Born: 1 October 1867

Born in: Harthill, Lanarkshire

Died: 8 April 1944

Other clubs: West Benhar, Bo'ness, Leith Athletic (1889-92), Derby County (1895-1901), Queens Park Rangers (1901-02), Gainsborough Trinity (1902-03), Fulham (1903-04), Kilmarnock (1904-05), Hibernian (1905), Norwich City (1909)

Signed from: Leith Athletic

Joined Liverpool: 23.10.1892

Debut: 29 Oct 1892

Final appearance: 20 Apr 1895

Debut goal: 29 Oct 1892

Last goal: 11 Feb 1895

Contract until: 10.06.1895

Honours: Lancashire league 1892/93; Second Division 1893/94

League: Apps / Goals: 39 / 13

All Competitions: Apps / Goals: 61 / 18

Player Profile

Hugh arrived from Leith Athletic, along with his older brother of four years, Matt, who played in all positions at Liverpool and later managed the club. Like his brother, Hugh played  football for West Benhar and Bo'ness before becoming a professional footballer at Leith Athletic. Hugh was a left-winger whose greatest assets were his speed and pinpoint crosses. Only one month after his arrival to Liverpool, Hugh, as well as Matt, missed the 2-0 win over Rossendale in the Lancashire league as Hugh had the previous day got married to Mary Jane Ross in Edinburgh. They had met at a dancing class where Hugh and his teammates used to go to help strengthen their leg muscles. On the marriage certificate Hugh is listed as both a hotel waiter and a professional footballer. Hugh only missed one match as the club remained unbeaten throughout its second division campaign in 1893/94. Hugh nearly lost his life when he dived off a springboard at Southport baths where the team was relaxing on 27 April 1894, the day before the vital Test match against Newton Heath which would determine if Liverpool would be promoted. He was hauled out of the water, admitting later that he couldn't swim!  Liverpool, with Hugh in the side, were promoted after a 2-0 win but struggled to cope with life in the First Division. Hugh left Anfield for Derby County after the club's relegation back to Second Division, wishing to remain in the top-flight. 

Derby had just escaped relegation from First Division, but greatly improved during Hugh's six seasons at the club, finishing League runners-up in 1895/96 and third in 1896/97. Derby were also a great cup team, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals twice in 1896 and 1897 and losing the final in 1898 and 1899. Hugh won a gold medal for being the best player on the losing side in the 1898 final, a small consolation for missing out on the big prize. Hugh played 168 games and scored 22 goals from 1895-1901 at Derby County. On 6 February 1909 Hugh returned to Anfield to a standing ovation as Norwich's trainer when the Canaries managed a famous 3-2 victory in the FA Cup. Hugh actually played his last-ever game a month later when he featured in a 6-1 defeat to Rotherham in the United League on 15 March 1909. He had officially hung up his boots by that time as he was 41-years-old but was called into Canaries' line-up to make up the numbers. Hugh, a life abstainer, was also a well-known cricketer and played for Ipswich. Hugh once played in a charity cricket match with the King who played with a bat presented to Hugh as a boy and broke it! Hugh and Mary Jane had two sons. The younger son, Neil, fought in both world wars and also played football, winning a medal in the Northumberland league. Hugh jr. moved to Canada and served with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in World War I and was tragically killed in action in France on 15 September 1916. After his retirement from the game Hugh became a newsagent and tobacconist in Magdalen Street in Norwich. He passed away on 8 April 1944, five months prior to Matt's death.