Frederick Glidden (7 September 1927 – 1 January 2019) was a Scottish professional footballer who spent most of his career with Heart of Midlothian.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frederick Glidden | ||
| Date of birth | (1927-09-07)7 September 1927 | ||
| Place of birth | Newmains, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 1 January 2019(2019-01-01) (aged 91) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Murrayfield Rovers | |||
| West Calder Juveniles | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1945–1946 | Whitburn Juniors | ||
| 1946–1959 | Heart of Midlothian | 165 | (2) |
| 1946–1948 | → Newtongrange Star (loan) | ||
| 1959–1962 | Dumbarton | 97 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Raised in Stoneyburn, Glidden played for several different juvenile sides as a forward before moving to a half-back role upon joining junior side Whitburn.[1] He earned selection for the Scottish junior international team in that role and eventually the chance to sign for a professional League side.[2]
He signed provisionally for Hearts in 1946 but spent two years farmed out to local junior side Newtongrange Star, where he played alongside future Hearts teammate Willie Bauld.[3]
After returning to Hearts in 1948 and playing several seasons of reserve-team football, Glidden made his debut in November 1951 against Queen of the South.[2] Although he played as a right-back on that occasion, it was as right-half that he gained a regular role in the first team later that season. In 1954 Hearts' Bobby Dougan sustained the second serious injury of his career and required a cartlidge operation. After covering for Dougan during his enforced lengthy absence, Glidden took over the position on a permanent basis.[1] He was part of the side that ended Hearts 48-year trophy drought by winning the 1954-55 League Cup and captained the team to Scottish Cup victory in 1955-56, a moment he recalls as the "sweetest" in his footballing career.[3]
Glidden completed his set of domestic medals as Hearts won the League title for the first time since 1897 in the 1957-58 season but a recurring back injury during the following season limited his appearances and eventually led to his departure from Tynecastle.[3]
He joined Dumbarton in 1959 and played three seasons for the Second Division club before retiring in 1962.
Throughout his playing career Glidden had been registered on a part-time contract, simultaneously working in the West Lothian County Water Department.[2] He later worked as a sub-postmaster in Edinburgh.[3] He continued to follow former side Hearts and was a regular spectator at their home games for many years.[3]
Glidden died on 1 January 2019, at the age of 91.[4][5]
| |
|---|---|
| 2006 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2016 | |