Photos by : Ross McDairmant
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Restoration Work 2010....Part 1
Here's what we have cleared so far...! Long way to go yet, but am determined to get through it!
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Player Profile - John Weir 1915 - 1919
John Weir was a Junior player with Renfrew Juniors when the famous Third Lanark came in for him during the early years of The Great War. He made his debut for 'The Redcoats' on the 29th January 1916 playing Inside Right (number 8 in the modern game's positions). Aberdeen were the visitors to Cathkin Park on that cold and wintry day and went down under a flurry of goals, losing 6-2. A certain JOHN WEIR scored three of them. What a debut!!He played a further 15 times for 3rds that season as the slaughter in Europe edged into industrial proportions.
Season 1916 - 1917 John played 40 games in all competitions for Third Lanark, hitting the net on 11 occasions. 1917 - 1918 saw him score 6 times in 29 matches and in the following season he scored 3 times in 14 games. He played his last game for the 'Hi Hi' on the 1st of March 1919 against Ayr United.
John Weir started season 1919 - 1920 at new club Airdrieonians FC. He played 16 first team matches that year, 1 Scottish Cup game and 15 league matches and scored 3 league goals. He then was transferred to Kings Park and then Armadale in season 1921 - 1922.The Armadale team of 1923 is pictured above.
From 1924 until 1926, he played at St Bernards, before finishing off his career with Bo'ness, helping them win promotion to the first division as Scottish Second Division champions 1926–27.
The photos on this page were sent to me by Thirds Historian Bert Bell. They are from 1920 and 1921 and unfortunately John Weir had moved on to Airdrie by then, however these guys were his friends and teammates.John became an Engineer and founded his own company. He married Elizabeth Morrison in 1918 and had four children, Isobel,John,Alec and Elizabeth.
John Weir was my great grandfather...
and is pictured in the family holiday snap in the back row, second from the left(wearing his wife's hat for comic effect!!).
and is pictured in the family holiday snap in the back row, second from the left(wearing his wife's hat for comic effect!!).
Hampden Park 2 - Home Of Queens Park FC
The ground was originally Queens Park Ground and staged its first league game in 1884. The ground then was called Hampden Park and Queens Park played there until they moved to the present site of Hampden Park in 1903. When Third Lanark took over the ground in 1903, they renamed it Cathkin Park. Whilst known as Hampden Park in staged a number of Scottish Cup Finals and even Scotland played England there in 1894.
From Wikipedia.....
Beginnings
The Queen's Park Football Club was founded on 9 July 1867 with the words: "Tonight at half past eight o'clock a number of gentlemen met at No. 3 Eglinton Terrace for the purpose of forming a football club." Gentlemen from the local YMCA took part in football matches in the local Glasgow area which gave the club its name . During the inaugural meeting, debate raged over the club's name. Proposals included: 'The Celts'; 'The Northern' and 'Morayshire'. Perhaps such choice of names suggest a Highland influence within the new club. After much deliberation, 'Queen's Park' was adopted and carried, but only by a majority of one vote. Although Queen's were not the first club in Britain, they were the first in Scotland and often had to play among themselves in order to gain match practice. Opposition first came in the form of a now defunct Glaswegian side called Thistle FC and Queen's won 2-0 on 1 August 1868. ] Early Domination
Looking for serious competition and without any firm domestic challenges, Queen's joined the English Football Association in 1870 - the only football governing body in existence at the time. Their main attraction was to the new Challenge Cup and contributions were made to pay for the trophy . Queen's reached the first ever semi-finals in 1872 but had to withdraw due to lack of funds after drawing their first ever competitive match 0-0 with The Wanderers at the Kennington Oval. Financial constraints meant that Queen's played little part in the competition until 1884 where they stormed to the final before losing 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers at The Oval . Another loss to Blackburn the following year was the closest Queen's got to winning the English trophy. In 1887, Scottish clubs were banned from entering by the Scottish Football Association .
Robert Smith had played in the international matches against England of 19 November 1870[8] and the international matches of 25 February 1871 and 18 November 1871. The Queen's Park football club players R.Smith and J. Smith were named amongst 16 selected players in the publicity for the February 1872 match, and the reason for their absence is not clear. These early matches were organised under the auspices of the Football Association, but are not currently recognised by FIFA (founded 1904) as official.
