Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust

James Edmond Moir: Nickname "Tober" Signed from junior football club Banks o' Dee (where he was an official as well as a player) in the summer of 1916, James was well known to the club having played in all Aberdeen's reserve team games as a trialist the previous season. Due to the shortage of players, 'Tober' was pitched almost immediately into the first team making his debut against Third Lanark in the second game of the season. In his early games he was prone to being out of position and made more than the occasional miskick. However, by September he had settled into the side and formed a good partnership with Donald Coleman being deemed 'impressive' against Ayr United, providing 'fine defence' against Morton and proving 'none better' on the field against Airdrie. His run in the team came to an end when he was injured early in the game against Hibernian at Easter Road in December 1916. He returned to the side in a 1-0 defeat to Rangers in February 1917 and continued at left back for the remainder of the season. Playing in a poor Aberdeen side gave little opportunity to shine and struggling financially the club dropped out of the League for the remainder of the hostilities. All players registrations were terminated in the process. James would return to playing junior football once hostilities ceased prior to emigrating with his family to Canada in 1920.

James, who had worked as a coachbuilder, died in London, Ontario in March 1951.

Research: Derek Giles