# Archie Annan

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**Walter Archibald Annan** (23 March 1877 – 23 January 1949) was a Scottish professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) in the years before [World War I](/source/World_War_I). A [full back](/source/Defender_(association_football)#Full-back), he made over 170 appearances in the [English Football League](/source/English_Football_League).[4] He featured prominently in [Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.)'s successes in the first decade of the 20th century under [manager](/source/Manager_(association_football)) [Harry Thickitt](/source/Harry_Thickitt). He also played for [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.), [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.), and [Burslem Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.). He helped Bristol City to the [Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) title in 1905–06, a second-place finish in the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division) in 1906–07, and also played in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) final in [1909](/source/1909_FA_Cup_final).

## Playing career

### Early career

Born in [Carnwath](/source/Carnwath), [Lanarkshire](/source/Lanarkshire),[3] he was the youngest of 13 children[1] born to Walter Annan, a colliery manager, and his wife Marion (*née* Storry).[2][5] A lifelong [teetotaller](/source/Teetotalism),[1] Annan joined local club West Calder in August 1899, before moving onto Edinburgh club [St Bernard's](/source/St_Bernard's_F.C.) in May 1900. No Scottish league appearances are recorded for either club.[6] In April 1902 he moved to [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.) in the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division) of the [English Football League](/source/English_Football_League). He made a solitary appearance at right-back in a 2–1 win over [Notts County](/source/Notts_County_F.C.) on 4 April 1903, in a season when Sunderland finished third, only a single point behind champions [Sheffield Wednesday](/source/Sheffield_Wednesday_F.C.).[6] In January 1904 he moved on to [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) and made his league debut for the "Blades" at left-back in a 2–0 defeat at [Everton](/source/Everton_F.C.) on 9 January 1904. He made a total of nine appearances as a full-back, deputising for [Harry Thickitt](/source/Harry_Thickitt) and Boyle in [1903–04](/source/1903%E2%80%9304_Football_League). Annan made 18 appearances in [1904–05](/source/1904%E2%80%9305_Football_League), as United finished sixth in the First Division.

### Bristol City

Annan followed [manager](/source/Manager_(association_football)) Harry Thickitt to [Ashton Gate](/source/Ashton_Gate_(stadium)) for £200 in April 1905.[7] When [Bristol City](/source/Bristol_City_F.C.) finished as [Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) champions in [1905–06](/source/1905%E2%80%9306_Football_League), Annan was ever-present with 38 appearances at right-back and formed a notable defensive full-back partnership with [Joe Cottle](/source/Joe_Cottle). Ever present again for a second successive season in [1906–07](/source/1906%E2%80%9307_Football_League), City finished the campaign as runners-up in the First Division. Annan played just 13 games in [1907–08](/source/1907%E2%80%9308_Football_League) as new signing [Bob Young](/source/Bob_Young_(footballer,_born_1886)) was preferred at right-back. In [1908–09](/source/1908%E2%80%9309_Football_League), Annan replaced Young as the regular right-back, making 26 appearances and playing in all 10 [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) ties, including the [1909 FA Cup final](/source/1909_FA_Cup_final) – City lost the final 1–0 to [Manchester United](/source/Manchester_United_F.C.) at [Crystal Palace](/source/Crystal_Palace_National_Sports_Centre). He made 28 appearances in [1909–10](/source/1909%E2%80%9310_Football_League), and was again replaced by Bob Young in the later stages of the season. Annan did not feature in the City team in the [1910–11](/source/1910%E2%80%9311_Football_League) season, as Bristol City were [relegated](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) back to the Second Division.[8] The final league match of the season, a 1–0 defeat to Everton on 29 April 1911, was awarded as a joint benefit for [Arthur Spear](/source/Arthur_Spear) and Archie Annan, although neither played in the game.[7]

### Burslem Port Vale

In July 1911, Annan moved onto [Burslem Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.).[9] He made his debut at the [Athletic Ground](/source/Athletic_Ground_(Cobridge)) in a 1–0 win over [Oldham Athletic Reserves](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) on 4 September. He injured himself in a match against [Crewe Alexandra](/source/Crewe_Alexandra_F.C.) twelve days later.[9] He failed to hold onto his first-team place upon his recovery and was released at the end of the [1911–12](/source/1911%E2%80%9312_in_English_football) season after picking up a Central League runners-up medal.[9]

## Managerial career

Annan was appointed manager of Welsh [Southern Football League](/source/Southern_Football_League) club [Mid Rhondda](/source/Mid_Rhondda_F.C.) in July 1911, where he was assisted by former Bristol City colleagues Joe Cottle and [Bill Demmery](/source/Bill_Demmery). He subsequently returned to Bristol City in March 1921 and spent five years as [coach](/source/Coach_(sport)) at the club. He was later a police constable stationed at St George in [Bristol](/source/Bristol).[7]

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[10] Club Season League FA Cup Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Sunderland 1902–03 First Division 1 0 0 0 1 0 Sheffield United 1903–04 First Division 9 0 0 0 9 0 1904–05 First Division 18 0 1 0 19 0 Total 27 0 1 0 28 0 Bristol City 1905–06 Second Division 38 0 1 0 39 0 1906–07 First Division 38 0 2 0 40 0 1907–08 First Division 13 0 2 0 15 0 1908–09 First Division 26 0 10 0 36 0 1909–10 First Division 28 0 3 0 31 0 Total 143 0 18 0 161 0 Burslem Port Vale 1911–12 Central League 7 0 0 0 7 0 Career total 178 0 19 0 197 0

## Honours

**Bristol City**

- [Football League Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division): [1905–06](/source/1905%E2%80%9306_Football_League)
- [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) runner-up: [1909](/source/1909_FA_Cup_final)

## References

1. ["Special pact led to FA Cup Final for Bristol City legend"](https://archive.today/20130505062754/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Annan-s-pact-led-City-s-FA-Cup-final-bow/story-11264350-detail/story.html). *This is Bristol*. 23 April 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Annan-s-pact-led-City-s-FA-Cup-final-bow/story-11264350-detail/story.html) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2012.

1. ["1877 ANNAN, WALTER ARCHIBAL (Statutory registers Births 632/ 92)"](https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/view-image/nrs_stat_births/41438121). *scotlandspeople.gov.uk*. National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 7 August 2017.

1. Walter Archibald Annan in the 1911 England Census; Occupation: Professional footballer

1. Joyce, Michael (2004). *Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939*. Tony Brown. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.

1. 1881 Scotland Census

1. Dykes, Garth & Lamming, Doug (1999). *All the Lads Complete Who's Who of Sunderland AFC*. Polar. ISBN 1-899538-14-3.

1. Woods, David & Edwards, Leigh (1997). *Bristol City FC The First 100 years*. Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-900178-26-5.

1. Woods, David (1994). *Bristol Babe The First 100 years of Bristol City FC*. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-95-X.

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). *Port Vale Personalities*. Witan Books. p. 7. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.

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