But there was still time for football, begun with Glencraig Celtic and then at nineteen with Celtic itself. In fact he, a centre-half, must have been seen as something of an investment for he was immediately loaned out to, first, Vale of Leven, and, as The Great War began, to Abercorn before joining the army, fighting for much of he rest of the conflict on the Front and somehow coming out of that horror with just hand injuries.

However, on demobilisation he found himself, shall we say, half released by Parkhead. As Willy Maley let him go, his brother, Alex Maley, took him on him at Clydebank, where he was soon noticed for his tackling and distribution, a Scottish centre-half par excellence, with in 1920 Hull City, then in English Second Division, coming in for him. And there at the then Anlaby Road ground by the Humber he was to enjoy two good season culminating in 1922 in a fifth-place finish, his sale in March aged twenty-seven to First Division Sunderland, a single cap and his marriage in Troon.

His wife was local girl, Margaret Clearie. They were to have one child, born in 1923 and presumably in Sunderland, but whilst he would remain on Wearside for three seasons they would not be a success. He carried a knee injury for much of the time until in 1925 at thirty was allowed to join Bradford City, dropping a division, remaining for two seasons but relegated until at thirty-two a final campaign but few starts at Queens Park Rangers.