The football star who beat alcohol 120 years ago.

As the latest figures for deaths related to alcohol in Scotland are published this week, The Salvation Army is calling on local authorities and health providers to work together to ensure there is drug, alcohol and mental health support available evenings and weekends in all local authority areas.

The church and charity has believed for over 160 years that change is possible. More than a century ago, renowned Scottish footballer Davie Haddow turned his life around with help from The Salvation Army after years of heavy drinking almost ruined his career and personal life, showing that recovery is possible.  

Haddow, an acclaimed player at the turn-of-the-century with Rangers, Burnley, and Tottenham Hotspur, admitted that alcohol use nearly destroyed his life in a 1903 edition of The Salvation Army magazine, The War Cry. He spoke about becoming a non-drinker after attending a Salvation Army meeting near Glasgow. In the years that followed the Scotland International dedicated his life to helping others, even returning to professional football. 

The latest statistics published next week are expected to show a continuing public health crisis, with last year’s alcohol deaths in Scotland hitting a 15-year high. In response, The Salvation Army is calling for more specialist support in the evenings and at weekends to be made available in communities to tackle the potentially harmful effects of alcohol addiction, particularly in those areas that are worst affected.

Lee Ball, Director of Addiction at The Salvation Army said: “Each death caused by alcohol represents a tragedy for loved ones and friends of the person who has died. Every year the statistics frame a systemic, deep-rooted and problematic relationship with alcohol. Local authorities and health providers must collaborate more effectively to meet this challenge, providing specialist addiction and recovery support when and where it is needed. The Salvation Army supported Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol in Scotland and our partnership with University of Stirling has led to pioneering research on substance use and measures that can reduce the harms caused by alcohol.”  

Alcohol-specific deaths were four-and-a-half times higher in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived in last year’s figures, and the highest in the UK. While this gap is closing, there has been a pattern over time showing more deaths in areas where people might also be struggling with rising food bills, health inequalities and poor employment prospects.

Lee Said: "An update to our Breaking The Cycle report is due to be published in the autumn. This will reinforce the message that a lack of support for substance use at weekends and evenings in many areas is putting lives at risk. Our analysis found that 83% of addiction support services in Scotland are closed over the weekend and half of Scotland’s local authorities could be without a support service that is open over the weekend – that cannot be allowed to continue.”

Steven Spencer, director of The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre has researched footballer Davie Haddow’s career, his connection to the church and struggles with alcohol addiction. Steven said: “Back in in the early 20th century our support was mainly spiritual although we supported the Temperance (Scotland) Act, in what would be called ‘public affairs’ today or ‘lobbying’. This legislation enabled local areas to vote on whether their district remained ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ and as late as 1970 there were still sixteen Scottish districts with prohibition. Despite the Act, evidence in our archive indicates widespread problem alcohol use at that time in Scotland, with domestic abuse being common. The Salvation Army campaigned tirelessly on the subject.

“Davie Haddow was a well-known sporting figure at the turn-of-the-century, the equivalent of a celebrity today. He was capped once for Scotland in a game against England in 1894 going onto play more than 60 games for Rangers before moving south to Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur. In an honest account of himself Haddow said, ‘I was once what the world calls popular… a professional footballer, and, I must add, a professional drunkard,’ admitting in the article published in our magazine, The War Cry, that alcohol addiction almost destroyed his life.  

“At the end of 1902, he joined The Whifflet Salvation Army and testified that, ‘This had been the best eight weeks of my life’. Newspaper coverage from the time states, ‘During the last few years Mr Haddow has been devoting his leisure hours to evangelistic work, being a very enthusiastic member of The Salvation Army’.  

“While researching this fascinating story I was inspired by Haddow’s honesty and willingness to share his struggles publicly at a time when society might have been considered less forgiving and more judgemental than today. With the support of The Salvation Army, Haddow came to believe that it was possible to turn his life around and in going public with his personal experiences clearly wished to inspire others.

“This very personal and touching story from our archive shows that with the right support, recovery is attainable. More than 120 years later, we continue to walk alongside people on that same journey, offering practical help and compassion in our services and churches across Scotland.

“In 1906, after a spell as a blacksmith, a reinvigorated and sober Haddow returned to football in goal for Albion Rovers as a committed Salvationist and is described in the sports pages of the time as, ‘The once famous international goalkeeper, Davie Haddow’.”  

For the full story of Davie Haddow visit The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre at: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/about-us/international-heritage-centre/international-heritage-centre-blog/davie-haddow-converted-international-footballer