Profile Home
Type in to search: or Select a letter:
/profile.php?p=711&name=Gerry+McWilliam
Gerry McWilliam
Date of Birth: 26-04-1933
Position: Inside Forward
Joined: 08-09-1956
Appearances: 60
Substitute Appearances:
Goals: 38
Nationality: Scottish
Previous Clubs: Airdrieonians
Subsequent Clubs: Stirling Albion, Cowdenbeath, Portadown
Died: 02-08-2024
Signed from Airdrieonians on a free as one of manager Andy Dickson`s first signings in 1956. Playing as an inside forward, he was a great foil for Charlie Dickson. Famously opened the scoring in the cup tie at East End Park when the attendance record for a cup tie was set.
In season 1957/58, Gerry scored 26 goals in just 31 league and Cup appearances, and along with Charlie Dickson and Jimmy Watson, helped the Pars to become the highest scoring team in Britain, and with that promotion to the top division in Scotland.
Born on 26 April 1933 in Gartcosh, Gerry was one of a large family of seven boys and two girls. When asked in a 2018 interview where he first played football, Gerry replied, “at 22 Queensbank Avenue out on the street!†Despite the neighbours` complaints, it proved to be a good grounding for the young Gerry who became a promising inside forward with Lanarkshire side Clelland Juniors. It wouldn`t be long before a strong Airdrieonians side signed Gerry, but despite spending two years at Broomfield, Gerry was released in 1956 without making a first team appearance.
He was signed by Dunfermline manager Andy Dickson and given his senior debut in the opening league fixture of the season, a 3-2 defeat by Hearts. He scored in this and the next three First Division matches but there was no shortage of options in his position and once his form dropped he had difficulty regaining his place in a team slipping towards relegation.
Gerry made a much bigger impression in 1957/58 and at one point was the club`s top scorer with sixteen goals, including a hat-trick in a 5-5 draw with Cowdenbeath, when he was again omitted by a management who felt that the forward line wasn`t playing as it could. Gerry`s only first team appearance between November 1957 and January 1958 was in a friendly match against an Army & Navy Select, which Dunfermline won 8-1 with McWilliam scoring two goals. Gerry did make a return to the team in January 1958, and the Pars were drawn to play Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Cup. A record crowd for a Cup match at East End Park (24,377) turned up that day. The Athletic were denied a penalty, before Gerry scored to give the Pars the lead but Max Murray and Ralph Brand gave the Gers a win they barely deserved. Two weeks later McWilliam hit another hat-trick as Albion Rovers were thrashed 8-1 as the Pars won promotion.
New signings and the emergence of talented youngsters such as Alex Smith pushed McWilliam down the pecking order and in 1958/59 he was restricted to thirteen appearances. Nonetheless, Dunfermline managed to stay in the top division, thanks to a remarkable 10-1 win over Partick Thistle in the final match of the season, and the entire squad, including Gerry, were rewarded with a summer holiday in Switzerland. Gerry recalled having to get a passport for the first time and finding flying very scary!
After a very creditable 38 goals in just 60 appearances for the Pars, he was transferred to Stirling Albion in December 1959, just a few months before the Stein revolution transformed Dunfermline Athletic. He played just twice for Stirling before being freed the following April. From there he had an unsuccessful month at Cowdenbeath before joining Portadown in October 1960. The Northern Irish club would pay for him to fly over from Glasgow to Belfast on Saturdays, but that was where his professional career ended months later.
Despite offers, Gerry resisted the temptation to go into coaching football. Instead, and on his mother`s advice, he bought a newsagents shop in Glasgow with money he had saved and he remained there for around twelve years before taking a job as an Office Clerk at British Steel at Motherwell. Sadly, Gerry`s wife Helen died at a young age in 1980, but Gerry continued to support his young family himself. Following his retirement, Gerry helped to run a boys team in Muirhead. He also enjoyed playing bowls and golf, both sports at which he excelled. Gerry`s activities, however, were severely curtailed in recent years with the onset of dementia.
Gerry`s ability as a footballer are best described in his own words from a 2018 interview. He told us that his father had always told him that he had to learn to kick with both feet, and he said that in his opinion, his ability to do so was the main reason for professional clubs taking an interest. He also described himself as a ‘wee poacher`: “I wasn`t a heading person – I was better at dribbling around.†He earned his nickname of ‘Midge`, both at home and on the football field, due to his inability to stay still. In both cases he spent a lot of time buzzing around and causing havoc!
