Rangers History Remembering Jerry Dawson who died on this date in 1977

dh1963

Well-Known Member
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 January 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.
 
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 January 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.
Always remember my grandad talking about Jerry and what a wonderful goalkeeper he was.
And going by those achievements he wasn’t wrong.
 
If my old man was still alive he’d give you a good argument that The Prince of Goalkeepers was even better than Goram or McGregor et al.
My Dad would say exactly the same. He said Jerry was the best goal he had ever seen. I loved the stories my dad told me about players from our past.
 
Just mentioned to my dad he had died in 1977.He has just told me you shook his hand a wee dodger.Must admit I don’t remember anything about it.But apparently it was outside the front door at Ibrox.The Prince in the yellow jersey.
 
My dad was circulation manager for the Daily Record and Sunday Mail. Jerry worked in the same office and when my Dad took me in when I was about 8 or 9 (1969/70) Jerry made a big fuss of me and showed me round the place. Just as we were leaving he went into his desk and produced a Rangers scarf. He put it round my neck and told me that I was now a ‘proper Ranger’
I have the scarf to this day!
 
My dad was circulation manager for the Daily Record and Sunday Mail. Jerry worked in the same office and when my Dad took me in when I was about 8 or 9 (1969/70) Jerry made a big fuss of me and showed me round the place. Just as we were leaving he went into his desk and produced a Rangers scarf. He put it round my neck and told me that I was now a ‘proper Ranger’
I have the scarf to this day!
That IS a cool story bro.
 
I met him once in Rothesay. My dad said to me "Go and get his autograph". So I did and we had a wee confab together. I was about 10 years old at the time, and a nicer person you couldn't meet. I was very impressed.
 
My introduction as a youngster as to who Jerry Dawson was,
(some 20 years after Dawson had retired)
was this little ditty, to the tune of Derry's Walls,

"It was near the New Years game boys in the year of 42',
We played the Hibs at Easter Road, and there did we see
Jerry Dawson, Scotland's goalie, was guarding Rangers goal
when through the air a bottle flew, and knocked out Jerry cold.
But Jerry took it like a man as anyone here could see
And if we get that 19th Century Terrorist Cant, no more, will that Cant see"


For the record, Jerry Dawson was stretchered off unconscious against Hibs on Boxing day 1942, where Rangers played on with 10 men, and the game ended 1-1, thus leaving Rangers on top, by goal average, over Hibs, both on 33 points, with Rangers having played two games less.

Six days later, Jerry had recovered fully to line up against Celtic as Rangers ran out 8-1 winners on New Years Day 1943.
 
"Dawson, Gray and Shaw...we'll raise our glasses"
Far too young to have seen them but an ex workmate's old father used it as a toast every time he had drink in him. I use it now as well - got to keep old historical traditions in the name of the club going.
 
My maternal Grandfather was a Third Lanark fan, and claimed that Jerry Dawson was the best pound for pound player he ever saw, and that if picking an all time team he could shuffle players in outfield positions but he could only ever pick one keeper.
 
"Dawson, Gray and Shaw...we'll raise our glasses"
Far too young to have seen them but an ex workmate's old father used it as a toast every time he had drink in him. I use it now as well - got to keep old historical traditions in the name of the club going.
Saw Jerry in his latter seasons, and those names were like the start of the alphabet to me as a nipper,
Remember Dougie Gray being referred as the second goalkeeper famous for his goal line clearances when the ball got past Dawson.

Ancient Loyal
 

Jerry and the Big Gas Metre.
What a great photo!
I remember a Q&A session somewhere (can't for the life of me remember where), featuring Jerry, Alan Rough (no laughing at the back) and a couple of other players or ex-players. I recall Dawson's hands being like shovels.
 
I love these posts from @dh1963.

For my auld man we reached Peak Ranger against Moscow Dynamo in 1945 and nae knut was ever good enough compared to that team - although he had, strangely, a grudging respect for Kenny Dalglish.

Every Rangers goalie was compared to Dawson and, to be fair to him, we did have some shockers. But he never took to Chris Woods - which I found surprising - and had no time for Gorum - even more of a shocker.
 
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