T HE evening TIMES SCOTTISH JUNIOR HISTORIES 1932-33 ARTICLES BY “JUNIOR VETERAN” COMPILED BY MARK DONNELLY INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Throughout the 1932-33 season, the much missed “Saturday Pink” edition of the Evening Times ran a series of articles detailing histories of some of the prominent Scottish Junior clubs of the time. The articles were all written by the columnist “Junior Veteran” I have collated these articles into a single booklet in the hope that they may be of interest to historians of all grades of the Scottish game. Some of the articles were accompanied by a photograph relating to the featured team. Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, these are not reproduced here. The articles can be viewed in their entirety on the 2nd floor of Glasgow’s Mitchell Library. The content of the articles remains as it was when printed originally. Some minor changes have been made to the format in team line-ups and honours lists. Any additional corrections have been listed at the end of each article. I would like to thank the following for their assistance in compiling this booklet: Rosemary O’Hare of the Evening Times for clarifying copyright issues, the staff at the Mitchell Library for their help in viewing the necessary articles, Stewart Davidson for his advice and help in publishing the booklet, and Bernard Stocks, author of “The Winners”, an essential reference book, which has aided me in correcting dates for trophy wins and cup successes. Any further corrections or comments are welcomed. Please feel free to e-mail me at: [email protected] INDEX OF FEATURED CLUBS Original Original Publication Publication Date Page Date Page Alva Albion Rangers 10/06/33 67 Kilbirnie Ladeside 06/05/33 61 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 08/04/33 55 Kilsyth Rangers 01/04/33 54 Ashfield 27/08/32 4 Kilwinning Rangers 21/01/33 38 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 22/10/32 17 Baillieston 25/03/33 52 Bellshill Athletic 25/02/33 46 Largs Thistle 22/04/33 58 Benburb 24/09/32 10 Larkhall Thistle 31/12/32 33 Blantyre Celtic 27/05/33 65 Blantyre Victoria 24/12/32 31 Maryhill 17/12/32 29 Bridgeton Waverley 07/01/33 34 Maryhill Hibernian 24/06/33 70 Burnbank Athletic 10/12/32 27 Bute Athletic 20/05/33 63 Neilston Victoria 11/03/33 50 Camelon 01/07/33 72 Parkhead 20/08/32 3 Cambuslang Rangers 15/10/32 16 Petershill 08/10/32 14 Clydebank 12/11/32 21 Pollok 17/09/32 9 Croy Celtic 19/08/33 79 Port Glasgow Athletic 18/02/33 44 Darvel 13/05/33 62 Renfrew 11/02/33 43 Denny Hibs 14/01/33 36 Rothesay Royal Victoria 29/04/33 59 Douglas Water Thistle 08/07/33 73 Rutherglen Glencairn 03/09/32 6 Dumbarton Harp 15/07/33 74 Dunblane Rovers 22/07/33 75 St. Anthony’s 04/03/33 48 Dunipace 04/02/33 41 St. Ninian’s Thistle 17/06/33 69 Duntocher Hibernian 28/01/33 40 St. Roch’s 05/11/32 20 Saltcoats Victoria 18/03/33 51 Forth Rangers 12/08/33 79 Shawfield 03/12/32 26 Shettleston 19/11/32 22 Glasgow Perthshire 29/10/32 18 Strathclyde 01/10/32 12 Glenburn Rovers 29/07/33 76 Grange Rovers 26/08/33 80 Troon Athletic 05/08/33 78 Irvine Meadow XI 15/04/33 57 Vale of Clyde 10/09/32 7 Wishaw 03/06/33 66 Yoker Athletic 26/11/32 24 2 “BORN” 1883 AND STILL GOING STRONG Parkhead’s Record in Junior History - Cup Winners Five Times Reading somewhere of the return of Tommy Low, once Rangers’ outside right in the days when much of their present popularity was established, recalled the fact that he came from Parkhead to Ibrox- not like Alec Bennett, “Tully” Craig or R.G. Campbell as a player from the rival Celtic camp, but from the famous junior club Parkhead, one of the oldest, if not the oldest in the membership of the Scottish Junior Association. I am sure to get a call from Larkhall to say “And so are we”! Parkhead first came to light in 1883, when Bridgeton Thistle put up a cup for clubs in the north-eastern district, and they amalgamated with East Thorn. The officials of the club at its formation were - President, William Willox; vice-president, James Kelso; secretary, John Kirkwood; treasurer, Thomas Cochrane; and the team:- A. Cooper, William Willox, John Houston(captain), George Houston, James Kelso, Thomas Reid, Walter Nelson, David McJimsey, John McKenzie, John Nelson and Thomas Shields. Mr. Kelso still takes an interest in Parkhead. The First Home- The club’s original ground was adjacent to the present Helenslea Park. Then a move was made to what is now only a memory- old Helenslea Park, situated at the junction of Old Edinburgh Road and the east end of Westmuir Street. During Parkhead’s career they have done most of the things worth while in the junior world, and