Tortured: The Sam English Story

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The first half was something of a non-event, with very little football played and the stop-start nature of this clash of the giants infuriating. It was hoped, at least by the large crowd, that the second 45 minutes would be far more entertaining. He would slump into a state of depression every September around about the time of the game and refuse to speak to anyone. He never spoke about football, never spoke about his career, never spoke about that incident.” The striker was also singled out for abuse by rival players and supporters - including by celtic fans when he was playing for Liverpool and Hartlepool down in England - for years afterwards until he was forced out of the game at 28. WHEN Jeff Holmes started the research for his biography of the Rangers legend Davie Meiklejohn, the author had, like so many people over the decades, a preconceived idea about who his team mate Sam English had been. It is such a gorgeous, unique trophy,” said Holmes. “There are 44 balls, which signify each goal he scored in the 1931/32 season, on a silver rose bowl. It is really beautiful. His family absolutely love it. Roses were his passion.”

Although not selected on the opening day of the following season, he then had a run of 11 consecutive matches in which he hit the netthree times before losing his place in the side. His appearances after that were restricted and he played his final game for Liverpool in the penultimate First Division fixture of the 1934-35 season, away to Tottenham. It is a fitting commemoration. So is Tortured: The Sam English Story. Hopefully, the book will help to ensure that future generations have a different opinion of a true Rangers great. The Rangers striker would endure open hostility towards him on the park as well as some brutal treatment following the death of Thomson. It started when he returned to action in the Glasgow Cup semi-final against celtic at Parkhead a few weeks later. By winning awards like the Sam English Bowl, it means there will always be a little bit of me in the magnificent trophy room at Ibrox – and that’s something special.”I always wondered how he could end up as Rangers record goalscorer in that first season (he netted 44 times in 35 league games in the 1931/32 season). How could he do that with the death of John Thomson preying on his mind? It would eventually finish him. But it was because he had a lot of sympathy at the start. It got worse and worse and worse.” English passed away aged 58 in 1967 following a battle with motor neurone disease. Rangers have since honoured their former player posthumously by inducting him into their Hall of Fame. They also award the Sam English Bowl to the player who finishes each season as their leading scorer in the league. Trying to overcome his part in the tragedy, Englishmade a blistering start to his Anfield career and by the halfway stage of the league season he had already scored 16 times. But he only startedeight matches during the second-half of the season, scoring a furtherfour times.

After retiring from playing, English worked as a coach for Duntocher Hibs and Yoker Athletic before finding employment in a shipyard. [2]English's career was overshadowed by an incident on 5 September 1931 where he was involved in a collision with John Thomson, the Celtic goalkeeper. Thomson dived for the ball and his head collided with English's knee (not his boot, as sometimes claimed). Thomson suffered serious injuries to his skull and died in hospital a few hours later. The official enquiry found that the collision was an accident, and cleared English of any blame; a view which was fully supported by Thomson's family and all players from both teams who were on the field at the time. Nevertheless, English was deeply traumatised by what had happened to Thomson. [2] [3] Yet, as Holmes delved deeper and unearthed further information, he found the commonly-held perception of the Northern Ireland-born, Glasgow-raised footballer did him a gross disservice.