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Action Photo - Falkirk v Queen's Park 1914

October 4, 2013, 10:00 am
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You how it is with digging out old pictures of football matches from the archives, they are quite impressive in their poor quality retro-coolness. I wish there were so many more of them available [and of course there might be and I have not been looking in the right place yet] but for the moment I will be thankful for what I find.

This picture is from the Falkirk v Queen's Park Scottish Cup match in January 1914, Falkirk's first Cup game since winning the season before. It has a strange caption as it states that the players are [William] Lennie of Falkirk then Todd, Garvie, Young & Kerr [QP] from left to right, whilst it is clearly a Falkirk player at the right [Blue Shirt], so it probably means right to left....

I suppose that since cameras were much more basic than today it must have been very difficult to get a good action photo, therefore many of the other ones taken at the time were blurry and unuseable, so presumeably destroyed.

But what I like most about this picture is that in the background you can clearly see the houses in Watson Street so it was taken before the Shed was built [those very houses are still there a hundred years later]. Well I always like to come across pictures which have new [to me anyway] images of Brockville Park.


The match itself is quite annoying as Falkirk were beaten; the holders knocked out in the First Round. That sort of thing just doesn't happen anymore, and it is a shame it happened to Falkirk on this occasion, as [due to the war] the club would not have the chance to avenge it until 1920 [when Falkirk were beaten again in the First Round].

Will get back to looking through lots and lots of newspapers now, will be back when I find something of interest.
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Aftermath of a Penalty

October 5, 2013, 6:10 am
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Just a quick little post because I found this picture of the Dundee players picking the ball out of the net after a John Simpson penalty from September 1908, the game was a 1-1 draw at Dundee.


I know there are no Falkirk players in the photo but I still like it because I am very biased.
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Falkirk District Clubs 1900/01

October 6, 2013, 6:32 am
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We are all used to seeing the previews of the up and coming season in our press, this of course is nothing new. Way back in the day these were as popular [if not as lengthy] as they are today.

Way back at the start of the last century there was an article in the Evening Telegragh giving a brief sketch on the clubs in Scotland and what they were up to for the new season. The big difference for the clubs in Falkirk District was that there were five clubs included then instead of the modern three.

First up, of course, were East Stirlingshire, as the biggest and most successful team in the district they got the biggest article [and a player pic]. East Stirling though going through what was relatively their strongest era tended to overstretch themselves, playing far too many competitive matches in the season, this was of course partly due to being good in local cups, partly joining new leagues looking for a better standard of opponent.


Stenhousemuir were reviewed next, Stenhousemuir were then as now a village team that occasionally punched above their weight, but inevitably lost their players almost as soon as they unearthed them. They were ambling along just fine competing in the local competitions and more often than not progressing far enough in the national cups to keep themselves noticed.


Falkirk were severely underperforming at this point, they had been struggling with the transition to professionalism for nearly a decade and there were strong calls from within the club for a return to amateurism [as King's Park of Stirling had recently done] costs were outstripping incomes and the [largely] Glaswegian journeymen pros had frankly not cut the mustard. Things were now turning as the club had cast its eyes upon largely local talent for the future.


Camelon FC were an enigma, as strong as the 'shire or Falkirk in their day, they suffered from the village club malaise even more than Stenhousemuir due to their closer proximity to Falkirk. They struggled mainly with keeping hold of enough players especially after the advent of professionalism, they simply could not afford to keep any of their good players for more than a season at most.


Last of all was the newest of the Falkirk District clubs, the Ams, Falkirk Amateurs were a completely different kettle of fish to the other four as they showed no inclination towards the dog eat dog world of league football. They were members of the Falkirk & District League, but as this was just a competition put on top of the already exisiting regular friendlies it hardly counts. The Ams plied away in every cup they could enter [usually not lasting very long] and friendlies.



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John Dora - What if?

October 7, 2013, 4:53 am
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In 1929, Falkirk having sold the record breaking Centre-Forward Evelyn Morrison were looking about for somebody who could replace the 40+ goals Morrison had scored the season before. Not an easy task in anybody's book, but Falkirk's eyes were upon a new young Arbroath Centre-Forward John Dora who was just fresh from Junior Football himself.

