On This Day (17 September 1890): A tale of two goalkeepers — The Breakthrough!
09/17/2024 01:00 AM
After a frustrating defeat at the hands of Wolves, Sunderland made a move to bring a new goalkeeper to Wearside. His name? Edward Doig
After losing on Monday 15 September 1890, Sunderland acted quickly to strengthen their Football League charge, and by Wednesday 17, we'd made all the necessary arrangements for Teddy Doig to join the club- or at least that's what everybody thought, anyway.
The Scottish goalkeeper would go on to become an all-time club great, but the particulars of his transfer, which was officially recorded as having been signed off on this day, weren't as straightforward as his later Hall of Fame credentials.
It must always be noted that the man he was brought in to replace as Sunderland's number one had been a fine servant too, and his place in our history is as equally assured, despite the seemingly harsh way in which it ended.
Bill Kirkley, a shipyard engine fitter who played as an amateur, was a regular from late 1885 onwards and helped to establish Sunderland's reputation in the game as a 'Team of All The Talents'.
He featured in all but one of our early FA Cup appearances as the club made its first forays into national competition, and would often dumbfound league sides with his quality during high profile exhibitions- so much so that Wolverhampton Wanderers were reported to have made an approach at one stage.
However, once in the league, Kirkley was singled out for criticism as the team lost their opening two Football League fixtures.
Suggestions that he'd been willing to play even when feeling ill were shrugged off by his detractors, and having featured against, ironically enough, Wolves, he wouldn't be selected for first team duty ever again.
He did however recover from his poor health sufficiently to play for Durham in a representative match against Northumberland in October, but in terms of the Lads, Doig was by then top dog.
A local lad, Kirkley remained in the area and is thought to have stayed on the books for a period, but come early October 1891, it was being stated in the press that he'd joined Hendon-based Sunderland Albion Football Club (hence Sunday's reference to him making his final appearance for Sunderland Association Football Club in September 1890, and not simply Sunderland or SAFC).
When first approached by Albion, Kirkley asked for a couple of days to mull it over seemingly, perhaps, knowing the ignominy of being dropped all too well himself, out of respect for Albion's own current first choice - a player called Robertson from the 93rd Highlanders, who'd also been subjected to barracking from some quarters.
In later years, he returned to the original club, taking charge of the Roker Park billiards room.
We were still playing at Newcastle Road when Doig was introduced, and whilst some saw the switch as being a snap decision, a further delve into the archives suggests his transfer may have been on the cards for a lot longer.
Some contemporary sources north of the border claimed that the deal had been agreed in principle much earlier, whilst The Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette intimated on September 16 that a pre-emptive arrangement was in place, in which Arbroath would allow him to come to England, but 'only in case of need'.
It wasn't until the following day that he officially signed, but it's entirely plausible that the initial whispers had reached Kirkley and could've accounted for any supposed dip in form.
Primarily known as 'Ned' elsewhere, but as 'Ted' or 'Teddy' on Wearside, Doig was apparently suspended from playing in his home country at the time of his move, having featured in a benefit game that he hadn't been permitted to play in.
One of the reasons put forward for him wanting to come to England was that the SFA had not yet told him when he could resume his career, and the level of mystery surrounding it all is quite fitting for a man thought to be a bit of a character; Doig famously wore a cap to hide his balding head which, if it fell off mid-match, he would choose to retrieve, even if it meant turning his back on play.
Doig's first contract at Sunderland saw him receive a £40 down payment plus £3 a week.
He was soon in action at West Bromwich Albion and kept a clean sheet in a comfortable 4-0 win, but even then, things were not yet running smoothly. The points taken in what was the Lads' first Football League victory were soon deducted, due to our new keeper not completing a fourteen-day registration period before his debut.
He hadn't yet landed in the town either, and it wasn't until the 25th of the month that the Echo reported that he was due to arrive with his wife that evening in order to take up residence.
However, even this was contrary to what was being said in Scotland, where one article had indicated that Doig was not yet married.
It was a different time admittedly, and attitudes have since changed. Information is shared much more easily too, but whatever his relationship status, what's certain is that the West Brom shut out was more than just beginner's luck, and alongside a raft of fellow Scots, even though playing 'down south' would restrict their international chances, Doig was part of a team that swept to glory.
He remains one of only two men to have won four top flight titles with the club, and if friendly games- which were much more commonplace in the era and were often as hard fought as competitive matches- are included in his stats, Doig might've appeared in more Sunderland games than any other player.
As it stands, he's third in the recognised all-time list and turned out in more top flight clashes for the Lads than anybody else.
The exact timeline of his arrival may be a little unclear, but there's one thing that isn't open to debate: Teddy Doig, with over 150 clean sheets to his name (competitive and non-competitive) whilst with the Black Cats, is an undoubted legend.
