Before his football career, he worked at the John Brown & Company's shipyard on the River Clyde in Glasgow, where he lost sight in one eye due to an accident in 1869.
He was not paid by the club but instead gained employment with a company in Garden Street owned by one of the directors, Walter Fearnehough.
Although the family business manufactured "Bayonet Spirals, Ledger Blades and Chaff Knives" Lang received no formal duties and he spent most of the day reading the paper.
[4] Lang returned to Third Lanark in October 1877[4] and played in their 1878 Scottish Cup Final defeat to Vale of Leven.
[4] Lang also played for the Sheffield Zulus,[10] lining up for them against Chesterfield on 24 November 1879[11] and Barnsley in January 1880 – he was also briefly secretary for the club.