Born in
Annbank, Gourlay played club football for
Cambuslang (playing for them in the
1888 Scottish Cup Final alongside his cousin Hugh, who scored their side's goal) and
Annbank (being part of his hometown team's run to the quarter-finals of the
1891–92 Scottish Cup), and made one appearance for
Scotland against
Wales in 1888. He is often confused with another
James Gourlay, also a Cambuslang player, who was capped for
Scotland in 1886. His son
Jimmy was also a footballer, who scored the winning goal in the
1922 Scottish Cup Final; his descendants include the
lawn bowls champions
David Gourlay Sr. and
David Gourlay Jr. ==References==