Peter Pursell

Peter Pursell (1 July 1894 – 14 August 1968) was a Scottish footballer. A defender, he won one cap for Scotland in 1914. He was the younger brother of Robert Russell Pursell, and the father of Robert Wilson Pursell.

Peter Pursell
Pursell in a Port Vale squad photo in 1919
Personal information
Full name Peter Pursell[1]
Date of birth (1894-07-01)1 July 1894
Place of birth Campbeltown, Scotland[1]
Date of death 14 August 1968(1968-08-14) (aged 74)[1]
Place of death Glasgow, Scotland[1]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Campbeltown Academicals
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1913–1914 Queens Park 26 (0)
1914–1919 Rangers 128 (1)
1919–1924 Port Vale 169 (0)
1924–1926 Wigan Borough 35 (0)
Congleton Town
Total 358 (1)
National team
1914 Scotland 1 (0)
Teams managed
Congleton Town
Dordrecht
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his senior career at Queens Park, before joining Rangers in 1914. He helped the club to the league title in 1917–18 and 1918–19, before he signed with English club Port Vale for a £2,500 fee in August 1919. He spent five years with the Vale, before joining Wigan Borough for a two-year spell. He later became player-manager at non-league side Congleton Town and then manager at Dutch outfit Dordrecht.

Club career

Queens Park

Pursell played for Campbeltown Academicals and played for one season with Queens Park.[2] He made his Scottish Division One debut on 16 August 1913, in a 4–0 defeat at Dumbarton.[2] He featured 21 times throughout the 1913–14 campaign.[2]

Rangers

He joined Rangers in 1914. He made 31 appearances in 1914–15, as the club finished third in Scottish Division One. He played 20 games in 1915–16, as the Gers finished second behind Old Firm rivals Celtic. The Ibrox Park club again finished third in 1916–17, before winning the league title in 1917–18, with Pursell making 24 appearances. He featured 23 times in 1918–19, as Rangers retained the league title.

Port Vale

He joined Port Vale for a £2,500 fee in August 1919.[1] When Vale were elected to the Football League two months later, the club had to fork out an extra £500 to Rangers for the services of Pursell and Willie Aitken.[1] He played 49 of the club's 51 games in 1919–20, and also helped Vale to lift the Staffordshire Senior Cup and North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup.[1] He played alongside brother Bob in 1920–21, making 34 Second Division appearances.[1] He featured 32 times in 1921–22, though his brother was forced to retire with a broken leg.[1] Pursell featured 42 times in 1922–23 and 25 times in 1923–24, before leaving The Old Recreation Ground for Wigan Borough at the end of the campaign.[1] Pursell played a total of 183 matches for the Vale without finding the net.[1]

Wigan Borough

He played 35 Third Division North games for Wigan, helping the club to finish 11th in 1924–25 and 17th in 1925–26.

International career

Pursell received his sole Scotland cap on 28 February 1914, in a British Home Championship match against Wales which ended in a 0–0 draw.[3]

Managerial career

After leaving Wigan Borough, Pursell became player-manager of Congleton Town and also managed Dutch club Dordrecht.

Statistics

Source:[2][4][5][6]

Club Season Division League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Queens Park 1913–14 Scottish Division One 16050210
Rangers 1914–15 Scottish Division One 31020330
1915–16 Scottish Division One 20030230
1916–17 Scottish Division One 30120321
1917–18 Scottish Division One 24030270
1918–19 Scottish Division One 23030260
Total 12811301411
Port Vale 1919–20 Second Division 33020350
1921–22 Second Division 34010350
1922–23 Second Division 30010310
1923–24 Second Division 41010420
1924–25 Second Division 24000240
Total 1620501670
Wigan Borough 1924–25 Third Division North 32010330
1925–26 Third Division North 300030
Total 35010360
Career total 35812903871

Honours
Rangers
Port Vale

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 242. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "QPFC.com - A Historical Queen's Park FC Website". www.qpfc.com. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  3. "Peter Pursell – A Squad". The Scottish Football Association Fans. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  4. "Player profile". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  5. "Rangers Player Peter Pursell Details". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  6. Peter Pursell at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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