Bobby Archibald

Bobby Archibald

Personal information
Full name	Robert Fleming Archibald[1]
Date of birth	6 November 1894
Place of birth	Strathaven, Scotland[1]
Date of death	January 1966 (aged 71–72)[1]
Place of death	Scotland
Playing position	Outside-left
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1912–1913	Albion Rovers	7	(5)
1912–1913	Hibernian	1	(1)
1913–1914	Third Lanark	2	(0)
1913–1914	Albion Rovers	17	(5)
1914–1917	Aberdeen	69	(10)
1916–1917	Rangers (loan)	12	(3)
1917–1918	Ayr United	1	(0)
1918–1919	Dumbarton (loan)[2]	4	(0)
1919–1920	Aberdeen	40	(6)
1920–1924	Raith Rovers	146	(10)
1924–1925	Third Lanark	38	(2)
1925–1931	Stoke City	262	(37)
1932–1933	Barnsley	6	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Robert Fleming "Bobby" Archibald (6 November 1894 – January 1966) was a footballer who played in the Football League for Barnsley and Stoke City.^[1][3]

Archibald played for a number of Scottish clubs before joining Stoke City in 1925. He helped Stoke win the Football League Third Division North in 1926–27 and became a consistent performer for Stoke at outside-left. He racked up 276 appearances for Stoke in seven seasons and he scored 40 goals. He ended his career with Barnsley and later became an insurance agent in Glasgow and a scout for Bradford City.

Career

Archibald was born in Strathaven and played for Rutherglen Glencairn, Albion Rovers, Third Lanark before joining Aberdeen in 1914.^[1] During World War I he played for Rangers and his army regiment in France and Denmark.^[1] On 25 August 1925 at the age of 29 he joined English side Stoke City and made a fine impression scoring on his debut against Stockport County on the opening day of the 1925–26, but a new look Stoke side failed to gel together and the side agonisingly slipped towards relegation to the Third Division.^[1] Archibald was a small player at just 5 ft 4in tall and weighing just 10 stone, His physique enabled him to become a fast player and his skill on the wings marked him out as one of the few class acts in the side relegated from the Second Division for the first time.^[1] He was renowned for his consistency, from his debut he played 58 consecutive matches before pulling a muscle against Rochdale in November 1927 and missed just six matches in the next six seasons.^[1]

His fine footwork proved to be too much for Third Division full backs as he set up numerous chances for Charlie Wilson to score his 25 goals as Stoke won the Football League Third Division North title.^[1] After six years of fine service he was awarded a benefit match, he chose the final home match of the 1930–31 season against West Bromwich Albion.^[1] The second highest crowd of the season, 26,064 paid £1,540 6s 2d to bid farewell to Archibald.^[1] He spent one more season at the Victoria Ground during which the now 38-year-old lost his place to Harold Taylor. Once manager Tom Mather had brought in Joe Johnson in April 1932 he allowed Archibald to join Barnsley.^[1] He played just eight matches for the "Tykes" and after spending several seasons in the reserves he retired in May 1937 at the age of 42.^[1]

Personal life

At the end of his career he returned to his native Glasgow where he became an insurance agent and scouted from time to time for Bradford City manager Fred Westgarth. His younger brother Jock was also a footballer.

Archibald was a very modern man for his generation, who always required the latest gadget, he would constantly use his wireless set in the dressing room for hours and was one of the few Stoke players to own his own car.^[1]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aberdeen	1914–15	Scottish First Division	31	3	0	0	31	3
	1915–16	Scottish First Division	38	7	0	0	38	7
	1919–20	Scottish First Division	40	6	4	0	44	6
	Total		109	16	4	0	113	16
Stoke City	1925–26	Second Division	42	10	2	0	44	10
	1926–27	Third Division North	37	6	0	0	37	6
	1927–28	Second Division	41	6	4	2	45	8
	1928–29	Second Division	41	7	1	0	42	7
	1929–30	Second Division	40	4	1	0	41	4
	1930–31	Second Division	40	3	3	1	43	4
	1931–32	Second Division	21	1	3	0	24	1
	Total		262	37	14	3	276	40
Barnsley	1932–33	Third Division North	6	1	2	0	8	1
	Total		6	1	2	0	8	1
Career Total			401	54	16	3	417	57

Honours

with Stoke City

• Football League Third Division North Champions: 1926–27

References

1. Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.
2. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
3. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.