Arthur Duncan (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 December 1947 | ||
| Place of birth | Falkirk, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1965–1969 | Partick Thistle | 118 | (29) |
| 1969–1984 | Hibernian | 446 | (73) |
| 1984–1987 | Meadowbank Thistle | 34 | (0) |
| Total | 598 | (102) | |
| National team | |||
| 1967–76 | Scottish League XI | 4 | (0) |
| 1975 | Scotland | 6 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Arthur Duncan (born 5 December 1947) is a retired Scottish football player, who was capped six times by Scotland and currently holds the record for the most number of league appearances for Hibernian.
Duncan played for Hibernian from 1969 until 1984. Originally under manager Willie Macfarlane, he then featured in the teams of the 1970s managed by Eddie Turnbull, which were known as Turnbull's Tornadoes. This team won the Scottish League Cup in 1972 and finished second in the league in 1974 and 1975, which was Hibs' greatest period of sustained success since the Famous Five team of the early 1950s. A highlight of Duncan's time at Hibs was when he scored twice in the club's 7–0 victory at the home of arch rivals Hearts on 1 January 1973.[1]
Towards the end of this period, Duncan won international recognition, making his Scotland debut against Portugal on 13 May 1975. Duncan featured in the three Home Internationals that season, including the infamous 5–1 defeat by England at Wembley. Duncan won the last of his six caps later that year against Denmark. Coincidentally, this was the game that was marred by an incident afterwards where five players (Billy Bremner, Willie Young, Joe Harper, Pat McCluskey and Arthur Graham) were allegedly ejected from a nightclub in Copenhagen. Those players were banned from playing for Scotland, initially for life, but the bans were eventually commuted.
Duncan continued to play for Hibs as the club's fortunes declined in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The club did reach the 1979 Scottish Cup Final, but Duncan's own goal during extra time in the second replay proved to be the winning goal for Rangers. As Hibs have not won the Scottish Cup since 1902, his own goal has given Duncan the unwanted distinction of being the only Hibs player to have scored the winning goal in a Scottish Cup Final since then. Nonetheless, Duncan is highly regarded amongst the Hibs support for his long service and the memorable moments he helped to provide.[2][3]
References
- ↑ Mon 01 Jan 1973 Division 1 Hearts 0 Hibernian 7 www.londonhearts.com
- ↑ Hibs goal is to attract Northern Ireland fans, Edinburgh Evening News, 14 May 2008.
- ↑ Northern Ireland Hibs Social Club function 2008, www.hibernian-mad.co.uk, 13 May 2008.