Background
Fairgrieve was born in Edinburgh and started his football career with Dalry Primrose and Glasgow Perthshire, during which time he earned Scottish junior international honours and represented Glasgow in a game against Lanarkshire.
Fairgrieve was born in Edinburgh and started his football career with Dalry Primrose and Glasgow Perthshire, during which time he earned Scottish junior international honours and represented Glasgow in a game against Lanarkshire.
After a month"s trial period at Everton, he joined Southern League champions Southampton in May 1898 on a professional contract. He spent most of his time at The Dell in the reserves, with his only first team outing coming when he took the place of Tom Smith for the second match of the 1898-1899 season, a 2–0 defeat by New Brompton. In the summer of 1899, he left "the Saints" to join Luton Town of the Football League Second Division, although he failed to break into the first team