Background
McCandless was born in Belfast, and started his career with non-league sides Ligoniel and Barn before joining Linfield in 1914.
McCandless was born in Belfast, and started his career with non-league sides Ligoniel and Barn before joining Linfield in 1914.
Following his retirement from playing he went into management, enjoying most success with Welsh sides, and, taking all three sides to the Division Three South title. He stayed with the Blues for 6 years, helping them to Irish Cup success in 1916 and 1919 before his performance in a 2-0 defeat to England while playing for Ireland prompted a number of British sides to show interest in signing him. Eventually joining in 1920 for £2,500, a record fee for an Irish player at the time, he went on to add 8 League titles to his honours collection while playing at Ibrox where he formed a formidable full back pairing with another Irishman, Bert Manderson.
In 1930, by then a veteran, McCandless was given the opportunity to move into football management by Ballymena, where he was appointed player-manager.
He returned to Scotland in 1933 to take charge of Dundee before moving to in 1937, where he helped them to promotion to Division 2 in 1939 despite using just 13 players throughout the season. Following the end of the war the majority of his title winning team moved to different clubs and, after falling out with the board over the future of the team, he resigned.
At the club he completed a unique treble, having taken three Welsh sides to the Division Three South title. He died on 18 July 1955 in Swansea, while still the club"s manager.
Player Manager.