Drew Busby

Drew Busby
Personal information
Full name Andrew Douglas Busby[1]
Date of birth (1947-12-08)8 December 1947
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 1 July 2022(2022-07-01) (aged 74)
Position(s) Midfielder, forward
Youth career
Dumbarton United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1967 Third Lanark 11 (5)
1967 Partick Thistle 1 (0)
1967–1970 Vale of Leven ? (?)
1970–1973 Airdrieonians 93 (43)
1973–1979 Heart of Midlothian 178 (55)
1979–1980 Toronto Blizzard 51 (8)
1979–1980 → Barrow (loan) 10 (3)
1980–1982 Morton 51 (5)
1982–1984 Queen of the South 45 (11)
Total 440 (131)
Managerial career
1982–1984 Queen of the South
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andrew Douglas Busby (8 December 1947 – 1 July 2022) was a Scottish footballer who played for Third Lanark, Airdrieonians, Hearts, Toronto Blizzard and Morton. Busby also served Queen of the South as their player-manager.

Career

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Busby started his senior career at Third Lanark, but the club went out of business in 1967 at the end of his first season. Drew scored Thirds' last goal in a 5–1 defeat at Boghead against Dumbarton on 28 April.[2] Without a club, he dropped down to Junior level for three seasons, playing for his local side Vale of Leven.[3]

Busby returned to the senior game in 1970 with Airdrieonians. Known for his robust style of play, he formed a formidable attacking partnership with Drew Jarvie and scored 43 goals in 93 league games.[4] With Airdrie facing relegation in 1973, Hearts manager Bobby Seith stepped in to sign Busby for a fee of £35,000.[5] In six seasons at Tynecastle, Busby scored 84 goals in all competitions, played in the 1976 Scottish Cup Final and was popular with the Hearts support. Relegation for the second time in three seasons however forced the club to cut costs and Busby was released at the end of the 1978–79 campaign.[6]

Following two seasons in the NASL with the nascent Toronto Blizzard,[7] Busby returned to Scotland and joined Morton (scoring on his league debut for the Greenock club) before becoming player-manager of Dumfries club Queen of the South in 1982. After two seasons with little success, Busby retired in 1984. Former players, Ted McMinn, Jimmy Robertson and George Cloy have all subsequently been interviewed by the club and spoken well of Busby. Crawford Boyd cited a difference of opinion with Busby as being behind his own departure from Queens.[8]

Busby was the landlord of the Waverley Bar in Dumbarton.[3] He published an autobiography in July 2013, "The Drew Busby Story".[9] In May 2014 he was inducted into the Airdrieonians Hall Of Fame at the annual Player Of The Year Award Dinner.

Busby died on 1 July 2022, at the age of 74.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "Andrew Douglas Busby Record vs Heart of Midlothian". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  2. ^ Neil Cameron (11 June 2008). "I'd love to lose tag as Third Lanark's last scorer, says Drew Busby". Daily Record. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Senior Football Players from the Vale of Leven in the 20th Century". The Vale of Leven Story. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Fergie's real 'worst ever': a 7–1 blitz at Airdrie". The Scotsman. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Drew Busby Forward / Midfield". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Heroes: Drew Busby". Hearts FC. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Drew Busby". North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  8. ^ Ted McMinn, Jimmy Robertson, George Cloy and Crawford Boyd interviews including memories of Drew Busby
  9. ^ "Book on Busby | Hearts News | Hearts News | News | Hearts | Hearts". Archived from the original on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  10. ^ Anderson, Barry (1 July 2022). "Former Hearts hero Drew Busby dies aged 74". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Vale of Leven legend Drew Busby dies aged 74". July 2022.
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