Hector Gilfillan

Life and career Gilfillan was born in Winlaton, County Durham, at the time of the 1911 census, youngest child of John Gilfillan and his wife Ann, who kept the Old House Inn in Winlaton.

By early in the 1925–26 season, Gilfillan was playing for Workington in the North Eastern League, scoring against Scotswood and twice against Hartlepools United reserves. In March 1926, he was a reserve for the Northern Counties team selected for a match against a Football Association eleven. The following season, he opened the scoring in Workington's first-round FA Cup match against Crook Town, but his team's overly casual attitude allowed the visitors to make a winning comeback.

Gilfillan signed for Third Division club Darlington in July 1927. He went straight into the first team for the opening match of the season, and kept his place for the next few matches, but played only seven times before leaving the club. which covered Boldon, Heworth, Hebburn and Jarrow.