Born in Beith, Ayrshire, centre–half Russell first signed for Scottish club, Stewarton Cunninghamme in 1882.

He was certainly not a player to cross, as he showed in the match against Blackburn Olympic in 1886: Russell chased an opponent down the pitch and kicked him in the back.

He appeared in 18 of the 22 League matches played by Preston North End in season 1888–89, and was a member of the defence that kept 12 clean–sheets and restricted the opposition to one goal on three occasions.

He also played in all the FA Cup ties, scoring in the semi–final, and achieved a winner's medal in the Final which Preston won 3–0 over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

This biographical article related to association football in Scotland, about a defender born in the 1860s, is a stub.