Elisha Scott

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Elisha Scott
Personal information
Full name Elisha Scott
Date of birth August 24 1894
Place of birth    Belfast, Northern Ireland
Playing position Goalkeeper
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1911-12
1911
1912-17
1917-19
1919-34
1934-36		 Broadway United
Linfield
Liverpool
Belfast Celtic
Liverpool
Belfast Celtic		 X (X)
X (X)
X (X)
X (X)
X (X)
X (X)   
National team2
1920-36
1935		 Ireland
Irish League XI		 31 (0)
2 (0)
Teams managed
1934-49 Belfast Celtic

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of March 3 2006.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of March 3 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Elisha Scott (born August 24 1894, died May 16, 1959) was a Northern Irish football goalkeeper who most notably played for Liverpool from 1912 to 1934 (still holding the record as their longest-serving player).

Contents

[edit] Life and playing career

Scott was born in Belfast, County Antrim. He played for Linfield, Broadway United and Belfast Celtic before Liverpool manager Tom Watson signed him on 3 September 1912 following a recommendation from Scott's older brother Billy, who was the Everton goalkeeper for the 1906 FA Cup Final. Liverpool only got the chance to sign Scott when Everton decided that the 17-year-old Scott was too young. Scott didn’t make his debut until New Years Day 1913 at St James Park. The team drew 0-0 with Newcastle.

During the early days of his career Scott was understudy to Ken Campbell and only appeared occasionally. The First World War interrupted Scott’s career for four years. However, after its conclusion he returned to Liverpool and was determined to make the number 1 jersey his own[citation needed]. Scott finally got a chance of a run in the Liverpool goal at the end of the season. Scott's goalkeepingposition was set in stone when Campbell was allowed to leave in the April of 1920. Scott established himself as Liverpool’s number 1. He was a major part of the back-to-back Championship winning teams of 1922 and 1923, missing just 3 games of the first title and none in the second.

Numberous stories about Scott exist in Liverpool folklore. One such story relates to a 1924 game, after Scott had just made a phenomenal save at Ewood Park against Blackburn. A man appeared from the crowd went over to Scott and kissed him. Scott was part of one of the legendary rivalries of the day along with Everton’s Dixie Dean. The two of them were the main topic of discussion when derby day was approaching - Everton declared that Dean would score whilst Liverpool disagreed, saying Scott wouldn’t let a single shot past.

Towards the end of the decade Scott lost his starting position to another Liverpool goalkeeper, Arthur Riley, but he never gave up the battle for the position of goalkeeper. However, at the beginning of the 1930s it was becoming more and more difficult for Scott to get into the line-up; eventually Scott asked if he could return to his homeland when his old team Belfast Celtic offered him a player-manager role in 1934. Liverpool consented. Scott played the last of his 467 appearances at Chelsea on21 February 1934. Unfortunately Chelsea defeated Belfast Celtic 2-0 in Scott's final appearance at Chelsea. Upon Liverpool’s final home match of the season Scott headed to the director’s box to give his adoring fans a farewell speech. It is said[attribution needed] that ardent Koppites were moved to tears at the thought of losing their hero.

Scott played his final game for the Belfast club in 1936 at the age of 42. In his time as manager of the Celtics Scott won 10 Irish League titles, 6 Irish Cups, 3 City Cups, 8 Gold Cups and 5 County Antrim Shields. Sectarian crowd trouble, suc as an incident in which Celtic player Jimmy Jones had his leg broken at a match on Boxing Day 1948 against Linfield, led to Celtic withdrew from the league in 1949. The club felt that the police couldn’t protect their players and supporters from further violence in future games.

[edit] Honours

Player

Liverpool

Belfast Celtic

  • Irish Cup
    • Winners 1917-18
    • Runners Up 1918-19

Manager

Belfast Celtic

  • Irish League
    • Winners 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1947, 1948: 10
  • Irish Cup
    • Winners 1937, 1938, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1947: 6
  • Gold Cup
    • Winners 1935, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947: 8
  • Belfast City Cup
    • Winners 1940, 1948, 1949 3

[edit] Sources

  • The Official Liverpool FC Illustrated History (Carlton Books 2002), p37.

[edit] External links

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