John Bethune (footballer)

John Bethune was a Scottish-born professional footballer who played in both the Scottish Football League and the English Football League in the years around the First World War. Born in Milngavie near Glasgow on 19 October 1888, he began in local football around Glasgow with Ashfield and joined Edinburgh side Heart of Midlothian in 1912, making three Scottish League appearances before moving to the English clubs Darlington and then Barnsley within the same year. He settled at Barnsley for almost eight years, a spell interrupted by the war, and made more than 100 Football League appearances there. Known for a quick temper, he joined Bristol Rovers in 1920 for their first season as a Football League club, left for a trial with Brentford in 1921, played six league games on trial and four more after signing, until an injury on Boxing Day that year ended his league career. He then played non-League football for Sittingbourne and Sittingbourne Paper Mills and, after retiring as a footballer, represented England at indoor bowls in 1936 and 1938. He died on 23 January 1955.