Background
Graham was born in Galston, just outside Hurlford, Ayrshire and started playing for local club Hurlford United before moving to Lanarkshire where he played for Larkhall United and Larkhall Thistle.
Graham was born in Galston, just outside Hurlford, Ayrshire and started playing for local club Hurlford United before moving to Lanarkshire where he played for Larkhall United and Larkhall Thistle.
Early years
Arsenal
Graham was taken on trial by Woolwich Arsenal in December 1911 and was signed permanently the following January. After a year in the reserves he made his debut in a First Division match on 25 December 1912 against N ottinghamshire County and played another 14 games that season. Graham either played at centre half or left half, at first mainly deputising for more established players such as Angus McKinnon.
By 1914-1915, with Woolwich Arsenal now relegated to the Second Division, Graham had become a regular, but World War I brought with it the suspension of League football in England.
Graham left Woolwich Arsenal to return to his native Scotland, where he guested for Vale of Leven, Hamilton Academical (two spells) and Third Lanark. He was a regular for Arsenal"s first three seasons after the war (from 1919 until 1922), but the arrival of Jack Butler meant Graham had competition for his place and at the start of 1922-1923 he lost his regular centre half berth, though he continued to be used as a bit-part player deputising in other half-back positions for that season and the next one.
He played 179 times for Arsenal in total, scoring 20 goals (many of them penalties) and departed Highbury in December 1924. Brentford
Graham joined Third Division South club Brentford in December 1924 for a £450 fee.
He played 49 matches, scored 11 goals and also became player/assistant manager to Fred Halliday prior to the beginning of the 1925-1926 season.
He left Griffin Park following the appointment of Harry Curtis in May 1926. Graham had a player-manager spell at Southern League side Folkestone and later managed Botwell Mission. Graham worked as a miner during World War I. He died at Whittington Hospital, Islington, in August 1972.