1890-91 A Season of Change |
- Early Scottish Cup exit again
- Scottish Alliance league is formed
The season began in an unusually light-hearted way, with a charity fancy-dress match at Inchview, between Minerva and the Irving Dramatic Club. Willie Paul played in the game, along with Celtic stars Willie Groves and Willie Maley.
However, come the start of the season proper, it appeared that Paul had left Inchview, to join Queen's Park, a club that he had guested for a number of times the previous season. With this departure, Thistle had lost four of their players of the previous campaign - J.Drummond had joined Preston North End, A.Johnston had moved to Third Lanark, while D.Hislop joined a number of ex-Thistle players at Rangers. Rangers also signed Thistle Swifts keeper Marshall, leading to the south-side club being accused of poaching Thistle players. One comment was "Rangers should say if they would like Partick Thistle to play their league matches for them".
On the field things started well, with a 6-1 win over Newmilns, and a 9-6 away win over Port Glasgow Athletic. However, with so many departures, it was no surprise that Thistle struggled in their first test of the season - a Scottish Cup tie away to Wishaw Thistle. In years past this would not have been a significant hurdle, but with seven players making their debut for the club, Thistle lost two goals in the closing minutes to lose 3-2 and exit the Scottish Cup for the second year at the first stage. Team details here.
This did not prove to be a problem, as Fairfield were beaten 4-2 at Inchview, as a further three players made their first competitive appearances for Thistle. Team details here.
Dykebar, however, did prove an obstacle, and beat Thistle 5-4 at Thistle Park, prior to the first game of the season against Rangers. Despite the numbers of players having left Inchview, particularly on their way to Ibrox, Rangers still found it difficult to beat Thistle. It gave Partick Thistle a boost to see that their players were not missed, although they were happy to welcome back Willie Paul and A.Johnstone to the team. Thistle won the game 3-2.
On the eve of the third round Glasgow Cup tie against Cowlairs, the game was abandoned, pending an SFA investigation into Cowlairs' books by the Professional Committee. A preliminary inspection found that cash was unallocated, and a full investigation was to take place. Ex-Partick Thistle President Joseph Halley was now Secretary at Cowlairs, while the popular goalkeeper Andrew Duff was also at Cowlairs having left Thistle.
Whether the abandonment of the Cowlairs cup tie, which was awarded to Thistle, affected the players, the results certainly suffered --a 0-2 defeat at Linthouse, and a 1-4 loss at home to Abercorn preceded a poor 5-0 trouncing by Celtic in the Glasgow Cup semi-final. A protest was made about the weather conditions - Scottish Sport thought that "if McCorkindale could have kept his feet the score may have been different", but the protest was rejected by the Glasgow FA.
The exodus continued from Inchview, with J.Smith leaving the club to join Irish club Belfast, while Rangers again took advantage, signing Thomas McCulloch.
Glasgow Thistle were beaten 1-0 at Inchview, before the return match was played against Rangers. Despite the defections from Thistle to Rangers, the score ended 1-1 and the run of good results continued.
A 4-0 win over Pollokshaws at Inchview preceded the annual New Year trip south, where Bootle (2-2 draw) and Sheffield Wednesday (2-3 defeat) were the opposition.
Less than a month after Thomas McCulloch joined Rangers, it was reported that he had been approached by a Partick Thistle player, acting as an agent for an English club. The following week McCulloch joined Roddy McLeod of Thistle, and McCallum of Celtic, as they all signed for West Bromwich Albion.
Having exited from the Scottish and Glasgow Cups, it became evident that the main benefit of the Scottish League, in its first season, was the continuing hold over spectators' interest. As Thistle continued to fill their weekends with friendlies, some so meaningless that the press began to forget to furnish reports, the League clubs prospered. Players were keen to move to League clubs, as the non-league clubs suffered through lack of competition with the top clubs. Something had to be done, and the idea of another league began to formulate.
Thistle continued with wins over Kilbirnie and Mossend Swifts, and a draw with Methlan Park, before travelling to Belfast to take on, and lose to, Linfield Athletic in an unfriendly game. Two Thistle players were injured.
"The natural outcome of the Scottish League is the Scottish Alliance, which was formed last Thursday evening (26th February). The League had pursued such a selfish policy, and had shown such utter disregard for the considerations of the clubs outside their own immediate circle, even for those who for many years stood on the most friendly relations to these clubs, that, for their own protection, these latter concluded that they were duty bound to protect themselves. The League clubs, when they had an open date, with remarkable condescension, gave the date to one of their old friends, but as a matter of fact, these engagements have not always been fulfilled, but have been thrown over in favour of a delayed League fixture. This sort of thing naturally created friction, and it soon became evident that it was unbecoming the dignity of any club to be treated this way. This Alliance has long been talked of, and is now an established fact; one too which the League clubs may find will have much influence in Scottish football, because it's object is not to create friction by a selfish disregard for the feelings of others, but to endeavour to exist in harmony with the powers that be, and kindred clubs.
The clubs forming the Alliance are Partick Thistle, Glasgow Thistle, Northern, Clyde, Linthouse, East Stirlingshire, Port Glasgow Athletic, Greenock Morton, Kilmarnock, Airdrieonians, and Leith Athletic.....The Alliance has invited Queen's Park to join.....It is improbable that the Queen's Park will depart from the position it has taken with regard to the League.....Applications have been received from Kings Park, Glasgow Wanderers, Pollokshaws, Royal Albert etc, and one of these will be selected.....for the twelfth place.....The Alliance is also determined to give unqualified support to the Scottish Association.....and also with provincial Associations. In this it has acted with wisdom, and has removed what was and still is the great objection to the Scottish League, namely that it has never shown any consideration for the parent or other bodies.....The Scottish Alliance, to mark it's opinion of the League.....has resolved to play no matches, except of course, compulsory cup ties, with league clubs." Scottish Sport.
