# Andy McCombie

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**Andrew McCombie** (30 June 1876 – 28 March 1952) was a Scottish international [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played at [right back](/source/Defender_(association_football)) for [North East England](/source/North_East_England) rival clubs [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.) and [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.).[2] He won [the Football League](/source/The_Football_League) championship with both clubs, and was twice on the losing side in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) final. He went on to have a long career as a coach with Newcastle.

## Career

### Sunderland

McCombie was born in [Inverness](/source/Inverness) (where he was a neighbour of future teammate [Peter McWilliam](/source/Peter_McWilliam))[3][4] and started his career at [Inverness Thistle](/source/Inverness_Thistle_F.C.) before moving south of the border to join [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.) in December 1898. He made his first team debut away to [Sheffield Wednesday](/source/Sheffield_Wednesday_F.C.) on 18 February 1899, while regular right-back [Philip Bach](/source/Philip_Bach) was playing for [England](/source/England_national_football_team) at [Roker Park](/source/Roker_Park), [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland). In Bach's absence on international duty, McCombie took over at right-back in a 1–0 victory.[5] Bach was unable to regain his place, making only two further appearances before he was transferred to [Middlesbrough](/source/Middlesbrough_F.C.).

McCombie was an ever-present in [his first full season](/source/1899%E2%80%931900_in_English_football#First_Division), with Sunderland finishing third in the League table. [The following season](/source/1900%E2%80%9301_in_English_football) McCombie only missed one game as Sunderland finished runners-up, with McCombie and [Jimmy Watson](/source/Jimmy_Watson_(footballer_born_1877)) teaming up in front of goalkeeper [Ned Doig](/source/Ned_Doig). The three Scottish internationals appeared in a notable total of 109 league and cup games between February 1900 and February 1904.[6]

In [1901–02](/source/1901%E2%80%9302_in_English_football#First_Division) McCombie missed the final eight games, as Sunderland claimed the Championship by a three-point margin over [Everton](/source/Everton_F.C.).

In [1903–04](/source/1903%E2%80%9304_in_English_football), Sunderland were rocked by a financial scandal involving McCombie. Sunderland's board of Directors gave the player £100 to start up in business, with the view that his benefit game would see him repay the money. The benefit game (unusually, a league fixture against Middlesbrough rather than a friendly)[7] drew in £500 for the player but cost the club in expenses; they requested McCombie repay the £100 but he viewed it as a gift and refused to do so.[7][3] After a subsequent County Court judgement found in the club's favour, [The Football Association](/source/The_Football_Association) launched an inquiry and agreed with McCombie, stating that it was a "resigning/win/draw bonus" and furthermore the books of Sunderland showed financial irregularities, violating the rules of the game. Sunderland were fined £250, with six directors being suspended for two and a half years, and manager [Alex Mackie](/source/Alex_Mackie) receiving a suspension.[4]

His final appearance for Sunderland was in a 6–0 victory over [Bury](/source/Bury_F.C.) on 23 January 1904.[8] His last goal came against his future employers, a penalty in a 1–1 draw at Roker Park on 1 January 1904.[9] In his 5 years with Sunderland, he made a total of 164 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals.

### Newcastle United

In February 1904, McCombie was transferred to Sunderland's [arch-rivals](/source/Tyne-Wear_derby) [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.), being keen to stay in the area due to the business he had set up with the financial assistance from his former employers; he is reported to have signed for £700,[2][4][7] a world record [transfer fee](/source/Transfer_(football)), exceeding the [£520 paid by Sunderland in June 1904](/source/Progression_of_British_football_transfer_fee_record) for [Alf Common](/source/Alf_Common). He was to remain on the payroll at Newcastle until shortly before his death.

He made his Newcastle debut in a 4–1 victory over [Notts County](/source/Notts_County_F.C.) on 13 February 1904.[10] In his first match back at [Roker Park](/source/Roker_Park) for his new employers on 24 December 1904 he scored a first-minute [own goal](/source/Own_goal) as Sunderland ran out 3–1 victors.[11] In [his first full season](/source/1904-05_in_English_football#First_Division) at [St James' Park](/source/St_James'_Park) he missed only three games as Newcastle claimed [the Football League](/source/The_Football_League) title for the first time by a single point margin over Everton.

He was part of the Newcastle United team which was beaten 2–0 by [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.) at the [Crystal Palace](/source/Crystal_Palace_National_Sports_Centre) ground in the [1905 FA Cup Final](/source/1905_FA_Cup_Final). He was to return to Crystal Palace for the [1906 FA Cup Final](/source/1906_FA_Cup_Final), when he was again on the losing side as Newcastle went down 1–0 to Everton.

Newcastle claimed the title for a second time in [1906–07](/source/1906%E2%80%9307_in_English_football#First_Division) with McCombie making 26 appearances. In Newcastle's third championship season, [1908–09](/source/1908%E2%80%9309_in_English_football), McCombie only made one appearance. He remained as a player at St James' Park until 1910, with his final game being a 4–0 defeat at [Aston Villa](/source/Aston_Villa_F.C.) on 27 April 1910.[12]

In his six years at Newcastle, he made a total of 132 first team appearances, never scoring.[7]

### International

McCombie's first international appearance for [Scotland](/source/Scotland_national_football_team) came in a 1–0 victory over [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team) on 9 March 1903. In the next match, against [England](/source/England_national_football_team) on 4 April, he was teamed in defence with his Sunderland colleagues, Doig and Watson, resulting in a Scottish victory by 2 goals to 1.[13] In the wake of his first title win with Newcastle in 1905, he made two further appearances for Scotland with a 3–1 loss to Wales on 6 March and a 1–0 defeat by England on 1 April; in the latter match, played at Crystal Palace, he partnered Jimmy Watson in defence and was joined by *Magpies* teammates [Andy Aitken](/source/Andy_Aitken_(footballer_born_1877)), Peter McWilliam and [James Howie](/source/James_Howie_(footballer)).

McCombie's family was [Gaelic](/source/Scottish_Gaelic)-speaking and he was one of the first players with the indigenous language to have been selected for Scotland, something usually attributed to [Johnny MacKenzie](/source/Johnny_MacKenzie) 50 years later.[4]

### Coaching career

After retiring as a player, he remained on Newcastle United's coaching staff, rising to become the first team trainer by the time he retired in 1950 and died two years later in 1952.

## Honours

**Sunderland**

- [Football League](/source/Football_League) champions: [1901–02](/source/1901%E2%80%9302_Football_League)

**Newcastle United**

- [Football League](/source/Football_League) champions: [1904–05](/source/1904%E2%80%9305_Football_League), [1906–07](/source/1906%E2%80%9307_Football_League#First_Division)
- [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup): runner-up: [1905](/source/1905_FA_Cup_Final), [1906](/source/1906_FA_Cup_Final)

## See also

- [List of Scottish Gaelic-speaking people](/source/List_of_Scottish_Gaelic-speaking_people)

## References

1. [Height and weight of Sunderland FC players](https://playupliverpool.com/1902/09/15/height-and-weight-of-sunderland-f-c-players/), Athletic News, 15 September 1902 (via Play Up Liverpool)

1. (Smith 2013, p. 175)

1. [Into the Light: A Complete History of Sunderland Football Club](https://books.google.com/books?id=KODoUTDdht4C&dq=Andy+mccombie+700&pg=PT20), Roger Hutchinson, 2011, ISBN 9781780573243

1. [First Gael, the Firhill Flyer, a Perhaps and a Maybe or Two](https://www.scotsfootballworldwide.scot/McCombie), Scots Football Worldwide

1. ["Sheffield Wednesday 0 Sunderland 1, 18 February 1899"](http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Match.aspx?MatchID=4434&LU=S&LUID=20). *thestatcat.co.uk*. Retrieved 22 December 2017.

1. ["Article on Ned Doig"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212604/http://www.doigsden.co.uk/NedDoig.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.doigsden.co.uk/NedDoig.htm) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2008.

1. [Andrew McCombie](http://toon1892.com/detail_player.php?id=495), toon1892

1. [Sunderland 6 Bury 0, 23 January 1904 (Match summary)](http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4225.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080723144651/http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4225.asp) 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine

1. [Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1, 1 January 1904 (Match summary)](http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4221.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080516094609/http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4221.asp) 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine

1. [Newcastle United 4 Notts County 1, 13 February 1904 (Match summary)](http://www.khscott.org.uk/nufc/includes/match_detail.php?id=248)[dead link]

1. [Sunderland 3 Newcastle United 1, 24 December 1904 (Match summary)](http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4183.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080517024124/http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4183.asp) 17 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine

1. [Aston Villa 4 Newcastle United 0, 27 April 1910 (Match summary)](http://www.khscott.org.uk/nufc/includes/match_detail.php?id=1796)[dead link]

1. [England 1 Scotland 2, 4 April 1903 (Match summary)](http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/games/19030404.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071103040128/http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/games/19030404.html) 3 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine

**Sources**

- Smith, Paul (2013). *Scotland Who's Who*. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781909178847.

## External links

- [Sunderland profile](http://www.a-love-supreme.com/100%20greatest/50-41.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160322231017/http://www.a-love-supreme.com/100%20greatest/50-41.htm) 22 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- [Complete Sunderland record](https://web.archive.org/web/20080329235155/http://thestatcat.co.uk/Mplayers/MPG546.asp)
- [Scotland profile](http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/andrewmccombie.html)
- [Complete Newcastle United record](http://www.khscott.org.uk/nufc/template_player.php?pid=495)[dead link]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Andy McCombie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_McCombie) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_McCombie?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.