Born in Forfar in April 1897, George "Geordie" Henderson started his professional football career with his hometown club, arriving at Ibrox via a short spell with Dundee in November 1919.
A powerful forward, he had to bide his time to make his debut for Rangers, as William Wilton's side were enjoying a consistent winning run. It wasn't until March 20th 1920 that he made his first league appearance for the club in a 2-0 away victory at Aberdeen.
Henderson kept his place for most of the remainder of the season, although not making the most impressive of starts to his Rangers career, with just 2 goals in 8 appearances, his first goal in Royal Blue coming against Airdrie at Ibrox in a 3-2 win in April. The season ended with the championship returning to Ibrox by 3 points over holders Celtic, but Henderson played in the massive shock defeat in the Scottish Cup semi final to already relegated Albion Rovers. That cup jinx remained throughout his brief but spectacular Rangers career.
The close season in 1920 was dominated by the untimely and tragic death of Rangers manager Wilton, so season 1920-21 was to be the first under new manager William Struth, who saw great potential in Henderson but decided not to start him when the season got underway as he concentrated on developing his raw talent into a more productive striker.
Rangers began the season brilliantly, dropping only 1 point in their first 15 games, the forward line from the previous season now even more deadly with the addition of legendary left winger Alan Morton from Queens Park. Goals were flowing, with Andy Cunningham playing centre forward and leading the scoring charts. Geordie Henderson made only 1 appwarance in the first 3 months of the campaign, scoring in a 2-1 Glasgow Cup win at Hampden in September.
However, in November injury allowed Henderson a chance to stake a claim in the team, and rarely has any player taken his chance so spectacularly. On November 6rh 1920, manager Struth selected Geordie Henderson for the first time in a league game, with Dundee the opponents at Ibrox. Henderson hammered home 4 goals in a 5-0 rout. The following week, he repeated the feat with another 4 goal haul, this time in a 4-2 victory at Clydebank. He rounded off an incredible November by helping himself to 2 more when Hamilton were defeated 4-0. 3 games, 10 goals. Manager Struth had unleashed the first of the many goalscoring machines at centre forward that would be a feature of his 34 years in charge.
Henderson ended that season with 21 league goals, all scored from November onwards, as he won his first league championship medal. Season 1921-22 saw the title lost by a single point to Celtic, but it was the first of 4 successive seasons where Geordie Henderson finished the club top scorer. His goalcoring record over these seasons stands up in comparison with almost any of our great centre forwards.
1920-21 Total goals 24
1921-22 Total goals 27
1922-23 Total goals 26
1923-24 Total goals 25
1924-25 Total goals 35
4 league titles were won during this time, and plenty other honours, all except the elusive Scottish Cup. The 1924-25 Season saw Henderson score twice in the New Year win over Celtic and 2 more in the Glasgow Cup Final win over them.
Season 1925-26 saw a combination of injury to Henderson and the emergence of Jimmy Fleming as another magnificent goalscorer, meaning he was limited to only 15 appearances. Geordie Henderson scored his last goal for the club on October 2nd 1926 in a 7 goal blitz over St Mirren, and played his last game for Rangers on 8th January 1927 at Ibrox against St Johnstone. He left the club that month to join English side Darlington.
Geordie Henderson can lay claim to the title of Bill Struth's first goalscoring sensation. He scored 150 times for Rangers, with only 1 of these a penalty kick. Incredibly, despite being the main goalscorer in Scotland's dominant club side, he was never chosen to represent his country.
He had a nomadic career after his great years at Ibrox, playing in England, North America and Wales, and also a 2 year spell at Dundee United where he won a Second Division title. After retiring from the game he became a publican in Dundee, before his untimely death in June 1953 at the age of just 56.
Geordie Henderson is not inducted in the Rangers hall of fame, and could be the greatest forgotten goalscorer in our history.
Geordie Henderson, Rangers FC 1919 - 1927.