some of them several times over. For example, they have won the Scottish Junior Cup more often than any other club. Appearing in no fewer than nine finals, they were actual winners on 5 occasions. In 1918 they were shaping towards another final, but together with Renfrew they sided against the Association decree regarding the replaying of the semi-final, and Petershill, who had already qualified, were awarded the cup. Final Debut- It was in 1896 that Parkhead first reached the exalted rank of finalists, the match being played at Celtic Park on a Thursday evening in May. But Parkhead did not win this game, Cambuslang Hibs beat them 2- 1. It must have been a good game, as I read that “they played like two English elevens.” but what the names of these stout fellows were no-one seems to have taken the trouble to record in the 20-line report in front of me. However, the side which represented the club in the semi-final will stir some folks’ memories: - McAllan, Wyllie, Brown, Thorn, Tatton, Harvie, Low, Nicol, Carse, Logan, and Young. Celtic FC made the hire of their ground available at the attractive rate of 10 per cent of the gate. Incidentally, the £73 drawings were a record for that time. Third Time Lucky- In 1898 Parkhead again rolled up hopefully, but the Dalziel Rovers from Motherwell beat them 2-1. But the third time was lucky. Next year, 1899, they beat Westmarch XI, from Paisley, by 4-1 with the following team: - Raeside, Thorn, Ritchie, Barrie, Waters, Key, Mears, Edgar, Howden, Wilson, and Logan. That was good enough, but their next big year, when the present Helenslea Park was opened, 1903, was a triumphal one, as they were winners of the three cups- Scottish, Glasgow, and “The Evening Times” Trophy(as Glasgow Junior League champions). The Scottish Cup team, who beat Larkhall Thistle 3-0, was: - “Smith” (Robertson?), Anderson, Richmond, Conner, “Reddy” Paterson, Potter, Gilchrist, “Fly” Hannah, “Dodger” Connelly, McIntosh, and Thomson. The players were in good hands then, being under the care of “Banger” Cochrane, still a very much active member of the club, and “Jock” Barr, an interested onlooker of the present day. Vale of Clyde Intervene- In the 1904 final their Tollcross neighbours, Vale of Clyde, would take away any conceit which might have developed by winning 3-0. There was a big gap until 1915, when Port Glasgow Juniors were beaten 2-0. One year later Petershill whacked them 2-0. 1920 was round before they were again interested, and they sent Cambuslang Rangers home disconsolate with a 2-0 defeat. The team that met Port Glasgow was: - McManus, Carson, Neilson, Neil, Cowan, Arnott, Findlay, Bell, Ferguson, Taylor, and Kennedy. While Cambuslang Rangers were knocked out by: - Walker, Smith, Cant, Murphy, Kirkwood, Beattie, Cringan, Manson, Lister, Dempster, and Hosie. Their last victory was in 1924 when they beat Baillieston Juniors 3-1. This game was a replay after a draw (1-1), and took place at Firhill with the following side, which since it is the most recent winning team is worth noting: - McIntosh, Riley, Girvan, Baxter, Hyslop, Stewart, Beattie, Morgan, Hart, Hannah, and Kennedy. In The Old Days- Parkhead have also held “The Evening Times” Trophy as winners of the old Glasgow Junior League three times. Their first success was recorded in 1898, the third year of the competition, in 1903, and in 1917, when they tied with Petershill and played a decider to win by 1 goal to 0. Junior enthusiasts never tire of telling the world as to how this or that international senior originally hailed from their club. Parkhead have a long list of successful seniors, and from memory I recall the undernoted good goalkeepers- Dan McArthur 3 (Celtic), Raeside (Third Lanark), Monteith (Bury), and McAllan (Kilmarnock). Backs like Danny Blair (Clyde), George McQueen (Airdrieonians), and Andrew Richmond (Queen’s Park and Rangers), one can be proud of. Amongst notable half-backs were Hunter Hart (Airdrieonians), and now acting in an official capacity with Everton, whom he served so long. Singularly enough, more forwards are in my mind than other divisions, and one above all others, the late Hugh Ferguson, the “darling of the gods” when at Motherwell, where another Parkhead product, Willie Rankin, was also so deservedly popular. Now a Director- Jimmy Kinloch, now a Partick Thistle director; Russell Moreland, the Third Lanark manager; Archie Kyle, Tommy Low, and Dicky Bell, all Rangers; the late Elijah Cresswell(Queen’s Park), Boardman(Partick Thistle), Sammy Kennedy(Airdrieonians), and Johnny Edgar(Aberdeen), the great Tennant and Turner wing, first with St Bernard and then Middlesbrough are others.