Although Queen's Park were still opposed to the concept of league football, they did not cancel a game at Inchview, where Thistle again tried to get the better of the famous club. Again Thistle lost, 2-1, although this was a good performance against a strong side. A less impressive result had been achieved the previous week, on the day after the annual dance had been held. Linthouse were visited, and they dealt a 2-8 thrashing to the hung-over Thistle players.
John Boag presided over a meeting of the Scottish Alliance, at which Ayr were invited to join the other eleven member clubs, at the expense of Kings Park, Falkirk and Edinburgh Northern. John Boag was appointed acting chairman of the Alliance until the next meeting.
John McCorkindale became Thistle's second internationalist, when he replaced George Gillespie in the Scotland team who faced Wales. Although not a poor performance from McCorkindale, Scotland conceded three goals, winning the game 4-3. That same day Thistle travelled to Birmingham to play Aston Villa. Without McCorkindale - Carson of Glasgow Thistle deputised - the game was lost 10-0. The following day a draw was recorded against Ardwick.
The Greenock Charity Cup had been a popular tournament for Thistle, but this year, faced with Dumbarton at Cappielow, saw an early exit after a 2-0 defeat.
Scottish Sport reported a growing suspicion that the advantages of the Scottish League were outweighed by the disadvantages. What these disadvantages were was not explained, but the suggestion that the League be disbanded and a Glasgow League formed suggests a problem with travel. Queen's Park, Celtic, Rangers, Third Lanark, Cowlairs, Cambuslang, Partick Thistle and Clyde were the teams mentioned. Despite these misgivings about league football, several of the clubs who had been rejected by the Alliance met in Glasgow to discuss the forming of a Scottish Federation.
Thistle were given another opportunity to match themselves against the best in the country when paired with Queen's Park, again, in the first round of the Glasgow Charity Cup. This was a tournament that Thistle had been keen to get involved in for a number of years. The Scottish League clubs were not involved this year, and this gave the opportunity to others to take their place. Thistle were in the process of rebuilding their team, and gave competitive debuts to three players. George Gorham had left the club, moving to Clyde, with two players moving from there to Inchview. Although another 2-1 defeat was recorded, it was another good result for an improving team. £73 was the gate money raised for charity - the biggest gate of the tournament. Team details here.
The season began to peter out, with only a few friendlies to keep the interest of the Thistle supporters. An ill-tempered game at Govan against Linthouse saw Linthouse captain James Rodgers break his leg. Ironically, or not, when the two teams had met the previous season, a Thistle player had had his leg broken. No final score was given for the game.
The final game of the season saw a poor performance from Thistle in front of an expectant crowd at Airdrieonians. Thistle lost 7-1.
The SFA rules disallowed players who had moved to England to turn professional to return to play again in Scotland, even at amateur level. However, they announced an amnesty to all players who had left for England. This allowed Thistle to include J.Stewart in the team against Airdrie. Stewart had left in 1888 to play with Hartlepool.
However, the action was off the park as teams discovered their destinies, for the following season at least. Leith Athletic and Clyde, founder members of the Alliance, dropped their aversion to the Scottish League clubs by accepting an invitation to join the big clubs. St Bernards, dropped by the League, were invited to join the Alliance. John Boag was elected President of the Scottish Alliance. Not surprisingly, a proposal from the press that the two bodies should merge were rejected unanimously.
As the big clubs took more and more control over the affairs of football via the League, and Alliance, so there were calls for a Qualifying Cup to be established for the Scottish Cup, to cut down on the number of games being played in the competition.
The season ended with two matches at Inchview in aid of charity. The first was billed as a "Grand Character Match", involving the Irving Dramatic Club who had opended the season. The players who took part are unknown, althouth the characters who made up the teams make interesting, if bizarre, reading. Partick Thistle lined up: Artful Dodger; Dudeworthy, Sweeney Todd; Chinaman, Tommy Atkins, Mary Anderson; Silver King, McGinty, Prince Charlie, Tom Bowling, A Warrior Bold. The Irving team was: Pirate; Policeman, Slavey; Nero, Malabar, Mikado; Alley Sloper, Tootsie, Bluebeard, Annie Rooney, Rob Roy. The referee was Old Nick, who rode about the field on horseback.
The second charity match was more interesting, combining a team of past Thistle players with the current side. The match was in aid of the Whiteinch Orphanage funds. The Past team was: Andrew Duff; John Hendry, Thomas Campbell; Robert Robertson, Geo Ward, Robert Marshall; Jerry Suter, Andrew Johnstone, A.Mackay, John Young, David Hislop. The current team lined up: John McCorkindale; John Herd, William Proudfoot; J.Smith, John Cameron, John Stewart; Willie Paul, J.H.Davie, Walter Keay, Sam Clark, John Gilchrist.
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Victoria Hall, with Walter McLean jnr presiding. The following were elected in preperation for the first season of sustained competition in the Alliance.
- President - David Hastie
- Vice President - Walter McLean jnr
- Hon. Secretary - J.Goudie
- Match Secretary - Andrew M Smith, 73 Byars (sic) Road
- 1st XI Captain - John McCorkindale
- Swifts Captain - David Freebairn
- Committee - J.N.Boag, A.Auchterlonie, J.Dougall, J.Hendrie, A.Fraser, A.Ross jnr
- Alliance rep - J.N.Boag
- Glasgow FA rep - D.Hastie
- 2nd XI FA rep - A.M.Smith