About Peter McKennan
Lived 1918 – 1991 (aged 73). Peter McKennan was a British association football player.
Peter Stewart McKennan (16 July 1918 – 28 September 1991) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward in the Scottish and English leagues, most notably for Partick Thistle, for whom he scored 113 goals in 198 appearances in all competitions. McKennan represented the Scottish and Irish League representative teams and is a member of the Partick Thistle Hall of Fame. He was nicknamed "Ma Ba" ("my ball"), due to his desire to receive the ball into feet and dictate play.
Club career An inside forward, McKennan began his senior career with Scottish League First Division club Partick Thistle in 1934 and though his career was interrupted by Second World War, he remained with the club through the war. He made nearly 200 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 113 goals and was posthumously inducted into the club's Hall of Fame. McKennan moved south of the border to join Second Division club West Bromwich Albion (for whom he had guested during the war) for a £10,650 fee in October 1947.
McKennan went on to play for Football League clubs Leicester City, Brentford, Middlesbrough and Oldham Athletic and scored 63 goals in 171 appearances, As of December 2018, McKennan is the third of three Brentford players to register five goals in a single league match. McKennan scored on his solitary appearance for Scotland in a 3–2 win over an Irish XI on 28 April 1940.
Personal life McKennan served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Second World War and saw action as a Command Sergeant-Major on D-Day. He was mentioned in dispatches.
Career statistics
Honours
As a player Oldham Athletic Football League Third Division North: 1952–53
As a manager Coleraine North West Senior Cup: 1954–55, 1955–56
As an individual Partick Thistle Hall of Fame
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Important facts
People in Peter McKennan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Peter McKennan's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Peter McKennan?
Scottish footballer (1918-1991)
When was Peter McKennan born?
Peter McKennan was born on 16 July 1918 in Airdrie.
When did Peter McKennan die?
Peter McKennan died on 28 September 1991 in Dundonald.
What was Peter McKennan's occupation?
Peter McKennan was an association football player.
What nationality was Peter McKennan?
Peter McKennan was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Peter McKennan. https://biography.guide/peter-mckennan/
MLA: "Peter McKennan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/peter-mckennan/.
Chicago: "Peter McKennan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/peter-mckennan/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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