Born into a farming family in Prestwick and raised in Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Wilson started playing football with local junior side Irvine Meadow. His professional career started in 1901 when he signed for Scottish League Division One club St Mirren. He failed to make an appearance in his first season, but played twice in 1902–03, scoring one goal. He left in 1903 to join Division Two side Hamilton Academical, where he stayed for one season, playing five league games for the club. In 1904, he moved to England to join Football League Second Division side Bradford City. He made 12 league appearances and scored one goal in two years with the team, but left at the end of the 1905–06 campaign. Wilson signed for Lancashire Combination outfit Oldham Athleticin the summer of 1906 and became a first-team regular almost at once, playing 38 matches and scoring two goals in his inaugural season. For the 1907–08 campaign, Oldham joined the Football LeagueSecond Division, and Wilson appeared in every league match between 1907 and 1911. He scored two goals in the 1909–10 season as Oldham achieved promotion to the Football League First Division. He continued to play regularly until the outbreak of the First World War, when competitive football in England was stopped at the end of the 1914–15 campaign. On 5 April 1913, Wilson made his international debut for Scotland in the 0–1 defeat to England at Stamford Bridge, in which he played alongside his brother Andrew. After the end of the war, he kept his place in the Oldham side when the league recommenced, appearing in every match of the 1919–20 season. At the conclusion of the 1920–21 campaign, Wilson left Oldham Athletic, having played 368 league matches and scored 16 goals in a 15-year spell with the club. Wilson joined newly promoted Football League Third Division North team Nelson in 1921. He was appointed player-manager and handed the role of taking charge of the team's inaugural season in the Football League. He played 34 matches in his first season with Nelson and scored three goals, including one penalty kick, the first he had scored in his career. Wilson went on to play 30 league games in the following campaign, leading his team to promotion to the Second Division. He played a further 31 matches for Nelson before retiring from playing at the end of the 1923–24 season, at the age of 40.
Management career
Wilson continued as manager of Nelson despite his retirement but left the club at the end of the 1924–25 season, despite the team having finished as runners-up in the Third Division North. He subsequently spent three years working as a stockbroker, before having a spell in charge of Exeter City in the Football League Third Division South between March 1928 and February 1929. He was in charge of the team for 42 matches, with the side winning 11 matches, drawing 10 and losing 21. The club struggled under Wilson's tenure and finished 21st out of 22 in the division the season he left. He then spent a year in Germany coaching Stuttgarter Kickers.
Personal life
Wilson was born in Irvine, North Ayrshire. After his retirement from football management, he worked as a stockbroker. He was one of four brothers who played professional football: Andrew set various club records for Sheffield Wednesday and was also a Scotland international and later a manager, James played with St Mirren and Preston North End and was selected for the Scottish League XI, and Alec played for Preston and Oldham.
