John Tait Orr (15 December 1888 – 13 May 1971) was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside forward. Having moved from

Newtongrange Star Newtongrange Star Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the village of Newtongrange, Midlothian. The home ground is New Victoria Park. The facility includes an enclosed pitch with full floodlighting, covered enclosure, changing roo ...

to Blackburn Rovers as a teenager in January 1908, he was often a reserve for the likes of

Eddie Latheron Edwin Gladstone Latheron (22 December 1887 – 14 October 1917) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward for Blackburn Rovers, helping them to win the Football League title in 1912 and 1914. He also made two appearances for En ...

, Jock Simpson, Danny Shea and compatriot Walter Aitkenhead, but had a role in the squads which won the English Football League championship in 1911–12 Football League, 1911–12 and 1913–14 Football League, 1913–14. Towards the end of the latter season, he was selected for the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots international trial match, but this did not lead on to a full Cap (sports), cap. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 disrupted football and led to official competitions in England being cancelled a year later; during the conflict, Orr agreed to play some matches for Blackburn's local rivals Burnley F.C., Burnley and also featured for Preston North End F.C., Preston North End, but otherwise missed out on what would probably have been the peak years of his sporting career, and joined the British Army in 1917. He remained on Blackburn's books until the end of the 1919–20 Football League, 1919–20 season, but made only three post-war league appearances due to injury (despite some callous newspaper reports having predicted that after demobilisation from the armed forces, "he is certain of his place now" – Latheron having been killed in the war). Orr returned to Scotland and made a comeback in his 30s playing for hometown club Leith Athletic F.C., Leith Athletic in minor competitions including the Scottish Football Alliance, and for two seasons in the Scottish Football League Division Three. A benefit match was played for him in 1926.Hibernians Down At Home
''Athletic News'', 3 May 1926, via British Newspaper Archive His uncle Willie Orr was also a football player (Celtic F.C., Celtic, Scotland national football team, Scotland) and manager (Airdrieonians F.C. (1878), Airdrieonians, Leicester City F.C., Leicester City).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Johnny 1888 births 1971 deaths Sportspeople from Leith Footballers from Edinburgh Scottish men's footballers Men's association football forwards Men's association football wing halves Newtongrange Star F.C. players Blackburn Rovers F.C. players Leith Athletic F.C. players Scottish Junior Football Association players Scottish Football League players English Football League players Military personnel from Edinburgh British military personnel of World War I