Charles McGregor

● Charles McGregor, 1938 (EEN)

Charles McGregor was probably born in Scotland, although his place and date of birth remain unknown to us. *

The defender signed for Donald Turner's Thistle on Saturday, 7th May, 1938, having most recently been with Dunbar United.

He made his debut appearance on Saturday, 22nd October, 1938, in a 0-0 draw at home to Celtic in the SFL First Division.

There were no goals for Charles during his time with Thistle.

He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 29th April, 1939, in a 2-0 win at home to Falkirk in the SFL First Division, having appeared as a Jag on 29 occasions.

His club-list included Dunbar United and Partick Thistle.

We don't know where or when Charles died. *

* If you can help us to improve any of these marked points on The Thistle Archive, then please do get in touch →

Charles was a full-back who came to prominence with his local team, Dunbar United. He reportedly played a couple of trial games with Thistle in the springtime of 1938 (most likely in the reserves team) and Donald Turner signed him to terms in May 1938. He started out playing regularly in the reserves in 1938-39, before getting his big chance at home to Celtic in the League in late October. Normally on the left, he played on the right and showed no signs of nerves in his first big match, keeping a good grip on the dangerous Divers-Birrell wing pairing. Thistle held Celtic to a no-scoring draw on the day, and the Edinburgh Evening News offered high praise for his debut performance:

Partick took a risk in playing him against the champions. His success recalls the bright start made by Cummings, their former left back, now with Aston Villa. The latter was signed from Grange Rovers in 1932, and after only two months with the Firhill club he was drafted into the League side, his first game also being against the Celtic. Cummings, like McGregor, was a left back, but Thistle that day played him at right back and he was an instant success.

Charles, at left and right, was a near ever-present at full back for the rest of the campaign, but dropped off the Firhill radar when the war begun, appearing in the reserves match against Hearts on 12th August 1939 before disappearing from the scene, although Thistle held his player registration papers for several seasons. Did he serve the war effort we can't help but wonder?

(WS/JK)

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