Having caught the eye with Arbroath Victoria and previously with Arbroath Ardenlea, Dora was trialled with Arbroath towards the end of the 1928/29 season impressing enough to be signed by for his hometown club for the next season. By the time Falkirk came looking for their replacement John had scored 15 goals in 21 games in Division 2 which is pretty impressive for someone so new to the senior game. No sums were mentioned in the press for the transfer so it was probably nominal if anything.


John got off to a flying start scoring on his debut match for his new club away at Buckie Thistle in the First Round of the Scottish Cup [Jan 18th 1930], a week later at Greenock he scored again on his League debut, it looked like Falkirk had done a bit of remarkably astute transfer wheeler-dealing for a change. The following week he was again included at number 9, this time his first match at Brockville Park, and for the only time in his time at Falkirk he failed to score. Because this was the last match he played for the club, and it would seem the last game of football he ever played: in a midweek Reserves Match he broke his leg which seems to have ended his playing days.

He remained nominally on the playing staff until 1932/33 and there were rumours in some of the Angus press of an attempted comeback but his playing days were over.

From an Italian background it would seem he returned to Arbroath to work in the family restaurant on Arbroath High Street. After serving his time in the Navy during WWII John [in common with his father] divided his time between the restaurant and pidgeon racing at which he seems to have been quite successful.

All in all his senior career lasted less than a complete season, less than a callendar year, but he managed to score 18 goals in only 27 games, when only just out of the juniors. Like I said in the title, what if? Of course it is a stupid question, but who can say.


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Falkirk FC 1908

October 7, 2013, 11:33 pm
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What can I say? This was simply one of Falkirk FC's greatest ever sides, not often would a Falkirk side challenge for the League title so effectively, there are some legends of Falkirk in this picture, nice they were appreciated in the National Media.


From January 1908. William Allan; William Leishman& Robert Gibson; Harry Collins, John Anderson& James Reid [sic]; John Simpson& John McTavish, Clyde Skene, Andrew Mitchell & William Davidson.
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Peter Cabrelli

October 8, 2013, 5:11 am
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Yet another Italo-Scot from North of the Tay [I have a certain fondness for Italo-Scots by virtue of 'being one' just the grandparents were the wrong way round for me to get a cool name], who came south to play for Falkirk.

Peter Cabrelli started off as a nippy wee Inside-Left in School football in Dundee before moving swiftly into the Tayside junior scene with Dundee Osborne. He was soon picked up by Dundee FC but never managed to break into the first team. He knew the score and quickly moved onto Forfar where he started to show what he could do. During his period at Forfar Peter also spent time with family back in Italy where he played matches with Borgotaro, Genoa & Ambrosiana Milano [better know today as Inter, but Mussolini had impelled clubs to use 'Italian' names], it was reported in the Courier at the time that the Milan club offered him profesional terms as a player/coach but he turned them down due to commitments at home.


Peter Cabrelli after signing for Dundee in 1930

Soon the clubs came scouting in Forfar trying to lure him down South, Chelsea and Manchester United being amongst the big names mentioned, but when it came to signing his first full-time deal he made the only obvious choice: turning down such fly-by-night teams to take a chance at being allowed to play on the hallowed turf that was Brockville Park.


Peter Cabrelli with Falkirk in 1935

Peter was moderately succesful in a pretty poor Falkirk side which was facing what would be their first ever relegation. Peter started the next season at Inside-Left but soon found his place being taken by David Cowan [who was it must be said a more consistent scorer] and instead of staying on the sidelines Peter finished the season on loan to King's Park.

Falkirk had signed more forwards for the next season and knowing he could not be guaranteed a first team place Peter moved on to Raith Rovers, who crucially moved him to the position he would later become better known for, they played him as a Left-Half. Peter remained with Raith until the war, when he was called up for national service.

Throughout the war he seems to have played a lot of football, not all of which I have been able to track down. Along with Raith and a season with St Mirren, he played throughout the length & breadth of the UK depending on where he was stationed or when he was on leave. The clubs he played for that I have come across were Dundee United, Consett, Halifax Town, Millwall, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue & Reading.

