Walter Rutherford (footballer)

Walter Couper Rutherford (14 January 1891 – 1 December 1944) was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside left.[2][3] He joined Kilmarnock from the junior leagues during World War I and quickly made an impact, scoring a hat-trick against Rangers,[4] playing one match on loan for Rangers a week later,[5] and being selected for the Scottish Football League XI in a fundraising match, all in 1917. However, he sustained a serious injury midway through the next season, with a benefit match being arranged for him against Celtic in April 1919 to provide an income, as he had been unable to work or play football during that time.[6][7] Rutherford did not play for Kilmarnock again but was able to make a comeback of sorts, firstly with non-league Alloa Athletic followed by Ayr United and then Johnstone, with a second, swansong spell there 18 months after his first ended.[3]

Walter Rutherford
Personal information
Full name Walter Couper Rutherford
Date of birth 14 January 1891
Place of birth Hutchesontown, Scotland
Date of death 1 December 1944(1944-12-01) (aged 53)
Place of death Bridgeton, Scotland
Position(s) Inside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Maryhill
Yoker Athletic  
1916–1919 Kilmarnock  52 (12)
1917Rangers (loan)  1 (1)
1919–1920 Alloa Athletic  
1920–1922 Ayr United  12 (3)
1922–1924 Johnstone  27 (7)
1926 Johnstone  15 (2)
Total 109 (25)
International career
1917[1] Scottish League (wartime) 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

References

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  1. ^ Association Football. War Funds Match | The Army XI, 4; Scottish League, 3., The Glasgow Herald, 21 May 1917
  2. ^ (Kilmarnock player) Rutherford, Walter, FitbaStats
  3. ^ a b John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ Kilmarnock in History: Our Shortest Game and the Toll of World War I, Kilmarnock FC, 29 May 2020
  5. ^ (Rangers player) Rutherford, ?, FitbaStats
  6. ^ E.A.MacBride's War Diaries  (Aug 1918-May 1919), The Celt Mag on Tumblr
  7. ^ Kilmarnock in History: Spanish Flu and Cup Glory, Kilmarnock FC, 8 June 2020