The Thistle Archive

This winger played locally for Irvine Meadow in his late teens and signed for Rangers as a 20-year-old in April, 1899. They thought it best to let him gain experience in the senior game, and a loan arrangement was put in place with Partick Thistle for the duration of season 1899-00. Fellow Ranger William Goudie did likewise, as did John Blackwood of Celtic. The press reported that all of this was very good business indeed by the committee. Davy won a gold medal before the season had even started, as Clyde were defeated in the final of the Partick Police Sports day's five-a-side tournament, held at Meadowside. He had a fantastic season at the club, playing in 31 of the 32 competitive matches and notably scoring a League hat-trick in a 5-1 win at Linthouse in late September. Special trains took 1,500 fans to Hamilton on the 31st March, 1900, where a Blackwood hat-trick helped Thistle to a 4-2 win and the Second Division championship. The club were duly elected to the top-flight a couple of months later. Rangers and Celtic both reaped the benefits of their loanees form; McDougall was whisked away to Southern League Bristol City and Blackwood was transferred to First Division Woolwich Arsenal.

Davy made his debut for the Robins at outside left, in a 2–0 defeat at Luton Town on 15 September 1900. He made 11 League appearances playing on both right and left wings that season, scoring twice, as City secured a runners-up spot, gaining promotion to the English Second Division in due course. He rejoined Rangers in the summer of 1901, making four appearances in the early weeks of their Scottish League Division One championship winning campaign of 1901–02, although he was loaned out again; to Distillery in Ireland and to Vale of Atholl in Perthshire. He then joined Distillery on a permanent basis, also playing for fellow Belfast club Glentoran. Whilst over there, he represented The Irish League, playing in a 3-1 defeat to The Scottish League at Love Street on 17th February, 1904.

In 1910, McDougall was appointed manager of Southern League club Cardiff City, also being named club captain. He was the first manager in the team's history as they entered their first campaign in the English football league system. He set about recruiting players from Scotland and the North of England ahead of the season, with 8 of the club's 14 professionals being from these areas, himself included of course. He took charge of the team's first match in the Southern League, a 4–1 victory over Ton Pentre on 24 September 1910. Although he led the side to a fourth-placed finish in his first season, the club decided a full-time manager was needed to progress, and relieved him of his managerial role. He briefly remained with Cardiff under new manager Fred Stewart before leaving the club. He went on to fulfil the same player/manager role at Newport County, where he scored their first-ever penalty kick.

We know that Davy got married and raised a family of at least 3 children, including a Glasgow-born son and a Belfast-born son. He was a pub manager in the Cardiff area and was still attending Newport games up until the mid 1930’s. Notice of his death, with a brief obituary, was published in the Western Mail on 1st September 1943.

1900 - SFL SECOND DIVISION