Born: 18 January 1882

Born in: Dundee

Died: 17 June 1965

Other clubs: Belmont Athletic (1898-1901), Dundee Violet (1901-02), Dundee (1902–03), Celtic (1903-04), Bristol City (1904-10), Gillingham (1913-15), Mahoning Valleys, Republican Iron and Steel Soccer Club (-1932)

Signed from: Bristol City

Joined Liverpool: 30.04.1910

Debut: 24 Sep 1910

Final appearance: 14 Dec 1912

Debut goal: 24 Sep 1910

Last goal: 27 Apr 1912

Contract until: 16.07.1913

League: Apps / Goals: 40 / 16

All Competitions: Apps / Goals: 40 / 16

Player Profile

Gilligan moved from Scottish Cup champions Celtic, where he had scored 13 goals in ten games, to second division Bristol City before the 1904/05 season. He was an instant success, scoring 17 goals in 37 games in his debut season and 20 goals in 37 League games when City won the Second Division in the 1905/06 season. He played for the Bristol City team who lost 1-0 to Manchester United in the 1909 FA Cup final and a year later moved to League runners-up Liverpool. Gilligan made a scoring debut at Manchester City on 24 September 1910 and although he was also selected for the next game at home to Everton, he wasn't picked for the first team again until February, when he started a run of 13 matches until the end of that 1910/11 season. His appearances were more frequent the following year, but Liverpool were on the brink of relegation on the last day when the Reds faced Oldham at Boundary Park. Gilligan was Liverpool's hero on the day scoring the winner in the second minute, his eleventh goal from 23 games, and keeping his club in the top division. He left for Gillingham the following summer and stayed there two years as player-manager in the Southern league.