Ian started his career in Glasgow with Possilpark YMCA but was snapped up by Liverpool as an 18-year-old in the summer of 1965. He remained at Anfield for seven seasons making a total of 48 League appearances and scoring twice. Ian was then transferred to Aston Villa in February 1972 and spent five seasons there, making 175 League appearances and scoring a further three goals. In 1976, Ian had loan spells at Notts County and Northampton Town before being transferred to Peterborough United in December 1976. He went on to make another 112 League appearances with the London Road side and scored his final goal in League football before joining Wolves in August 1979.
A spell with Santa Barbara in the USA followed but Ian was tempted to return to the UK with the offer of becoming team coach at Hereford United, whom he joined in October 1982. A stylish mid-fielder, he played a total of 20 first-team games during his short spell at Edgar Street, which ended with the arrival of new manager John Newman, who brought in Paul Maddy to replace him.
Ian then gained valuable management experience abroad with the Oman national team before playing for and coaching the Icelandic club Valur Reykjavik for two years from 1985 to 1987. Ian then became manager of Iceland’s biggest team KR Reykjavik from 1988 to 1990. He returned to the UK and managed Huddersfield Town from 1992 to 1993 before returning to Iceland and managing Keflavik. in 1994. Ian then returned to the UK for his final managerial stint when he became manager of Berwick Rangers in 1996.”