James Marshall

Who was James Marshall?

Dr James 'Jimmy' Marshall was a Scottish footballer who played for both Rangers and Arsenal as well as the Scotland national side. He played as an inside forward.

Marshall was born in Avonbridge, Stirlingshire and joined Rangers from Shettleston in 1925. During his nine-year spell at Ibrox he amassed five League championships, three Scottish Cups, four Glasgow Cups and six Charity Cups. He also won three Scotland caps, all of them against England between 1932 and 1934. In total he scored 138 goals in 257 league appearances for Rangers.

Marshall was a qualified doctor, gaining his medical degree in October 1933, and it was a medical appointment in London that caused him to leave Rangers and join Arsenal in July 1934. Marshall only spent one season at Arsenal; he made his debut on September 17, 1934 against Blackburn Rovers in a 2-0 defeat. With Alex James, Ray Bowden and Bobby Davidson keeping him out of the side, he only made four league appearances for Arsenal; however he did score in Arsenal's 4-0 defeat of Manchester City in that season's Charity Shield.

He left Arsenal in March 1935, to move to West Ham United; he spent two seasons there before retiring at the relatively early age of 29. He continued to work in London, remaining in the Bermondsey area for some time working for the local council. He died in 1977, aged sixty-nine.