Footballer.
Born: July 23, 1942
Died: February 23, 2015.
ANDY King, who has died suddenly aged 72, was, for much of the 1960s thought of by many as the best uncapped right back in Scotland.
He was born in the long-since demolished Grougar Raws, between Crookedholm and Galston, just outside Kilmarnock. As a teenager he played for the famous Saxone Amateurs team, with whom he won Scottish Youth caps, captaining his country.
King was already on Kilmarnock's radar. Indeed, he made his first appearance for the club as a 16-year-old "Trialist", against Celtic Reserves in a Reserve League fixture in March, 1959. Manager Willie Waddell decided the youngster needed toughening-up, so he was farmed out to Dreghorn Juniors in the Western League.
Aged 18, having made his first-team bow against Ayr United in the Ayrshire Cup Final, he was taken to the New York International Tournament in May and June, 1961, making one appearance, against Dynamo Bucharest in New York, and also appearing in a friendly against Turkish side Besiktas. Jim Richmond was, however, seemingly sewn into the Killie number two shirt and King had to bide his time, before making his first league appearance, in a 3-3 draw with Aberdeen, at Pittodrie, in March, 1962. He held onto the jersey for the remaining three matches of that league season.
He made a mere four more appearances in season 1962-63, but, such was his promise, early in the next season, 1963-64, Waddell decided to sell Richmond to St Johnstone and King filled the right-back spot for 32 of that season's 34 league games and for 18 of the 19 cup games Killie played that season.
King also made his Scotland Under-23 debut, when he was chosen at right back for the game against Wales, at Wrexham, on 4 December, 1963. The Welsh won that one 3-1 and King was one of the players jettisoned for the game against England, at Newcastle, in February, 1964.
He was, however, recalled for the 2-0 win over France, in Nantes, in May, 1964, before winning a third and final U-23 cap in a revenge 3-0 win over the Welsh at Rugby Park, on 2 December, 1964.
Also in 1964, he was one of five Kilmarnock players chosen to play in the Scotland v Scottish League game, which was a national trial prior to the big game against England, due at Hampden that May.
Goalkeeper Campbell Forsyth and Brian McIlroy, who scored a goal in Scotland's 3-1 win, were in the "Scotland" team, King, Jackie McGrory and skipper Frank Beattie, who led the team, were in the Scottish League XI. Only Forsyth of the Rugby Park quintet, made the team for the England game. That match was as close as King came to a full Scotland cap.
The best season of his career was just around the corner, as Killie would win the Scottish League for the first and thus far only time in 1964-65. The club played a total of 60 games that season, with King appearing in every one, except the league meeting with Partick Thistle, at Rugby Park, on 10 October, 1964.
He was one of the 11 "immortals" who, on 24 April, 1965, beat Hearts 2-0 at Tynecastle to secure the crown and his untimely death means there will be one-less survivor at the dinner, planned for Rugby Park's Park Hotel, on the 50th anniversary date this year.
King continued to serve Kilmarnock until the end of season 1971-72. He made a mere two substitute appearances that season and, at the end, with Killie cutting back to become a part-time club, not yet 30, King hung up his boots. In all he made 320 appearances for the club, including a record 21 games in European competitions, including the legendary Fairs Cup tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, in 1964, in which Killie overturned a four-goal deficit to win the tie 5-4.
On retiring from the game, he joined the extensive football family who worked at Glacier Metal's Kilmarnock factory, before joining local building company, James Brown & Co, serving them until his formal retirement.
He lived a long free-kick from Rugby Park, coaching Bellfield Amateurs for many years and also following his second sporting passion - racing pigeons. Andy also enjoyed fishing.
Andy was pre-deceased by his wife Agnes in 2006. He is survived by his sons Colin and Niall and his three grandsons.
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