John Ferguson (September 17, 1887 – September 19, 1973) was a football (soccer) full back. He began his career in Scotland before moving to England, then the United States. He earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1925. He is a member of the

National Soccer Hall of Fame The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 and currently located in Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The Hall of Fame honors soccer achievements in the United States. Induction ...

Professional career

Born in

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

, Ferguson began his career with Scottish club

Arbroath Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( gd, Obar Bhrothaig ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast some ENE of Dundee and SSW of Aberdeen. The ...

; he then played for

St Johnstone St Johnstone Football Club is a professional association football club in Perth, Scotland which is a member of the Scottish Premiership for the 2022–23 season. The club's name is derived from St John's Toun ''aka'' Saint Johnstoun – an old ...

and hometown club

before moving to English club

Leeds City Leeds City Football Club was the leading professional club in Leeds, England, before the First World War. It was dissolved in 1919 due to financial irregularities, after which Leeds United was established as a replacement. History The club was ...

at the end of the 1911–12 season.Ferguson: John (Jock)
Leeds United F.C. History. Retrieved 23 March 2022 In early 1915, he moved to the United States, eventually signing with Bethlehem Steel. There is no clear information on when he signed with Bethlehem but his first game was an exhibition match against the University of Pennsylvania on April 12, 1915. From that game on, Ferguson became a regular on the Bethlehem rosters. From 1915 to 1919, he played in five consecutive

National Challenge Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in that country. The 2023 U.S. O ...

finals as Bethlehem Steel won four, losing only the 1917 title game to the Fall River Rovers. In the first few years of Ferguson's time with Bethlehem, the team competed in various amateur Pennsylvania leagues. In 1917, they joined the professional National Association Football League, winning three consecutive league titles from 1919 to 1921. In 1921, the first American Soccer League replaced the NAFBL. Bethlehem's owners decided to move the team to Philadelphia, renaming the team the

Philadelphia Field Club Philadelphia Field Club is a name used by four soccer teams based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All four versions of Philadelphia F.C. competed in the first American Soccer League, but none were in any way related to the other three teams whic ...

for the 1921–1922 ASL season. Ferguson spent that season in Philadelphia, winning the first ASL league title. In 1922, he moved to J&P Coats. He won the 1922–23 league title, giving him five league and four Challenge Cup titles. On September 8, 1923, he returned to Bethlehem, winning one last league title in the 1927. However, by 1924, age and injuries had conspired to limit his playing time. While he continued to play sporadically, filling in when Bethlehem had injuries to its backline, until his retirement in 1928 at the age of forty-two, he spent most of his time as the team's trainer. During his second stint with Bethlehem, he traded playing time with his younger brother, Davey Ferguson. He died in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania aged 86.

National team

Ferguson earned one cap with the U.S. national team in a 1–0 loss to Canada on June 27, 1925.U.S. International Results
He was inducted into the

in 1950.

References

External links

National Soccer Hall of Fame profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Jock 1887 births 1973 deaths Scottish footballers American soccer players Footballers from Dundee Arbroath F.C. players St Johnstone F.C. players Dundee F.C. players Leeds City F.C. players Dundee North End F.C. players Gateshead F.C. players Clydebank F.C. (1914) players Scottish Football League players Scottish Junior Football Association players Scottish emigrants to the United States United States men's international soccer players National Association Football League players American Soccer League (1921–1933) players Bethlehem Steel F.C. (1907–1930) players Philadelphia Field Club players J&P Coats players National Soccer Hall of Fame members Association football defenders

Professional career

National team

See also

References

External links