James Blessington

James Blessington (28 February 1874 – 18 April 1939) was a Scottish football player (an inside right) and manager.

James Blessington
Personal information
Date of birth (1874-02-28)28 February 1874
Place of birth Linlithgow, Scotland
Date of death 18 April 1939(1939-04-18) (aged 65)
Place of death Newton Abbott, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]
Position(s) Inside right
Youth career
Harp Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1890–1892 Hibernian
1891–1892 → Leith Athletic (loan)  20 (8)
1892–1898 Celtic  83 (31)
1898 → Preston North End (loan)  
1898–1899 Preston North End  
1899 Derby County  2 (0)
1899–1900 Bristol City  
1900–1903 Luton Town  
1903–1909 Leicester Fosse  100 (18)
International career
1892–1898 Scottish League XI 6 (1)
1894–1896 Scotland 4 (0)
Managerial career
1907–1909 Leicester Fosse
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Club

Born in Linlithgow, West Lothian,[2] Blessington began his playing career with several Edinburgh sides, including Hibernian (then temporarily known as Leith Hibernians)[3] and Leith Athletic, before moving to Glasgow to join Celtic in 1892.[4] He spent six seasons at Celtic Park, earning three Scottish Football League titles (1892–93, 1893–94 and 1895–96).[5][6]

He moved to England in 1898, spending short periods with Preston North End, Derby County, Bristol City followed by three years at Luton Town and his longest spell at Leicester Fosse[2] between 1903 and 1909.[7]

International

Blessington was capped four times by the Scotland national team between 1894 and 1896 during his time with Celtic.[8][9] He also made six appearances for the Scottish League representative side, scoring one goal.[10][11][12]

Managerial career and later life

Between 1907 and 1909 Blessington acted as player-manager of Leicester Fosse (though he played only very occasionally),[7] becoming that club's first manager, and was in charge for a total of 84 games.

He then moved to Ireland, where he helped coach Belfast Celtic and also assisted the Irish Amateur Athletic Association as a handicapper.[2] He later moved to Newton Abbot in Devon, where he ran a pub.[2]

References
  1. James Blessington, Luton Town FC Handbook 1900, via The Straw Plaiters
  2. Lamming, Douglas (1987). A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who's Who, 1872-1986 (Hardback). Hutton Press. ISBN 0-907033-47-4. ().
  3. 1890: Need to Move, Hibernian FC Historical Trust
  4. 1892: New Beginnings, Hibernian FC Historical Trust
  5. (Celtic player) Blessington, James, FitbaStats
  6. John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. Jimmy Blessington, FoxesTalk
  8. James Blessington at the Scottish Football Association
  9. "[Scotland player] James Blessington". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  10. "[SFL player] James Blessington". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  11. "Re: Matchfacts 1891/92". Scottish Referee. SFQAs. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  12. "Football. | Scottish League V. Scottish Alliance". The Herald. Glasgow. 31 May 1892. Retrieved 2 July 2021 – via London Hearts Supporters Club.


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