Queen's and other 'Northern' clubs have been credit with bringing a style of 'passing-on' and 'combination' play to the game which revolutionised football . Before, individual play and dribbling were favoured by the best sides in the United Kingdom . But the 'clogging' style, popular with the successful Old Etonians, became outmoded and formations changed to suit a more expansive game, with passing, heading and wing play more commonplace .
On the 30th of November 1872, Scotland faced England at the West of Scotland Cricket Club ground at Hamilton Crescent. For the one and only time all eleven Scots players were from Queen's Park and they wore blue jerseys as those were the current colours of Queen's. This is, however, not the origin of the blue Scotland shirt as contemporary reports of the February 5th 1872 rugby international at the Oval show that "the scotch were easily distinguishable by their uniform of blue jerseys.... the jerseys having the thistle embroidered" The thistle had been worn previously in the 1871 rugby international but on brown shirts 4,000 spectators watched Scotland play with a 2-2-6 formation and England with a 1-1-8 line-up.
The match itself illustrated the advantage gained by the Queens Park players "through knowing each others' play" as all came from the same club. Contemporary match reports clearly show dribbling play by both the English and the Scottish sides, for example: "The Scotch now came away with a great rush, Leckie and others dribbling the ball so smartly that the English lines were closely besieged and the ball was soon behind", "Weir now had a splendid run for Scotland into the heart of his opponents' territory." and "Kerr.. closed the match by the most brilliant run of the day, dribbling the ball past the whole field" Scotland nearly won but a Robert Leckie shot landed on the tape crossbar and the game finished 0-0. Although the Scottish team are acknowledged to have worked better together during the first half, the contemporary account in the Scotsman newspaper acknowledges that in the second half England played similarly: "During the first half of the game the English team did not work so well together, but in the second half they left nothing to be desired in this respect." There is no specific description of a passing maneouvre in the lengthy contemporary match reports, although two weeks' later The Graphic reported "[Scotland] seem to be adepts at passing the ball". There is no evidence in the article that the author attended the match, as the reader is clearly pointed to match descriptions in "sporting journals". Similarly, the 5th March 1872 match between Wanderers and Queens park contains no evidence of ball passing This contemporary evidence suggests that the origin of the short passing game lies in the mid 1870s.
Queen's have been credited with pioneering solid cross bars, however, even as late as the 1872 Glasgow international a "tape" was being used in Scotland whilst the use of crossbars had been part of the Sheffield Rules of 1862.
Queen's Park formed the Scottish Football Association on the 13th of March 1873, with eight other clubs . Their match with Dumbreck on October 25 was the first match to be played at the first at Hampden Park . It was also the first match which saw Queen's wear their custom black and white hooped jerseys, which lent the club the nickname of 'The Spiders". Most importantly, it was the first Scottish Cup tie and Scottish competitive match for the club and Queen's won 7-0. In the final, Queen's defeated Clydesdale 2-0 at Hampden.
Queens Park FC's playing style involved the rough and tumble of early soccer even in the mid 1870s. For example, the match report of Queen's Park's victory over Wanderers in October 1875 states that
After a “hand” within thirty yards of the Wanderers’ lines, Weir got possession, and, successfully charg[ed] the English forwards
Success in the Scottish Cup followed in the next two years with final victories over Renton and Third Lanark. In drawing 2-2 with Clydesdale in the 1875 semi-final, Queen's conceded their first ever goals . Defeat for the club was first experienced with a 2-1 defeat to Vale of Leven in the 5th round in December 1876 . Third Lanark and Rangers eliminated the Spiders before Queen's reclaimed the cup in 1880 with a win over Thornliebank. Dumbarton were beaten in the final in successive years. In 1881, Queen's had to beat them twice after Dumbarton successfully appealed that the crowd at Kinning Park had encroached following a 2-1 defeat. Dumbarton got revenge in 1883 but Queen's won again in 1884 without even having to play the final after Vale of Leven refused to play on the date stipulated by the SFA .
Afterwards, the domination in the competition that the club had enjoyed began to lessen as more teams strengthened. The trophy was reclaimed in 1890 with a replay win over Vale of Leven and the club's 10th and final success came in 1893 with a 2-1 win over Celtic at Ibrox. In the same year, professional football was acknowledged by the SFA. Three years previously, the Scottish Football League had been formed but Queen's declined to join, stressing their amateur principles. Queen's Park joined the Scottish League in 1900 and took part in the 1900-01 season.
