event. They were defeated 2–1 by Celtic in front of a record official attendance of 146,433, although many more spectators may have gained illegal entry. That summer, the club were on a tour of South Africa when outside-right Jackie Benyon died suddenly of peritonitis. Travers remained in charge for two more seasons, but feeling that he no longer had the full support of his directors, accepted an offer to manage Clyde in 1938; he was replaced at Aberdeen by Colman.

=Clyde=

The success which had eluded him at Pittodrie soon materialised at Shawfield, however, and the Scottish Cup was won by Travers' Clyde team in 1938–39. He was still manager of Clyde in 1954–55, when the Bully Wee beat Celtic in a replay to win their second Cup. He was also a runner up as manager with Clyde in the Scottish Cup in 1948–49 when Clyde lost 4–1 to Rangers in the final.

Also notably in season 1951–52, Travers led Clyde to four trophies in a single season; the Scottish Division B league title, the B Division Supplementary Cup, the Glasgow Cup and the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup.{{cite web | url=http://www.clydefc.co.uk/club/history/hall-of-fame/harry-haddock/ | title=Clyde FC Hall of Fame: Harry Haddock | publisher=Clyde FC | access-date=20 July 2015}}

His four Scottish Cup finals earned him a reputation as a "Cup specialist" when named as one of Scotland's 50 greatest managers by the Sunday Herald newspaper.{{cite news | url=http://www.sundayherald.com/np/managers11-50.shtml | title=Scotland's 50 Greatest Managers | newspaper=Sunday Herald | date=8 June 2003 | access-date=20 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051224065450/http://www.sundayherald.com/np/managers11-50.shtml | archive-date=24 December 2005 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9995511.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924202301/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9995511.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=24 September 2015 | title=Scotland's 50 Greatest Managers | via=HighBeam Research| date=8 June 2003 | access-date=20 July 2015}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{Cite web |title=Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile |url=https://afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=541 |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=afcheritage.org}}{{Cite web |title=Celtic Player Patrick Travers Details |url=https://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2361 |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=www.fitbastats.com}}

!rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup

!colspan="2"|Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

Aberdeen

|1910–11

|Scottish Division One

|34

10423812
Celtic

|1911–12

|Scottish Division One

|18

343226
rowspan="3"|Aberdeen

|1912–13

|rowspan="2"|Scottish Division One

|32

710337
1913–14

|31

421335
colspan="2"|Total

!63

11316612
rowspan="4"|Dumbarton

|1914–15

|rowspan="3"|Scottish Division One

|37

8colspan="2"|–378
1915–16

|21

1colspan="2"|–211
1916–17

|34

1colspan="2"|–341
colspan="2"|Total

!92

10009210
rowspan="3"|Dumbarton

|1920–21

|rowspan="2"|Scottish Division One

|16

030190
1921–22

|1

00010
colspan="2"|Total

!17

030200
colspan="3"|Career total

!224

3414623840

Managerial statistics

[http://www.fitbastats.com/dumbarton/manager.php?id=1113 Dumbarton manager Pat Travers], FitbaStats[http://www.fitbastats.com/aberdeen/manager.php?id=520 Aberdeen manager Pat Travers], FitbaStats[http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/Manager/index.cfm?manager_id=2 Managers: Pat Travers], AFC Heritage Trust[http://www.fitbastats.com/clyde/manager.php?id=795 Clyde manager Pat Travers], FitbaStats{{efn|Does not include wartime competitions or regional tournaments such as the Glasgow Cup.}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
rowspan="2"|Team

!rowspan="2"|Nat

!rowspan="2"|From

!rowspan="2"|To

!colspan="5"|Record

GWDLWin %
align=left|Dumbarton

|{{flagicon|Scotland}}

|1921

|1922

{{WDL|43|10|10|23}}

align=left|Aberdeen

|{{flagicon|Scotland}}

|1924

|1938

{{WDL|571|269|128|174}}

align=left|Clyde

|{{flagicon|Scotland}}

|1938

|1956

{{WDL|468|183|89|196}}

colspan=4 align=left|Total

{{WDL|1082|462|227|393}}

{{notelist}}

Sources

  • {{cite book |

author=Webster, Jack |

title=The First 100 years of The Dons: The official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 2003 |

publisher=Hodder & Stoughton, London |

year=2003 |

isbn=0-340-82344-5 }}

  • [http://www.allfootballers.com Since 1881: the searchable Premiership and Football League player database]

Honours

= Player =

Thornliebank

  • Renfrewshire Victoria Cup: 1902–03,{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001738/19030411/125/0006 | title = FOOTBALL | newspaper = Paisley Gazette | date = 11 April 1903 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access=subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1903–04{{cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002662/19040520/051/0002 | title = FOOTBALL| newspaper = Barrhead News | date = 20 May 1904 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access=subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.

Renton

  • Dumbartonshire Cup: 1907–08{{cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19080430/021/0003 | title = RENTON WIN COUNTY CUP | newspaper = Dundee Courier | date = 30 April 1908 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access=subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.

