Blair Henderson joined Spartans in the summer of 2021 with a proven pedigree of goal scoring prowess that had seen him collect the coveted Tartan Boot during his first spell in the SPFL.
The 6’ 4” striker didn’t take long to open his Spartans account, with a goal in just his second competitive game in a 4-0 win over Edinburgh University in the Lowland League.
Now, after 164 appearances, Henderson has recorded a remarkable feat of finding the net on a century of occasions with the Ainslie Park side.
Ten match balls have been collected on the way as a result of hat-tricks notched up, with Dalbeattie Star earning an unfortunate hat-trick of their own as recipients of a trio of three goal hauls.
Perhaps the most peculiar of goals came during another hat-trick moment at Gretna in his debut season, one which resulted in the generosity of a ‘walk-in’ at the other end in a tremendous show of sportsmanship.
Whilst Henderson’s hundred goals have often heavily influenced outcomes of tight games, the tally also contain some truly historic milestone moments for the Club too.
The 2022/23 campaign saw Henderson clock up 29 goals, three of these coming in the end of season Pyramid Play-Offs. A winner v Brechin City in the semi-final home leg was followed up with a crucial goal in the return game that went to penalties, one of which slotted home by the talismanic striker.
However, it will most likely be, for now at least, Henderson’s spot kick at Cliftonhill to secured promotion to the SPFL that places him in the upper chambers of Spartans legends.
Although in terms of magnitude, his winner earlier in this season’s campaign against Premiership side Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup certainly a close favourite amongst the Ainslie Park following, in what was arguably the club’s greatest result in terms of lofty opposition.
In March 2024, a successful penalty kick at Bonnyrigg saw Henderson complete a centenary of SPFL goals, which entered him into a small band of players who had scored 100 times or more in the top four divisions of Scottish Football.
Stats:
First competitive goal – 24/07/21 Lowland League v Edinburgh University (4-0)
100th competitive goal – 21/01/25 SPFL 2 v Bonnyrigg Rose (2-2)
Ten Hat-Tricks:
2021/22 Season: 02.10.21 x Gretna, 11.12.21 v Dalbeattie, 15.01.22 v Vale of Leithen (4 goals), 29.01.22 v Broomhill
2022/23 Season: 01.10.22 v Dalbeattie, 19.11.22 v Glasgow Uni, 18.02.23 v Dalbeattie
2023/24 Season: 16.12.23 v Elgin City, 30.01.24 v East Fife, 11.05.24 v Peterhead
Tally:
2021/22: 34
2022/23: 28
2023/24: 27
2024/25: 11
