Name: Archie Aikman
Date of Birth: 23rd March 1925 (Died 21st February 1998)
Place of Birth: Falkirk, Scotland
Nationality: Scottish
Position: Centre Forward
Signed: July 1946 from Hearts
Departed: June 1947 to Falkirk
Debut: 10th August 1946 v Clyde (1-3)
Final Match: 22nd March 1947 v Third Lanark (2-4)
Apps: 21
Goals: 9
Honours: None

Archie Aikman was only at Saints for one season, scoring 9 times in 21 matches as manager Bobby Rankin attempted to replace the prolific Alex Linwood who had moved to Middlesbrough for a club record £6000.

Signed from Hearts as a 21 year old, the 6ft tall centre forward would move to hometown team Falkirk at the at end of his only season at Paisley, and it was very much “one that got away” for Saints, in a similar way to Jimmy Cowan and Billy Steele during the war years who would go onto have outstanding careers.

Aikman would be top scorer in Scotland the following season, earning a call up to the national team, and after netting 42 times in 55 matches for the Bairns, earned himself a big money move to Manchester City. Luck played a cruel part however in Aikman’s career, and a bad car crash in the summer between his move to England resulted in him never appearing for the Maine Road club and returning to Scotland after two years to join Stenhousemuir. He would later play again for Falkirk and Dundee Utd, but never returned to his pre-accident form. Archie Passed away on the 21^st February 1998 aged 72.