Aberdeen

  • Scottish Division One: Runners-up 1910–11{{cite web | title = Managers, Paddy Travers | url = https://www.afcheritage.org/Team/Manager/index.cfm?manager_id=2 | publisher = AFC Heritage | access-date = 23 June 2021}}
  • North East Cup: 1913–14{{cite web | title = North East Cup Final 1913–14 | url = https://www.afcheritage.org/matches/fixtures/mreport.cfm?fixture_id=6697&season=1913-14&squad=Senior | publisher = AFC Heritage | access-date = 23 June 2021}}

Celtic

Dumbarton

  • Dumbartonshire Cup: 1914–15{{cite web | title = DUMBARTON FINAL | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000565/19150502/135/0011 | newspaper = Sunday Post | date = 2 May 1915 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access=subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  • Dumbartonshire Charity Cup: 1916–17{{cite web | title = SPORT OF ALL SORTS | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19170517/110/0006 | newspaper = Daily Record | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access = subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.

Clydebank

  • Dunbartonshire Cup: 1917–18{{cite web | title = FOOTBALL | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19180909/089/0003 | newspaper = The Scotsman | date = 9 September 1918 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access = subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  • Clydebank Charity Cup: 1917–18{{cite web | title = CLYDEBANK CHARITY CUP | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000565/19180512/079/0010 | newspaper = Sunday Post | date = 12 May 1918 | access-date = 30 March 2022 | url-access = subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive.

=Manager=

Dumbarton

  • Dumbartonshire Cup: 1921–22{{cite web | title=Dunbartonshire Cup (1884–1940) | url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/dumbartonshirecup.htm | publisher=SFHA |access-date=20 July 2015}}
  • Dumbartonshire Charity Cup: 1921–22{{cite web | title=Dunbartonshire Charity Cup competitions (1915–27) | url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/dunbartonshirecharitycups | publisher=SFHA |access-date=20 July 2015}}

Aberdeen

  • Scottish Cup: Runner-up: 1936–37
  • Aberdeenshire Cup (10) : 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34{{cite web | title=Aberdeenshire Cup (1887-) | url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/aberdeenshirecup.htm | publisher=SFHA |access-date=20 July 2015}}
  • Aberdeenshire League (4): 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29{{cite web | title=Aberdeenshire League (1919-) | url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/aberdeenshireleague.htm | publisher=SFHA |access-date=20 July 2015}}
  • Dewar Shield (8): 1926–27, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37{{cite web | title=Dewar Shield | url=http://sfha.org.uk/dewarshield.htm | publisher=SFHA |accessdate= 10 April 2021}}

Clyde

  • Scottish Cup: 1938–39, 1954–55
  • Runner-up: 1948–49
  • Scottish B Division: 1951–52
  • Supplementary Cup: 1951–52{{cite web | url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/supplementarycup.htm | title=B Division Supplementary Cup (1945–1952) | publisher=SFHA | access-date=20 July 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414182203/http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/supplementarycup.htm | archive-date=14 April 2015}}
  • Glasgow Cup: 1946–47,{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19461001/166/0007 | title = GLASGOW CUP FINAL SUCCESS FOR CLYDE | newspaper = The Scotsman | date = 1 October 1946 | url-access=subscription}} (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1951–52{{cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19510925/104/0005 | title = CELTIC BEATEN IN FINAL | newspaper = Dundee Courier | date = 25 September 1951 | url-access=subscription}} (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  • Glasgow Charity Cup: 1939–40,{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19400530/142/0011 | title = RANGERS WIN CUP BY CORNERS | newspaper = Daily Record | date = 30 May 1940 | url-access=subscription}} (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1951–52{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19520512/141/0006 | title = FOOTBALL RESULTS | newspaper = Bradford Observer | date = 12 May 1952 | url-access=subscription}} (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  • Paisley Charity Cup: 1938–39,{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19390515/266/0023 | title = TRIBUTE TO CLYDE | newspaper = Daily Record | date = 15 May 1939 | url-access=subscription }} (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1939–40{{ cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000728/19400603/164/0014?browse=False | title = WORST GAME I'VE SEEN | newspaper = Daily Record | date = 3 June 1940 | url-access=subscription | via = British Newspaper Archive }}

Sources

  • {{cite book |

author=Webster, Jack |

title=The First 100 years of The Dons: The official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 2003 |

publisher=Hodder & Stoughton, London |

year=2003 |

isbn=0-340-82344-5 }}

  • [http://www.allfootballers.com Since 1881: the searchable Premiership and Football League player database]

References

{{reflist}}

{{Dumbarton F.C. managers}}

{{Aberdeen F.C. managers}}

{{Clyde F.C. managers}}

{{Scottish Cup winning managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Travers, Paddy}}

Category:1883 births

Category:1962 deaths

Category:Scottish men's footballers

Category:Footballers from Renfrew

Category:Footballers from North Ayrshire

Category:Clydebank F.C. (1914) players

Category:Thornliebank F.C. players

Category:Gillingham F.C. players

Category:Renton F.C. players

Category:Clyde F.C. players

Category:Aberdeen F.C. players

Category:Celtic F.C. players

Category:Dumbarton F.C. players

Category:Vale of Leven F.C. players

Category:Dumbarton Harp F.C. players

Category:Scottish football managers

Category:Dumbarton F.C. managers

Category:Aberdeen F.C. managers

Category:Clyde F.C. managers

Category:Scottish Football League managers

Category:Scottish Football League players

Category:English Football League players

Category:Southern Football League players

Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players

Category:Men's association football inside forwards

Category:Renfrew Victoria F.C. players

Category:Sportspeople from Beith