The latest subject of the Prominent Football Players series, Hugh McDougal was a Highlander [hailing from Kilmallie] who had moved to the Central Belt to take up teaching. Making him one of that rare breed of footballers: the amateur.
In itself that is no bad thing, but the truth of the matter is that most amateurs had to spend most of their time doing, well, a proper job, instead of practicing or training; frankly improving. This in the long term usually means the amateur player in a professional football club becomes a bit part player.
Another effect is that the player goes where the job takes them, and this was the case with Hugh, after a season with Falkirk he moved to Dunfermline Athletic, followed by spells at King's Park, Stenhousemuir and ending his career at East Stirlingshire with the outbreak of the Great War. All of these moves dictated by which teaching positions he took up.
It is hard to gauge his career today because most of his career was spent with non-league teams who are now league teams.
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In itself that is no bad thing, but the truth of the matter is that most amateurs had to spend most of their time doing, well, a proper job, instead of practicing or training; frankly improving. This in the long term usually means the amateur player in a professional football club becomes a bit part player.
Another effect is that the player goes where the job takes them, and this was the case with Hugh, after a season with Falkirk he moved to Dunfermline Athletic, followed by spells at King's Park, Stenhousemuir and ending his career at East Stirlingshire with the outbreak of the Great War. All of these moves dictated by which teaching positions he took up.
It is hard to gauge his career today because most of his career was spent with non-league teams who are now league teams.