Nevertheless the Queen's players of the time were held in high regard throughout the country and some are still remembered today. Charles Campbell won eight Scottish Cup winners medals with Queen's and earned 13 Scotland caps. Wattie Arnott was a near ever-present in the successful teams of the 1880s. RS McColl scored a remarkable number of goals for Queen's and soon moved on to Newcastle and Rangers. In a unprecedented move, he returned to Queen's and scored six goals in his final match. Andrew Watson was the first black football player in Britain . He won three Scotland caps and starred in one of the club's earliest sides. J.A.H Catton, a notable sports editor, named Watson in his all-time Scotland team in 1926. Queen's in the Scottish League
However, as the 20th century drew nearer, Queen's found themselves playing in only cup competitions and the Glasgow league. A remarkable run to the 1900 Scottish Cup final saw Queen's only narrowly lose 4-3 to Celtic. The previous 25 years had Queen's achieve great success in cup competition but after ten years of resistance they finally took the big step to the Scottish Division One.
Queen's struggled with top-flight football and the professional sides which surrounded them. An early high-point was a 1-0 victory over Celtic at the opening of the new Hampden Park in 1903.
The Queen's Park Football Club was founded on 9 July 1867 with the words: "Tonight at half past eight o'clock a number of gentlemen met at No. 3 Eglinton Terrace for the purpose of forming a football club." Gentlemen from the local YMCA took part in football matches in the local Glasgow area which gave the club its name . During the inaugural meeting, debate raged over the club's name. Proposals included: 'The Celts'; 'The Northern' and 'Morayshire'. Perhaps such choice of names suggest a Highland influence within the new club. After much deliberation, 'Queen's Park' was adopted and carried, but only by a majority of one vote. Although Queen's were not the first club in Britain, they were the first in Scotland and often had to play among themselves in order to gain match practice. Opposition first came in the form of a now defunct Glaswegian side called Thistle FC and Queen's won 2-0 on 1 August 1868. ] Early Domination
Looking for serious competition and without any firm domestic challenges, Queen's joined the English Football Association in 1870 - the only football governing body in existence at the time. Their main attraction was to the new Challenge Cup and contributions were made to pay for the trophy . Queen's reached the first ever semi-finals in 1872 but had to withdraw due to lack of funds after drawing their first ever competitive match 0-0 with The Wanderers at the Kennington Oval. Financial constraints meant that Queen's played little part in the competition until 1884 where they stormed to the final before losing 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers at The Oval . Another loss to Blackburn the following year was the closest Queen's got to winning the English trophy. In 1887, Scottish clubs were banned from entering by the Scottish Football Association .
Robert Smith had played in the international matches against England of 19 November 1870[8] and the international matches of 25 February 1871 and 18 November 1871. The Queen's Park football club players R.Smith and J. Smith were named amongst 16 selected players in the publicity for the February 1872 match, and the reason for their absence is not clear. These early matches were organised under the auspices of the Football Association, but are not currently recognised by FIFA (founded 1904) as official.
Queen's and other 'Northern' clubs have been credit with bringing a style of 'passing-on' and 'combination' play to the game which revolutionised football . Before, individual play and dribbling were favoured by the best sides in the United Kingdom . But the 'clogging' style, popular with the successful Old Etonians, became outmoded and formations changed to suit a more expansive game, with passing, heading and wing play more commonplace .
On the 30th of November 1872, Scotland faced England at the West of Scotland Cricket Club ground at Hamilton Crescent. For the one and only time all eleven Scots players were from Queen's Park and they wore blue jerseys as those were the current colours of Queen's. This is, however, not the origin of the blue Scotland shirt as contemporary reports of the February 5th 1872 rugby international at the Oval show that "the scotch were easily distinguishable by their uniform of blue jerseys.... the jerseys having the thistle embroidered" The thistle had been worn previously in the 1871 rugby international but on brown shirts 4,000 spectators watched Scotland play with a 2-2-6 formation and England with a 1-1-8 line-up.
