Career
Finlay played for Glasgow Shawfield before joining English Second Division side Portuguese Vale in September 1921. His only appearance at The Old Recreation Ground was at outside-left in a 1–1 draw against South Shields on 22 October, and he was released at the end of the 1921-1922 season. He later played for Airdrieonians, Manchester City, Crewe Alexandra, Third Lanark, and Dundee United, before joining Hibernian mid-way through the 1926-1927 season.
He scored three goals in 19 First Division games in the 1927-1928 season, and then bagged four goals in 33 appearances in the 1928-1929 campaign before leaving Easter Road.