Debut: 07/09/1895 v Crewe Alexandria (H) 5-0 (League Division Two)
Birthplace: Dumfries, Scotland
Previous clubs: Kings Rifle Volunteers
Height:
Farewell to Manchester United: Transferred to ? ,12/1895, £
Weight:
Passed Away: 17/12/1919
For several years, John Aitken excelled in the front line of the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers, a Scottish side from Dumfries. They were a non-league outfit but Aitken saw plenty of competitive football in the Scottish Cup as well as the Southern Counties Cup, in which he earned a winners' medal in 1894 and its losers' equivalent the following year.
The exceptionally speedy Aitken soon attracted the attentions of clubs south of the border, with Preston North End making a failed attempt to sign him during 1894-95. In July 1895, however, he was signed by Newton Heath, who gave him his debut against Fairfield in a friendly on September 2nd. He was a left winger with pace and a good shot, as he demonstrated on his League debut five days later, crashing the ball into the top of the goal as Heath beat Crewe Alexandra 5-0.
He only made the first team on one more occasion - also against Crewe - appearing for the reserves instead until December. His deficiency seemed to be "uncertainty in his work and the need to put more into his shooting and passing". Aitken was untraced after that. No picture available. Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.