The match itself illustrated the advantage gained by the Queens Park players "through knowing each others' play" as all came from the same club. Contemporary match reports clearly show dribbling play by both the English and the Scottish sides, for example: "The Scotch now came away with a great rush, Leckie and others dribbling the ball so smartly that the English lines were closely besieged and the ball was soon behind", "Weir now had a splendid run for Scotland into the heart of his opponents' territory." and "Kerr.. closed the match by the most brilliant run of the day, dribbling the ball past the whole field" Scotland nearly won but a Robert Leckie shot landed on the tape crossbar and the game finished 0-0. Although the Scottish team are acknowledged to have worked better together during the first half, the contemporary account in the Scotsman newspaper acknowledges that in the second half England played similarly: "During the first half of the game the English team did not work so well together, but in the second half they left nothing to be desired in this respect." There is no specific description of a passing maneouvre in the lengthy contemporary match reports, although two weeks' later The Graphic reported "[Scotland] seem to be adepts at passing the ball". There is no evidence in the article that the author attended the match, as the reader is clearly pointed to match descriptions in "sporting journals". Similarly, the 5th March 1872 match between Wanderers and Queens park contains no evidence of ball passing This contemporary evidence suggests that the origin of the short passing game lies in the mid 1870s.
Queen's have been credited with pioneering solid cross bars, however, even as late as the 1872 Glasgow international a "tape" was being used in Scotland whilst the use of crossbars had been part of the Sheffield Rules of 1862.
Queen's Park formed the Scottish Football Association on the 13th of March 1873, with eight other clubs . Their match with Dumbreck on October 25 was the first match to be played at the first at Hampden Park . It was also the first match which saw Queen's wear their custom black and white hooped jerseys, which lent the club the nickname of 'The Spiders". Most importantly, it was the first Scottish Cup tie and Scottish competitive match for the club and Queen's won 7-0. In the final, Queen's defeated Clydesdale 2-0 at Hampden.
Queens Park FC's playing style involved the rough and tumble of early soccer even in the mid 1870s. For example, the match report of Queen's Park's victory over Wanderers in October 1875 states that
After a “hand” within thirty yards of the Wanderers’ lines, Weir got possession, and, successfully charg[ed] the English forwards
Success in the Scottish Cup followed in the next two years with final victories over Renton and Third Lanark. In drawing 2-2 with Clydesdale in the 1875 semi-final, Queen's conceded their first ever goals . Defeat for the club was first experienced with a 2-1 defeat to Vale of Leven in the 5th round in December 1876 . Third Lanark and Rangers eliminated the Spiders before Queen's reclaimed the cup in 1880 with a win over Thornliebank. Dumbarton were beaten in the final in successive years. In 1881, Queen's had to beat them twice after Dumbarton successfully appealed that the crowd at Kinning Park had encroached following a 2-1 defeat. Dumbarton got revenge in 1883 but Queen's won again in 1884 without even having to play the final after Vale of Leven refused to play on the date stipulated by the SFA .
Afterwards, the domination in the competition that the club had enjoyed began to lessen as more teams strengthened. The trophy was reclaimed in 1890 with a replay win over Vale of Leven and the club's 10th and final success came in 1893 with a 2-1 win over Celtic at Ibrox. In the same year, professional football was acknowledged by the SFA. Three years previously, the Scottish Football League had been formed but Queen's declined to join, stressing their amateur principles. Queen's Park joined the Scottish League in 1900 and took part in the 1900-01 season.
Nevertheless the Queen's players of the time were held in high regard throughout the country and some are still remembered today. Charles Campbell won eight Scottish Cup winners medals with Queen's and earned 13 Scotland caps. Wattie Arnott was a near ever-present in the successful teams of the 1880s. RS McColl scored a remarkable number of goals for Queen's and soon moved on to Newcastle and Rangers. In a unprecedented move, he returned to Queen's and scored six goals in his final match. Andrew Watson was the first black football player in Britain . He won three Scotland caps and starred in one of the club's earliest sides. J.A.H Catton, a notable sports editor, named Watson in his all-time Scotland team in 1926. Queen's in the Scottish League
However, as the 20th century drew nearer, Queen's found themselves playing in only cup competitions and the Glasgow league. A remarkable run to the 1900 Scottish Cup final saw Queen's only narrowly lose 4-3 to Celtic. The previous 25 years had Queen's achieve great success in cup competition but after ten years of resistance they finally took the big step to the Scottish Division One.
Queen's struggled with top-flight football and the professional sides which surrounded them. An early high-point was a 1-0 victory over Celtic at the opening of the new Hampden Park in 1903.
Photo page of Cathkin Park ....Now
The old stadium is crumbling, but enough still remains to salvage!
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