Willie Falconer

Last updated

Willie Falconer
Personal information
Full name William Henry Falconer [1]
Date of birth (1966-04-05) 5 April 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth Aberdeen, Scotland
Position(s) Striker / Utility player
Youth career
Aberdeen Lads Club
1981–1983 Aberdeen
1981–1982Lewis United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1983–1988 Aberdeen 78 (14)
1988–1991 Watford 71 (12)
1991–1993 Middlesbrough 53 (10)
1993–1994 Sheffield United 23 (4)
1994–1996 Celtic 42 (5)
1996–1998 Motherwell 58 (10)
1998–2001 Dundee 78 (17)
2001 Clydebank 1 (0)
2001–2002 St Johnstone 25 (3)
2002 Grimsby Town 2 (0)
2002–2003 Clyde 18 (4)
Total449(79)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Henry Falconer (born 5 April 1966) is a Scottish former professional footballer and coach.

Contents

As a player he was a striker and utility player who notably played in the Premier League for Middlesbrough and Sheffield United and in the Scottish Premier League for Aberdeen, Celtic, Motherwell, Dundee and St Johnstone. He also had spells in the Football League with Watford and Grimsby Town, as well as in the Scottish Football League for Clydebank and Clyde.

Playing career

Falconer began his career playing for his home town club, Aberdeen, in 1982, and had an initial loan spell at Junior team Lewis United. [2] During his six years at Pittodrie Stadium, he made 77 league appearances and scored 13 goals. Never more than a squad member other than in his final season, he did play enough games to earn a 1984–85 Scottish Premier Division winner's medal, and also played and scored in the 1987 Scottish League Cup Final (lost on penalties). [3] [4]

Falconer then moved south of the border to Watford for £300,000 in 1988. During his three years at Vicarage Road, he played 71 games, scoring 12 goals. He also gained a reputation as a no-nonsense, tough tackling midfielder, and was sent off the field on more than one occasion.

In 1991, Falconer transferred to Middlesbrough (then managed by Lennie Lawrence) in a swap deal involving Trevor Putney moving the other way. His first season at Boro was successful, with the team winning promotion from the old 2nd Division and entering the inaugural Premier League, and also reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup. [5] However, the next season wasn't as happy as an ill-equipped Middlesbrough side were relegated from the Premier League. The following summer Falconer was sold to Sheffield United for £400,000.

After less than a season at Bramall Lane, in early 1994 Falconer was transferred back north of the border to Celtic for £350,000. Although only at the club for two years, and behind others such as Pierre van Hooijdonk and Andreas Thom for a place in the side, he became something of a cult hero in Glasgow. He came on as a substitute in the club's 1995 Scottish Cup Final win. His transfer also spelt the end for the Celtic board at that time, as the bank refused to pay his transfer fee.[ citation needed ] A transfer to Motherwell in January 1996 was followed by a free transfer in summer 1998 to Dundee to strengthen their newly-promoted team, along with several other Motherwell players including Tommy Coyne.

After three successful years in the Scottish Premier League with Dundee, in which he played alongside Claudio Caniggia and was both top scorer and named their supporters' player of the year in 2000, [6] Falconer's career involved four clubs in two years, playing for Clydebank, St Johnstone and Clyde [7] in Scotland and Grimsby in England.

Coaching career

Falconer returned to Motherwell to become a coach of the under-19 side for several years.

Personal life

He has operated a property rental business in Scotland. [5]

Club statistics

[8] [1] [9] [10] [11]

ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupEuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen 1982-83 Scottish Premier Division 1000001020
1983-84 92005010152
1984-85 164001020194
1985-86 80001011101
1986-87 80001010100
1987-88 3685121414711
Total78145110110210318
Watford 1988-89 Second Division ----------
1989-90 ----------
1990-91 ----------
Total7112------9812
Middlesbrough 1991-92 Second Division 2550020--275
1992-93 Premier League 285321000327
Total53103230005912
Sheffield United 1993-94 Premier League 234002000254
Celtic 1993-94 Scottish Premier Division 141000000141
1994-95 264632000347
1995-96 2000001030
Total425632010518
Motherwell 1995-96 Scottish Premier Division 165201000195
1996-97 202100000212
1997-98 223403100294
Total58107041006911
Dundee 1998-99 SPL 334101000354
1999-00 31122034003616
2000-01 141201000171
Total78175054008821
Clydebank 2001-02 Scottish Second Division 100000--10
St Johnstone 2001-02 SPL 253102000283
Grimsby Town 2001-02 First Division 200000--20
Clyde 2002-03 Scottish First Division 1842000--204
Career total4497929+6+28+6+11254493

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davie Cooper</span> Scottish footballer

David Cooper was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a winger.

Eoin Jess is a Scottish football coach and former player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott McDonald</span> Australian soccer player

Scott Douglas McDonald is an Australian former professional footballer and is the current head coach for National Premier Leagues club Gold Coast Knights. Originally a striker, McDonald could also play as an attacking midfielder.

