Sammy Baird

Stuart Samuel Baird (13 May 1930 – 21 April 2010) was a Scottish football player and manager.

Career

During his playing career he played for Clyde, Preston North End, Rangers, Hibernian, Third Lanark and Stirling Albion. He won three Scottish league titles (1956, 1957 and 1959) and one Scottish Cup (1960) with Rangers.

Baird won the Division Two title in 1951–52 with Clyde.

International career

He earned seven international caps for Scotland from 1956 to 1958. He scored on his debut against Yugoslavia, and also in his last match, a 2–1 defeat by France in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. The latter goal was the first time a Rangers player scored in a World Cup Finals match.

Additionally, Baird represented the Scottish League XI on five occasions. He scored in his last appearance against the Football League XI at Ibrox in 1958.

He earned earlier representative honours with Clyde. In 1953 against the British Army, Baird converted a penalty for Scotland XI in 2–2 draw at Goodison Park. As preparation for the FIFA World Cup, Baird played for a Scotland XI in a couple of trial matches in 1958.

Manager

As Stirling Albion manager, Baird led the team to promotion to Division One winning the Division Two title in 1964–65. The results of the two-match tour were 3–1 against a Japanese All Stars XI and 4–2 against the Japan national team.

Honours

Player

Clyde Scottish Division Two: 1951–52 Supplementary Cup: 1951–52 Glasgow Cup: 1951–52 Runner-up: 1949–50 Glasgow Charity Cup: 1951–52

Rangers Scottish Division One: 1955–56, 1956–57, 1958–59 Scottish Cup: 1959–60

Hibernian East of Scotland Shield: 1960–61

Third Lanark Glasgow Cup: 1962–63

Manager

Stirling Albion Scottish Division Two: 1964–65