Robert McCrindle

Robert McCrindle

Born in Glasgow in 1869, Robert was one of the many Scots who moved south to play professional football, joining Burslem Port Vale in 1889.

A fast and strong centre-half in the days when those attributes were more important than skill, he was at Vale for five years and was picked to play for Scotland in that time but his employers refused to release him because of a fixture clash.

With the Town joining the Southern League in 1894 an experienced centre-half was required with Robert fitting the bill. He remained ever-present throughout 1894-95 but the signing of William Stewart in 1895 as first choice saw him leave for Cowes on the Isle of Wight.