Charlie Heggie was born in Glasgow on September 26th 1862, his school days coinciding with the beginnings of organised football in Scotland. Like many at the time, he was bitten by the football bug as a teenager he played as a defender for Govan based team Ailsa FC then another local team South Western FC. At the age of 19, in the summer of 1882, he became a Rangers player.
These were the days before league football, so much of the opposition and many of the competitions he played in no longer exist. His competitive Rangers debut was on September 9th 1882 in the first round of the Scottish Cup away to Jordanhill in a comfortable 4-0 win. His debut Scottish Cup season came to an end a few weeks later, however, when a tough away tie at Queens Park was lost 3-2. The Hampden team also knocked Rangers out of the Charity Cup, as the club endured some difficult times.
The following season Heggie was a mainstay of the team who reached the semi final of the Scottish Cup, and played in the historic 14-2 win over Whitehill in the second round, which remains the joint biggest win in the club's history. Heggie was among the scorers in the quarter final win against Cambuslang before a disappointing 3 goal defeat to Vale of Leven in the last four.
Things changed for Heggie in 1884 when during an injury crisis he was pushed up front as an emergency centre forward. The tall rangy Heggie was a revelation, scoring 13 times in the various competitive and friendly games of the time. Even when the more regular forward players were fit again, Rangers kept Charlie Heggie in the front line.
By season 1885/86 Heggie was a forward that opponents feared. He scored a highly impressive 29 goals and was now being talked about as a possible international player. In March 1886, he was selected to represent his country and made his international bow away to Ireland on March 20th. And what a debut it was. He scored after 15 minutes. 10 minutes later he had a hat trick. And on the hour he scored his 4th. Scotland cruised to a 7-2 victory and Heggie was the goal scoring man of the match. Incredibly, he never played for Scotland again. To score 4 goals in an only Scotland appearance would surely be a record never equalled, but it actually happened again just 2 years later to William Dickson of Strathmore, who later starred for Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke.
Later in 1886, Charlie Heggie scored the only goal as Rangers beat Everton in the FA Cup in a famous season where the club reached the semi finals of England's foremost competition. But he rarely featured in the team after New Year 1887 after a disagreement with the club which even made the pages of the press. One sports publication reported it like this
"It is an open secret that the Rangers and C. Heggie, their crack centre are at loggerheads. It would not reflect credit on either party if we rehearsed the cause of this unfortunate breach, but the sooner it is satisfactorily bridged over the better for all concerned. The Rangers, from present appearances and performances, can't get on very well without Heggie, although they may imagine so and Heggie shows to most advantage when he is in harness. Come down from your stools both of you and don't spoil by your stiffneckedness a season that has opened auspiciously, and which under prudent management should end gloriously."
Whatever the cause of their disagreement, Heggie did not play in the FA Cup semi final against Aston Villa, and it was probably no surprise when in the summer of 1887 it was announced he was no longer a Rangers player.
Heggie ended up joining Edinburgh club St Bernard's, but it appeared his heart was no longer in playing the game and a playing career that promised so much drifted into oblivion. He wasn't completely lost to football, however, turning out as an occasional referee.
Heggie had married his childhood sweetheart Mary in 1886 and they welcomed son William into the world in 1889. But their marriage was to end in a very bitter separation, with Mary taking young William to America in 1892, settling in Detroit. Charlie decided also to go seek a new life abroad, with Australia being his destination. He became a dock worker in Fremantle near Perth, remarrying in 1906, and was a proud member of the Fremantle Lumpers Union for dock workers until his death at the age of 62 in Perth on July 15th 1925.
He was buried in Presbyterian Cemetery, Karrakatta, ending the story of a unique life.
Charles Winton Heggie
Rangers defender and forward
Played in our biggest win
Scored for Rangers in the FA Cup
4 goals in 1 Scotland appearance
Born on this day 158 years ago today.
Remembered.
These were the days before league football, so much of the opposition and many of the competitions he played in no longer exist. His competitive Rangers debut was on September 9th 1882 in the first round of the Scottish Cup away to Jordanhill in a comfortable 4-0 win. His debut Scottish Cup season came to an end a few weeks later, however, when a tough away tie at Queens Park was lost 3-2. The Hampden team also knocked Rangers out of the Charity Cup, as the club endured some difficult times.
The following season Heggie was a mainstay of the team who reached the semi final of the Scottish Cup, and played in the historic 14-2 win over Whitehill in the second round, which remains the joint biggest win in the club's history. Heggie was among the scorers in the quarter final win against Cambuslang before a disappointing 3 goal defeat to Vale of Leven in the last four.
Things changed for Heggie in 1884 when during an injury crisis he was pushed up front as an emergency centre forward. The tall rangy Heggie was a revelation, scoring 13 times in the various competitive and friendly games of the time. Even when the more regular forward players were fit again, Rangers kept Charlie Heggie in the front line.
By season 1885/86 Heggie was a forward that opponents feared. He scored a highly impressive 29 goals and was now being talked about as a possible international player. In March 1886, he was selected to represent his country and made his international bow away to Ireland on March 20th. And what a debut it was. He scored after 15 minutes. 10 minutes later he had a hat trick. And on the hour he scored his 4th. Scotland cruised to a 7-2 victory and Heggie was the goal scoring man of the match. Incredibly, he never played for Scotland again. To score 4 goals in an only Scotland appearance would surely be a record never equalled, but it actually happened again just 2 years later to William Dickson of Strathmore, who later starred for Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke.
Later in 1886, Charlie Heggie scored the only goal as Rangers beat Everton in the FA Cup in a famous season where the club reached the semi finals of England's foremost competition. But he rarely featured in the team after New Year 1887 after a disagreement with the club which even made the pages of the press. One sports publication reported it like this
"It is an open secret that the Rangers and C. Heggie, their crack centre are at loggerheads. It would not reflect credit on either party if we rehearsed the cause of this unfortunate breach, but the sooner it is satisfactorily bridged over the better for all concerned. The Rangers, from present appearances and performances, can't get on very well without Heggie, although they may imagine so and Heggie shows to most advantage when he is in harness. Come down from your stools both of you and don't spoil by your stiffneckedness a season that has opened auspiciously, and which under prudent management should end gloriously."
Whatever the cause of their disagreement, Heggie did not play in the FA Cup semi final against Aston Villa, and it was probably no surprise when in the summer of 1887 it was announced he was no longer a Rangers player.
Heggie ended up joining Edinburgh club St Bernard's, but it appeared his heart was no longer in playing the game and a playing career that promised so much drifted into oblivion. He wasn't completely lost to football, however, turning out as an occasional referee.
Heggie had married his childhood sweetheart Mary in 1886 and they welcomed son William into the world in 1889. But their marriage was to end in a very bitter separation, with Mary taking young William to America in 1892, settling in Detroit. Charlie decided also to go seek a new life abroad, with Australia being his destination. He became a dock worker in Fremantle near Perth, remarrying in 1906, and was a proud member of the Fremantle Lumpers Union for dock workers until his death at the age of 62 in Perth on July 15th 1925.
He was buried in Presbyterian Cemetery, Karrakatta, ending the story of a unique life.
Charles Winton Heggie
Rangers defender and forward
Played in our biggest win
Scored for Rangers in the FA Cup
4 goals in 1 Scotland appearance
Born on this day 158 years ago today.
Remembered.
