Stuart Samuel Baird (13 May 1930 â 21 April 2010) was a Scottish football player and manager.
During his playing career he played for Clyde, Preston North End, Rangers, Hibernian, Third Lanark and Stirling Albion. He won three Scottish league titles (1956, 1957 and 1959) and one Scottish Cup (1960) with Rangers.
Baird won the Division Two title in 1951âÂÂ52 with Clyde. Baird scored five times for Rangers as they reached the 1959âÂÂ60 European Cup semi finals and was influential for Hibernian on their run to the 1960âÂÂ61 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi finals. Preston paid ã12,000 for his signature and Rangers paid ã10,000 for his services. Hibs then forked out ã5,000 for him.
He earned seven international caps for Scotland from 1956 to 1958. He scored on his debut against Yugoslavia, and also in his last match, a 2âÂÂ1 defeat by France in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. The latter goal was the first time a Rangers player scored in a World Cup Finals match. He remains the only Rangers player to do so for Scotland in open play.
Additionally, Baird represented the Scottish League XI on five occasions. He scored in his last appearance against the Football League XI at Ibrox in 1958.
He earned earlier representative honours with Clyde. In 1953 against the British Army, Baird converted a penalty for Scotland XI in 2âÂÂ2 draw at Goodison Park. As preparation for the FIFA World Cup, Baird played for a Scotland XI in a couple of trial matches in 1958.
As Stirling Albion manager, Baird led the team to promotion to Division One winning the Division Two title in 1964âÂÂ65.
His Albion team became the first British and first professional team to tour Japan in 1966. The results of the two-match tour were 3âÂÂ1 against a Japanese All Stars XI and 4âÂÂ2 against the Japan national team.
He was later sacked in 1968 because the club were heading for relegation back to Division Two.
Baird died on the morning of 21 April 2010.
Clyde
Rangers
Hibernian
Third Lanark
Stirling Albion