Jock Simpson


John Robert Simpson was an English international footballer, who played as an outside right in the 1900s and 1910s.

Career

Club

Simpson's footballing career began with Laurieston Villa, and after a trial with Rangers, he signed for Falkirk in 1905. The club finished runners-up in the Scottish Football League twice during his six-year spell, this being fairly unsuccessful due to the enduring effects of kicks from opponents during his peak years, he finally saw out his final playing years with Falkirk Amateurs, then Falkirk Orient in the Falkirk Wednesday Shopkeepers League. At Falkirk he played a total of 269 Scottish League matches, including the wartime as a 'guest player', scoring 116 goals.

International

Simpson represented the Scottish League in 1910 while he was a Falkirk player.
He made his full international debut for England on 11 February 1911 against Ireland, weeks after joining Blackburn. Simpson made a total of eight appearances for England, participating in victorious British Home Championship tournaments of 1910–11 and 1912–13, with his last cap coming on 16 March 1914 against Wales.
He also appeared for the Football League XI, and appeared for the 'Anglo-Scots' in a wartime fundraising match in 1917.

Personal life

Simpson was born in Pendleton, Greater Manchester, of Scottish parents who returned to work in their home town of Falkirk within months of his birth. Several family members were also footballers at local teams, and he was related to the Australian international cricketer Bob Simpson.
After his football career, he settled in Falkirk for the rest of his days, running a public house in the town; he died in 1959 and is interred in Falkirk Cemetery.