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Hughie Gallacher

Gallacher was born in Scotland and his first club was Queen of the South. It's unknown how many games he played for the club, during that year he had a long spell out after almost dying of double pneumonia. He transfereed to Airdrieonians where he inspired the tiny club to three Scottish League runner up positions and a Scottish cup, their first ever trophy.

He moved to Newcastle in 1925 and made an immediate impact by scoring 15 goals in his first 9 games and ended the season with 23 goals in 19 games and despite signing halfway through the season, he was the clubs top scorer.

The following season he was given the captaincy and he guided Newcastle to their first League Championship since 1909 having scored 36 goals in 38 games.

Gallacher always maintained his highscoring rate at Newcastle, he scored 21 goals in 1927/28, 24 goals in 1928/29 and 29 goals in 1929/30.

At Newcastle he scored a total of 143 goals in 174 games and up to this date no other player in Newcastle history has ever come close to matching such a phenominal goals to game ratio.

Gallacher, however, had never been on good terms with the Newcastle directors and much to the fans fury he was sold to Chelsea in 1930 but such was his popularity amongst supporters that when Chelsea visited St.James Park. 68,386 people turned up to the game with thousands of fans having to be locked out. To this day that remains a record attendance for the club.

His move to Derby County in 1934 caused controversy. it was alleged that he had accepted illegal money as part of the transfer. As a result Derby County were censured and the manager was suspended.

He then moved to Notts County and Grimsby before ending his career in Gateshead.

In 624 career appearances he scored 463 goals, an amazing strike rate that even some of todays top stars such as Thierry Henry would struggle to achieve. Gallacher also scored 23 goals in 20 international appearances for Scotland, including five in a game on more than one occassion.

Gallacher continued to live in Gateshead after his retirement, he tried his hand at sports journalism which led to him being banned from St.James' Park for his criticisms of the club, unfortunately he lost his wife due to illness and began drinking heavily. In 1957 he was charged with mis treatment towards his son after trowing an ashtray during an argment. On the day he was due to court he committed suicide on a railway line in Gateshead, the newspapers ran with the headline 'Hughie of the Magic Feet is Dead'.

A strike rate of 82% makes Hughie Gallacher, probably the greatest striker that ever lived.

Info

Full name: Hughie Gallacher
DOB: 2nd February 1903
Death: 11th June 1957
Place of Birth: Bellshill, Scotland
Position: Striker

Facts

Hughie committed suicide on a railway line in Gateshead in 1957, he was due to appear in court over charges of ill treatment of his son on the same day.

In 1934 he ended up in the bankruptcy court due to a prolonged and acrimonious divorce.

When Hughie returned to Newcastle with Chelsea over 68,000 fans turned upto the game, to this day that remains a club record attendance.