The Gerry McWilliam interview from 2018 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL1PdNJnhnw
Position: Inside Forward
Joined: 08-09-1956
Appearances: 60
Substitute Appearances:
Goals: 38
Nationality: Scottish
Previous Clubs: Airdrieonians
Subsequent Clubs: Stirling Albion, Cowdenbeath, Portadown
Died: 02-08-2024
Signed from Airdrieonians on a free as one of manager Andy Dickson`s first signings in 1956. Playing as an inside forward, he was a great foil for Charlie Dickson. Famously opened the scoring in the cup tie at East End Park when the attendance record for a cup tie was set.
In season 1957/58, Gerry scored 26 goals in just 31 league and Cup appearances, and along with Charlie Dickson and Jimmy Watson, helped the Pars to become the highest scoring team in Britain, and with that promotion to the top division in Scotland.
Born on 26 April 1933 in Gartcosh, Gerry was one of a large family of seven boys and two girls. When asked in a 2018 interview where he first played football, Gerry replied, “at 22 Queensbank Avenue out on the street!†Despite the neighbours` complaints, it proved to be a good grounding for the young Gerry who became a promising inside forward with Lanarkshire side Clelland Juniors. It wouldn`t be long before a strong Airdrieonians side signed Gerry, but despite spending two years at Broomfield, Gerry was released in 1956 without making a first team appearance.
He was signed by Dunfermline manager Andy Dickson and given his senior debut in the opening league fixture of the season, a 3-2 defeat by Hearts. He scored in this and the next three First Division matches but there was no shortage of options in his position and once his form dropped he had difficulty regaining his place in a team slipping towards relegation.
Gerry made a much bigger impression in 1957/58 and at one point was the club`s top scorer with sixteen goals, including a hat-trick in a 5-5 draw with Cowdenbeath, when he was again omitted by a management who felt that the forward line wasn`t playing as it could. Gerry`s only first team appearance between November 1957 and January 1958 was in a friendly match against an Army & Navy Select, which Dunfermline won 8-1 with McWilliam scoring two goals. Gerry did make a return to the team in January 1958, and the Pars were drawn to play Rangers in the third round of the Scottish Cup. A record crowd for a Cup match at East End Park (24,377) turned up that day. The Athletic were denied a penalty, before Gerry scored to give the Pars the lead but Max Murray and Ralph Brand gave the Gers a win they barely deserved. Two weeks later McWilliam hit another hat-trick as Albion Rovers were thrashed 8-1 as the Pars won promotion.
New signings and the emergence of talented youngsters such as Alex Smith pushed McWilliam down the pecking order and in 1958/59 he was restricted to thirteen appearances. Nonetheless, Dunfermline managed to stay in the top division, thanks to a remarkable 10-1 win over Partick Thistle in the final match of the season, and the entire squad, including Gerry, were rewarded with a summer holiday in Switzerland. Gerry recalled having to get a passport for the first time and finding flying very scary!
After a very creditable 38 goals in just 60 appearances for the Pars, he was transferred to Stirling Albion in December 1959, just a few months before the Stein revolution transformed Dunfermline Athletic. He played just twice for Stirling before being freed the following April. From there he had an unsuccessful month at Cowdenbeath before joining Portadown in October 1960. The Northern Irish club would pay for him to fly over from Glasgow to Belfast on Saturdays, but that was where his professional career ended months later.
Despite offers, Gerry resisted the temptation to go into coaching football. Instead, and on his mother`s advice, he bought a newsagents shop in Glasgow with money he had saved and he remained there for around twelve years before taking a job as an Office Clerk at British Steel at Motherwell. Sadly, Gerry`s wife Helen died at a young age in 1980, but Gerry continued to support his young family himself. Following his retirement, Gerry helped to run a boys team in Muirhead. He also enjoyed playing bowls and golf, both sports at which he excelled. Gerry`s activities, however, were severely curtailed in recent years with the onset of dementia.
Gerry`s ability as a footballer are best described in his own words from a 2018 interview. He told us that his father had always told him that he had to learn to kick with both feet, and he said that in his opinion, his ability to do so was the main reason for professional clubs taking an interest. He also described himself as a ‘wee poacher`: “I wasn`t a heading person – I was better at dribbling around.†He earned his nickname of ‘Midge`, both at home and on the football field, due to his inability to stay still. In both cases he spent a lot of time buzzing around and causing havoc!
The Gerry McWilliam interview from 2018 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL1PdNJnhnw
Views : 293
Sitemap:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |