Charles Heggie


Charles Winton Heggie was a Scottish footballer who played for Rangers, St Bernard's and the Scotland national team. He is one of just two players to have scored four goals in their only Scotland appearance.

Career

Heggie began his career at Govan based club Ailsa FC before joining Rangers in 1882. At Rangers he initially played as a defender but moved to a forward position for much of the 1883-84 season and finished the season as the club's top scorer with 13 goals in 30 matches. In these early years of football, with the exception of the Scottish Cup, Rangers only contested friendly matches but Heggie helped Rangers reach the Cup semi-finals, scoring in a 5-1 win against Cambuslang FC in the quarter-finals.
The following season, he only played 7 times for Rangers, scoring 5 goals, but was a regular again in Season 1885-86 scoring 29 goals in 31 games. His only Scotland appearance was against Ireland on 20 March 1886 at Ballynafeigh Park, Belfast. Scotland won the match 7-2 and Heggie scored four of the Scotland goals. Heggie holds the distinction of being one of just two players in Scottish football history to have scored 4 goals in their only international cap. Two years later William Dickson would repeat this feat, again against Ireland.
The Scottish Umpire and Cycling Mercury noted in October 1886 that:
Unsurprisingly perhaps, season 1886-87 proved to be his last at Rangers and he played 8 matches, scoring 3 times. After his spell with Rangers he moved to St. Bernard's in January 1887. This proved to be his final club however he remained within football as a referee. Heggie later emigrated to Western Australia, where he died in 1925.