George McLean (footballer, born 1898)

George McLean
Personal information
Full name	George Thomson McLean
Date of birth	1898
Place of birth	Forfar, Scotland
Date of death	November 1970 (aged 71–72)
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s)	Inside forward
Senior career*
Years	Team
1920–1921	Forfar Athletic
1921–1930	Bradford (Park Avenue)
1930–1934	Huddersfield Town
1935–1939	Forfar Athletic
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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George Thomson McLean (1898 – 1970) was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Forfar Athletic, Bradford (Park Avenue) and Huddersfield Town.

Career

McLean began playing football in his native Scotland for Scottish Football Alliance side Forfar Athletic in 1920 before coming to England in 1921 to play for Bradford Park Avenue in Football League Division Two. He left Forfar just before the Loons joined the Scottish Football League. He was good enough to sign a contract just before his leaving to ensure the Angus side received £700 from his new club for his services.

Bradford were relegated in his first season but McLean stayed at Horton Park Avenue, becoming one of their legendary players, scoring over a century of league goals and guiding the club to the Division Three North title in 1928.^[2] McLean also played in the famous FA Cup upsets of Everton in 1923^[3] and Derby County in 1930,^[4] scoring the last minute winner in the former. After a decade in Bradford, McLean was signed by First Division Huddersfield Town in 1930. He went home to Forfar and made his second debut in 1935, playing until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.^[5]

Personal life

He was the younger brother of footballer David McLean who was a noted goalscorer of the age.^[6] They were teammates at Bradford for one season (1921–22, David's last of three campaigns at the club and George's first of nine) and both closed out their careers at Forfar, but David (eight years older) had retired by the time George came 'home'.

He died in 1970.

References

^ "Optimists of the North. Bradford". Athletic News. Manchester. 6 August 1923. p. 6.
^ Stats for George McLean, All Footballers
^ Giant Killers 1923 Bradford Park Avenue vs Everton
^ "Giant Killers 1930 report Bradford Park Avenue vs Derby County". Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ SFAQs: Davie McLean, ScottishLeague.net

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[1] "Optimists of the North. Bradford". Athletic News. Manchester. 6 August 1923. p. 6.

[2] Stats for George McLean, All Footballers

[3] Giant Killers 1923 Bradford Park Avenue vs Everton

[4] "Giant Killers 1930 report Bradford Park Avenue vs Derby County". Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2010.

[litsterprewar-5] John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[6] SFAQs: Davie McLean, ScottishLeague.net

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