Rab Stewart

Rab Stewart
Personal information
Full nameRobert Edward Thorburn Stewart
Date of birth7 October 1932
Place of birthScotland
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing positionRight half
Youth career
Dreghorn Juniors
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1951–1961Kilmarnock102(7)
1961–1962St. Mirren35(0)
1962–1963Ayr United11(2)
Total148(9)
Teams managed
1972–?Scotland Women
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Robert Edward Thorburn "Rab" Stewart (born 7 October 1932) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a right half, making nearly 150 appearances in the Scottish Football League. After retiring as a player, Stewart became a coach and was the original manager of the Scotland women's national football team.

Career

Playing career

Stewart began his career at Kilmarnock in 1951,[1] starting for Killie in the 1956–57 Scottish Cup final and final replay defeat to Falkirk. Manager Willie Waddell later tried to boost the team's forward line by handing Stewart an attacking position, but during the experiment his regular place at wing half was taken by Frank Beattie.[2] Stewart moved on to St. Mirren,[3] where he played in their 1961–62 Scottish Cup final defeat, then Ayr United.[4]

Coaching career

In November 1972 Stewart took charge of the Scottish team for the first ever official women's international match to take place in Britain, a 3–2 defeat to England at Ravenscraig Stadium in Greenock.[5]

References

  1. Neil Brown. "KILMARNOCK : 1946/47 - 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  2. David Ross. "A Tribute to Frank Beattie". Kilmarnock FC. Retrieved 7 January 2012. His move to the half-back line where he was to make his reputation came about by accident. Waddell wanted to improve a lacklustre forward line by moving right-half Rab Stewart into attack. Frank replaced Stewart and after five years as an inside-forward never played as an attacker for Killie again.
  3. Neil Brown. "ST. MIRREN : 1946/47 - 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  4. Neil Brown. "AYR UNITED : 1946/47 - 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  5. Owen, Wendy (2005). Kicking Against Tradition. Tempus Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 0-7524-3427-6. ROBERT STEWART, Scottish Manager and former professional footballer with Kilmarnock and St. Mirren.