Adam Scott Mathieson Duncan (2 November 1888 – 3 October 1976) was a Scottish
football player and manager, who played as an
outside right
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
. He made over 100 appearances for
Rangers, played in England for
Newcastle United, winning
the Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in Association football around the wor ...
title in
1908–09. He also had three spells with
Dumbarton
Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990.
Dumbarton was the ca ...
, and played for
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
and guested for
Celtic. As a manager, he led
Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Accies, or The Accies, is a Scottish football club from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire who currently compete in the Scottish Championship, having been relegated from the 2020–21 Scotti ...
and
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
before going to England, where he managed
Manchester United and then
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. They play in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.
The club was founded in 1878 but did not turn profession ...
, the latter for 18 years.
Career
Playing career
Born in
Dumbarton
Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990.
Dumbarton was the ca ...
, Duncan was working as a law clerk when he joined his home-town club
Dumbarton
Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990.
Dumbarton was the ca ...
in 1906.
He moved to
Newcastle United in March 1908 for a fee of
£200. A versatile forward, although primarily an outside-right, he scored 12 times in 81 league games for the Magpies and was a member of the
1908–09 English Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engl ...
championship winning side.
In May 1913, he returned to Scotland, moving to
Rangers for a fee of £750. He remained with Rangers during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, in which he served as a signalling instructor in the
Royal Field Artillery. He also played two wartime games for
Celtic. In 1918 he rejoined Dumbarton and in the 1920 close season signed for
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
. In 1922 he rejoined Dumbarton for a third time, but retired at the end of the
1922–23 season.
Managerial and coaching career
Duncan was appointed as secretary-manager of
Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Accies, or The Accies, is a Scottish football club from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire who currently compete in the Scottish Championship, having been relegated from the 2020–21 Scotti ...
in the summer of 1923. He left in October 1925 to take over as secretary-manager of
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 189 ...
and had seven successful years at the club, keeping them in the
Scottish First Division
The Scottish Football League First Division was the second tier in the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The First Division was introduced in 1975–76 to replace the old Scottish Football League Division Two, as ...
throughout his time in charge.
In June 1932 he was appointed as secretary-manager of
Manchester United. Despite spending a lot of money on players, United were almost relegated to the
Third Division in the
1933–34 season. However, Duncan turned things around and led United to the
Second Division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
championship in the
1935–36 season. However, they were relegated the following season and, in November 1937, he resigned to become manager of
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. They play in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.
The club was founded in 1878 but did not turn profession ...
, who were then a
Southern League side.
At the end of the
1938–39 season Ipswich were elected into the
English Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engl ...
despite finishing third in the
Southern League. Duncan remained with Ipswich Town as manager for 18 years, winning the
Third Division (South)
The Third Division South of The Football League was a tier in the English football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran in parallel with the Third Division North with clubs elected to the League or relegated from Division Two allocated to o ...
title in the
1953–54 season. However, Town were relegated the following season and Duncan stood down as manager in August 1955 season when
Alf Ramsey took over. He remained as secretary for three further years.
He was honoured with a
testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, particularly in association football in the United Kingdom and South America, where a club has a match to honour a player for servic ...
at the end of the
1957–58 season against
Norwich City
Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or The Yellows) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club competes in the EFL Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in the 20 ...
at
Portman Road
Portman Road is a football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, which has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C. since 1884. The stadium has also hosted many England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly internation ...
, which Ipswich won 3–1.
He returned to live in Scotland in his retirement until his death in 1976, at the age of 87.
Honours
As a player
;Newcastle United
*
First Division:
1908–09
*
FA Charity Shield:
1909
Events
January–February
* January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes.
* January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama.
* Jan ...
As a manager
;Manchester United
*
Second Division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
:
1935–36
;Ipswich Town
*
Division Three South
The Third Division South of The Football League was a tier in the English football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran in parallel with the Third Division North with clubs elected to the League or relegated from Division Two allocated to o ...
:
1953–54
Managerial statistics
See also
*
Played for Celtic and Rangers
References
External links
*
Manager's profileat Pride of Anglia (fansite)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Scott
1888 births
1975 deaths
Scottish footballers
Dumbarton F.C. players
Newcastle United F.C. players
Rangers F.C. players
Celtic F.C. players
Cowdenbeath F.C. players
Celtic F.C. wartime guest players
Scottish football managers
Hamilton Academical F.C. managers
Cowdenbeath F.C. managers
Manchester United F.C. managers
Ipswich Town F.C. managers
Scottish soldiers
Royal Field Artillery soldiers
British Army personnel of World War I
Scottish Football League managers
Sportspeople from Dumbarton
Footballers from West Dunbartonshire
Association football outside forwards
Clydebank Juniors F.C. players
Glasgow United F.C. players
Scottish Junior Football Association players