Robert McFarlane: Man United right-back Profile & Stats
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Portrait of Robert McFarlane

Robert McFarlane

Position: right-back

Scotland Scotland flag

PWDLFA

HAN P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 2 1 0 1 8 5 +3 50.00
A 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 100.00
TOTALS 3 2 0 1 10 5 +5 66.67

Name: Robert McFarlane
Birthdate: 00-00-0000
Age: 0
Birthplace: Airdrie, Scotland
Height: 5' 8" (1.73m)
Weight: 12st 4lbs (78.2kg)
Years at Club: 1891-1892
Signing Info: Transferred from: Sunderland Albion, 08/1891, £
Previous Clubs: Airdrieonians, Bootle, Sunderland Albion
Debut: 03/10/1891 v Manchester City (North Road) 5-1 (FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round)
Farewell: Transferred to Airdrieonians, 08/1892, £
Passed Away: 26/10/1898

Biography

Newton Heath found an excellent and experienced right-back for 1891-92, name of Robert McFarlane. He was a 5'8", 12-plus stone Scotsman who was "splendid at recovery, a good sprinter and tackler". The Heathens were so impressed they promptly made him captain upon his arrival.
McFarlane was only 12 years old when he hooked up with Violet club in his hometown of Airdrie. When that club disbanded two years later, he crossed over to another local side called Caledonians where he played at outside-left! At 15, he was invited to assist Airdrie's reserves in a cup-tie against Kilmarnock and he did such a good job he was signed on full time. By 1883, Bob had cemented a place in the first team and went on to win both the Lanarkshire Cup and Airdrie Charity Cup three years on the trot.
Third Lanark liked what they saw in McFarlane, snapping him up in 1888 and playing him at half-back. His conversion to full-back was complete later in the year when English side Bootle obtained his services as they competed in the Football Combination. In 1889-90, when they entered into the Football Alliance, McFarlane missed the opening game then appeared in the remaining 21 outings to help Bootle finish as runners-up.
McFarlane joined Sunderland Albion in 1890 and helped them to finish in second spot this time, missing only three league matches all season. That was when he arrived at North Road, as a successor to John Mitchell at Newton Heath's right-back slot. The new captain made his debut in a friendly against Port Vale on September 1st, 1891, and played in a total of 39 matches all season. Injury kept him out for a month around the turn of the year but Bob played in 18 league matches as Heath finished... second - there were only three Football Alliance campaigns and Bob McFarlane was runner-up in all of them!
Bob also found love in Manchester, marrying his teammates Jack and Roger Doughty's sister, Ellen, that year, which would indicate he had smoothed matters over with Jack - the Welshman was reprimanded by the FA in 1889 when he reacted to a trip by the then Bootle back by kicking him! Bob signed on with the Heathens as they gained entry into the Football League in the summer of 1892. However, after spending that summer back home (and collecting wages all along), he was approached by his old club Airdrieonians and convinced to return to them as an amateur.
Much to Heath's chagrin, McFarlane returned to become "one of the best backs in Scotland". He played for Airdrieonians for several years from 1892-93 onwards. Six league matches into the 1898-99 season, however, while training for the next game, Bob caught a chill and contracted pneumonia. On October 26th, he sadly passed away in his home in Hallcraig, Airdrie, still only 31 years of age. Bob married Ellen the sister of team mates Jack & Roger Doughty. Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.
 
League League Cup FA Cup Charity Shield European Cup Europa League Super Cup Cup Winners Cup Inter-cont Cup World Clubs Cup    
Season Goals Season Apps
No Season League Goals League Apps LC Goals LC Apps FAC Goals FAC Apps CS Goals CS Apps EC Goals EC Apps Europa Goals Europa Apps SC Goals SC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps IC Goals IC Apps CWC Goals CWC Apps Season
Goals		 Season
Apps
1. 1891-1892 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
TOTALS 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

Detailed Match & Performance Charts

MUFC Player Goals MUFC Player Appearances MUFC Player Opponent Manager MUFC Player Club Manager
No Opponent Goals Appearances
Player has never scored for club.
No Opponent Appearances Goals
1. Manchester City 1 0
2. South Shore 1 0
3. Blackpool 1 0
No Opponent Manager No
1. Furniss, Lawrence 1
2. South Shore Committee 1
3. Blackpool Committee 1
No MUFC Managers Count
1. Albut, Alf 3
Stadiums Competition Opponents Opponent Nationality
No Stadium Count
1. North Road, (Monsall) 2
2. Bloomfield Road 1
No Competition Count
1. FA Cup 3
No Opponent Count
1. Manchester City 1
2. South Shore 1
3. Blackpool 1
No Opponent Nationality Count
1. England 3
Roy Keane own goal v Real Madrid Old Trafford 2000 Cup Finals
No Date Opponent Competition Own Goals
Player has never scored an own goal against the club.
No Date Opponent WDL F-A Competition
Player never featured in a Cup Final.
Penalties scored for Manchester United Manchester United Hat-Tricks
No Date Opponents Competition Penaltys
Player has never scored a penalty for the club.
No Date Opponent Competition Goals
Player has never scored a hat-trick or better during a game.
 
Red Cards  
No Date Opponent Competition
Player has never been sent off during a match.
 

All Matches played
No Date Comp Opponent WDL F-A HAN Goal!! Scorers Opponent scorers
1. 03-10-1891 FAC Manchester City W 5-1 H 0 John Sneddon 44', Alf Farman ??', ??', Roger Doughty ??', Alfred Edge ??' Jack Pearson ??'
2. 14-11-1891 FAC South Shore W 2-0 A 0 Alf Farman 43', Jack Doughty ??'
3. 05-12-1891 FAC Blackpool L 3-4 H 0 Alf Edge ??', ??', Alf Farman ??' (pen) Henry Tyrer ??', ??', ??' (pen), Harry Cookson ??'
 

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