Total appearances 211
Total goals 150
4 league titles
4 Glasgow Cups
2 Charity Cups
A contribution not to be forgotten.
A powerful forward, he had to bide his time to make his debut for Rangers, as William Wilton's side were enjoying a consistent winning run. It wasn't until March 20th 1920 that he made his first league appearance for the club in a 2-0 away victory at Aberdeen.
Henderson kept his place for most of the remainder of the season, although not making the most impressive of starts to his Rangers career, with just 2 goals in 8 appearances, his first goal in Royal Blue coming against Airdrie at Ibrox in a 3-2 win in April. The season ended with the championship returning to Ibrox by 3 points over holders Celtic, but Henderson played in the massive shock defeat in the Scottish Cup semi final to already relegated Albion Rovers. That cup jinx remained throughout his brief but spectacular Rangers career.
The close season in 1920 was dominated by the untimely and tragic death of Rangers manager Wilton, so season 1920-21 was to be the first under new manager William Struth, who saw great potential in Henderson but decided not to start him when the season got underway as he concentrated on developing his raw talent into a more productive striker.
Rangers began the season brilliantly, dropping only 1 point in their first 15 games, the forward line from the previous season now even more deadly with the addition of legendary left winger Alan Morton from Queens Park. Goals were flowing, with Andy Cunningham playing centre forward and leading the scoring charts. Geordie Henderson made only 1 appwarance in the first 3 months of the campaign, scoring in a 2-1 Glasgow Cup win at Hampden in September.
However, in November injury allowed Henderson a chance to stake a claim in the team, and rarely has any player taken his chance so spectacularly. On November 6rh 1920, manager Struth selected Geordie Henderson for the first time in a league game, with Dundee the opponents at Ibrox. Henderson hammered home 4 goals in a 5-0 rout. The following week, he repeated the feat with another 4 goal haul, this time in a 4-2 victory at Clydebank. He rounded off an incredible November by helping himself to 2 more when Hamilton were defeated 4-0. 3 games, 10 goals. Manager Struth had unleashed the first of the many goalscoring machines at centre forward that would be a feature of his 34 years in charge.
Henderson ended that season with 21 league goals, all scored from November onwards, as he won his first league championship medal. Season 1921-22 saw the title lost by a single point to Celtic, but it was the first of 4 successive seasons where Geordie Henderson finished the club top scorer. His goalcoring record over these seasons stands up in comparison with almost any of our great centre forwards.
1920-21 Total goals 24
1921-22 Total goals 27
1922-23 Total goals 26
1923-24 Total goals 25
1924-25 Total goals 35
4 league titles were won during this time, and plenty other honours, all except the elusive Scottish Cup. The 1924-25 Season saw Henderson score twice in the New Year win over Celtic and 2 more in the Glasgow Cup Final win over them.
Season 1925-26 saw a combination of injury to Henderson and the emergence of Jimmy Fleming as another magnificent goalscorer, meaning he was limited to only 15 appearances. Geordie Henderson scored his last goal for the club on October 2nd 1926 in a 7 goal blitz over St Mirren, and played his last game for Rangers on 8th January 1927 at Ibrox against St Johnstone. He left the club that month to join English side Darlington.
Geordie Henderson can lay claim to the title of Bill Struth's first goalscoring sensation. He scored 150 times for Rangers, with only 1 of these a penalty kick. Incredibly, despite being the main goalscorer in Scotland's dominant club side, he was never chosen to represent his country.
He had a nomadic career after his great years at Ibrox, playing in England, North America and Wales, and also a 2 year spell at Dundee United where he won a Second Division title. After retiring from the game he became a publican in Dundee, before his untimely death in June 1953 at the age of just 56.
Geordie Henderson is not inducted in the Rangers hall of fame, and could be the greatest forgotten goalscorer in our history.
Geordie Henderson, Rangers FC 1919 - 1927.
Total appearances 211
Total goals 150
4 league titles
4 Glasgow Cups
2 Charity Cups
A contribution not to be forgotten.
