Jerry Dawson - The Prince of Goalkeepers
In November 1929, Rangers manager Bill Struth brought a raw young 20 year old goalkeeper to the club from Camelon Juniors after hearing rave reviews from the club scouts. James Dawson was seen as a potential deputy to the long serving club Number 1 Tom Hamilton, and over the coming months Dawson would watch and learn from Hamilton in training and hone his skills while waiting for his chance to take his place in the Rangers first team. In season 1930/31 he would make his debut in a 1-1 draw against St Mirren at Ibrox when Hamilton was forced on the sidelines through injury, but this was to be his only appearance that season, when another league title was claimed by Struth's all-conquering team.
Dawson's patience was soon to pay off, however, and he made his breakthrough at the start of the following season when he held the Number One jersey from August through to early November before Hamilton came back into the side. Although not yet regarded as the club's first choice, his agility and fantastic reflexes had earned him a reputation as a potential future international, and by now to the world he was known as Jerry Dawson, a name given to him by his Ibrox team mates who likened him to famous England and Burnley goalkeeper Jeremiah Dawson. During his early season run in the team he played in his first game against Celtic, where he had the first of many shutouts in the famous fixture.
Rangers ended up losing their title to Motherwell that season, and for the start of 1932/33 Jerry Dawson was back as the club's first team goalkeeper, and from then on he made the position his own. Over the following seasons, he would gain an even greater reputation that his English namesake, earning the nickname "The Prince of Goalkeepers" as he became the reliable and spectacular last line of defence for the remainder of the decade and beyond. As well as his shot saving ability, Dawson had a positional sense that often saw him somehow in the right place at the right time to snuff out danger and intercept crosses before his goal was threatened.
Rangers ruled Scottish football for much of the 1930s, with Jerry Dawson claiming league championship medals in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937 and the final league season before the outbreak of War in 1939. He added 2 Scottish Cup winners medals to that haul, playing in the victorious teams of 1935 and 1936, only missing out on a hat-trick due to injury in 1934 after playing in every previous round.
Jerry Dawson made his Scotland debut in October 1934 in a 2-1 defeat to Northern Ireland, and became Scotland's first choice goalkeeper in 1936, winning 13 more caps before War interrupted the lives of all.
During WW2, he continued to represent the club, adding 6 wartime Regional League titles to his medal collection. he also represented his country a further 9 times in Wartime international matches. The final Southern League championship was completed after War had ended, and Jerry Dawson wore the yellow Rangers goalkeeping jersey for the final time in a match against Motherwell at Fir Park on 24th November 1945, ending his career with yet another victory, this time by 2-1.
In May 1946, Dawson finally ended his love affair with Rangers, signing for hometown club Falkirk, for whom he would play for a further 3 years, taking him close to his 40th birthday. After a short spell as a journalist, he returned to football as manager of East Fife, leading them to a League Cup success during his 5 years in charge. But no matter what he achieved after playing, he would always be remembered as a truly great Rangers goalkeeper, for many he perhaps was the best ever to play for the club.
Jerry Dawson passed away in 1977 at the age of 67, and was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame. The Prince of Goalkeepers name will live on forever.
Jerry Dawson, Rangers FC 1929 - 1946
Appearances 491 (all competitions)
5 Scottish League Championships
6 Wartime championships
2 Scottish Cups
14 Scotland caps
9 Wartime Scotland appearances
Hall of Fame member
A true great for club and country.