James Yuille McLean was a Scottish football player, manager and director. He managed Dundee United between 1971 and 1993, becoming the longest-serving and most successful manager in the club's history, winning three major honours. He was also part-time assistant manager to Jock Stein with the Scotland national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willo Flood</span> Irish former professional footballer

William Robert Flood is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He earned 15 caps for his country at under-20 and under-21 levels. He represented eight clubs in England and Scotland including Manchester City, Cardiff City, Dundee United, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Aberdeen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Robson</span> Scottish footballer (born 1978)

Barry Gordon George Robson is a Scottish football coach and former player, who was most recently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen. Robson played as a midfielder for several clubs in Scotland, England and Canada and represented Scotland internationally.

Thomas Coyne is a former football player and manager. Coyne played for several clubs, mostly in Scotland, including Clydebank, Dundee United, Dundee, Celtic and Motherwell. He was the top goalscorer of the Scottish Premier Division three times, a feat he achieved with three clubs. Coyne played international football for the Republic of Ireland, qualifying due to his Irish ancestry. Towards the end of his playing career he was also the manager of Clydebank, a position he left after six months.

Patrick Travers 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Miller (footballer, born 1967)</span> Scottish footballer and manager

Joseph Miller is a Scottish retired footballer and a former manager of Scottish Football League club Clyde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Reynolds (footballer, born 1987)</span> Scottish association football player

Mark Reynolds is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Championship club Cove Rangers. He began his career at Motherwell and has also played for Sheffield Wednesday, Aberdeen and Dundee United.

Curtis Lee Main is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Premiership club Dundee.

Season 1999–2000 was Hibs' first season back in the top flight of Scottish football, the newly founded Scottish Premier League, after gaining promotion from the First Division in 1999. Hibs re-established themselves well in the top flight, finishing in sixth place. The club also had a good Scottish Cup run, but were disappointingly beaten 2–1 by Aberdeen, who finished bottom of the SPL, in the semi-final at Hampden Park. The season was also memorable for Hibs fans due to a 3–0 win in the "Millennium derby" against Hearts. There was a landmark day towards the end of the season, as the last game on the Easter Road slope was played.

The 1994–95 season was Heart of Midlothian F.C.'s 12th consecutive season of play in the Scottish Premier Division. Hearts also competed in the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012–13 in Scottish football</span>

The 2012–13 season was the 116th season of competitive football in Scotland. The season began on 28 July 2012, with the start of the Challenge Cup.

Declan Patrick Gallagher is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Scottish Championship club Dundee United and the Scotland national team.

The Anglo-Franco-Scottish Friendship Cup was a short-lived Inter-League football competition organised by the French Football Federation that would see teams from the Football League and the Scottish League compete against teams from the French League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Roberts</span> English association football player

Patrick John Joseph Roberts is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Championship club Sunderland.

Cambuslang Hibernian F.C., also known as the Cambuslang Hibs, was a football club based in the town of Cambuslang, Scotland which was originally founded in 1884. They competed in regional competitions and the Scottish Cup during the 1880s before dissolving in 1889 after being expelled from the Scottish Football Association over a payments dispute. They reformed in 1892 as a Scottish Junior Football Association club, and won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1896. Overlooked for a place in some of the more lucrative competitions organised over the next decade, they became defunct in 1908.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 in Scottish football</span>

The 2020–21 season was the 124th season of competitive football in Scotland. The domestic season began on 1 August 2020 with the first round of matches in the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership. The start of all other domestic competitions were delayed until at least October 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and most games were played behind closed doors due to Scottish Government restrictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 in Scottish football</span> Scottish Football

The 2022–23 season was the 126th season of competitive football in Scotland. The domestic season began on 9 July 2022 with the first Scottish League Cup group stage matches, and the first round of matches in the 2022–23 Scottish Premiership were played on 30 July.

References

  1. 1 2 "Willie Falconer". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  2. "Afc Former Players Interview with Willie Falconer". Aberdeen F.C. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  3. Reynolds, Jim (26 October 1987). "Spot-on Rangers earn the cheers". The Glasgow Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  4. Willie Falconer – "I thought I had just scored the winner in a cup final", AllyBegg.com, 11 October 2020
  5. 1 2 "Player Q&A: Willie Falconer talks promotion, relegation and tough opposition". Boro Brick Road. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  6. "Played for Dundee and Motherwell – Willie Falconer". Dundee F.C. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. "Willie Falconer Signs From Grimsby". Clyde F.C. 3 July 2002. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  8. "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  9. "Willie Falconer". motherWELLnet. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  10. "Willie Falconer | Player Statistics | Dundee (Dee Archive)". deearchive.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  11. "Willie Falconer | Player Statistics | Clydebank FC (Bankies Archive)". www.clydebankfc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2023.