After the war Peter played the first full peacetime season with Dundee United before winding down with Arbroath then Montrose. But although ending senior profesional football in the 40s Peter continued playing. In particular with the lovely named Dundee Juventus in the Dundee Half-Holiday League


Peter Cabrelli

b 23rd October 1910, Dundee, Angus
d 14th December 1994, Dundee, Angus

Height - 5 ft 7½ in: Weight 11 st 6 lbs [1935]

Forfar Athletic
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [96/19]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [4/-]

Falkirk
Scottish League Division 1 Matches/Goals [11/-]
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [9/2]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [1/-]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [6/1]

King's Park
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [9/4]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [2/1]

Raith Rovers
Scottish League Division 1 Matches/Goals [37/1]
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [66/-]
Scottish League Division East Matches/Goals [27/1]
Scottish North-Eastern League Matches/Goals [1/-]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [7/-]
Other Matches/Goals [4/4]

Dundee United
Scottish League Division East Matches/Goals [3/1]
Scottish North-Eastern League Matches/Goals [2/-]
Scottish League Division B Matches/Goals [14/1]
Southern League Cup Matches/Goals [4/-]
Victory Cup Matches/Goals [1/1]

St Mirren
Scottish Southern League Matches/Goals [30/1]

Arbroath
Scottish League Division B Matches/Goals [1/-]

Known Career
Scottish League Division 1 Matches/Goals [48/1]
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [195/27]
Scottish League Division East Matches/Goals [30/2]
Scottish North-Eastern League Matches/Goals [3/-]
Scottish Southern League Matches/Goals [30/1]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [14/1]
Southern League Cup Matches/Goals [4/-]
Victory Cup Matches/Goals [1/1]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [6/1]
Other Matches/Goals [4/4]
Known Matches/Goals [335/38]

Known Career – Dundee Crescent, Dundee Osborne, Dundee [1929/30-1930/31], Forfar Athletic [1931/32-1934/35], Borgotaro, Genoa, Ambrosiana Milano, Falkirk [1934/35-1935/36], King's Park [1935/36], Raith Rovers [1936/37-1945/46], Dundee United [1939/40], St Mirren [1942/43], Consett [WWII], Halifax Town [WWII], Millwall [WWII], Arsenal [WWII], Crystal Palace [WWII], Bradford City [WWII], Bradford Park Avenue [WWII], Reading [WWII], Dundee United [1945/46], Arbroath [1946/47], Montrose [1946/47-1947/48], Dundee Juventus.

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Andrew Prentice

October 9, 2013, 8:28 am
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Andrew Prentice was a stalwart of the East Stirlingshire Half-Back line at the turn of the 19th-20th Centuries, he was helped in no little way by the fact that he was accompanied by those other 'Shire perennials Thomas Fish and Peter Steele. But he might just have become a Falkirk player....

Andrew grew up on the 'Shire's home patch, his mother was in the employ of the Merchiston Hall Gardens [roughly somewhere on the grounds of St Mungo's Secondary School], and this is where the family are listed in the 1881 census. However he played his juvenile football for Falkirk sides and this is where Falkirk got most of their young locals, but upon progressing to junior football he moved definitively into the East Stirlingshire sphere of influence.

He joined Vale of Carron who were based in Carron. True they were a very successful junior team in their own right, but most importantly it was virtually East stirlingshire's nursery club. The two teams had a very close bond, Vale played their home matches at Merchiston Park whenever it was available [in the same way Falkirk had relations with Falkirk Exselsior & Falkirk Hawthorn and later Falkirk Juniors].

Of course, Andrew might have been a Zebra himself, or perhaps he had just been looking at the results and the Silverware won by the two clubs and decided on which side his bread would best be buttered. There is no getting away from the fact that until Falkirk's promotion to Division 1 in 1905 East Stirlingshire were seen as by far the bigger & more successful club in the District.

But strangely enough, before Andrew became a regular down Bainsford way he actually made his debut in senior club football for Falkirk FC, he only played the once in a friendly at Stenhousemuir. Perhaps he was giving Falkirk a trial than the other way around, if he was, then Falkirk failed miserably. Falkirk were going through they all too common reorganisations on-field [trying to replace players pilfered by bigger clubs by local juniors] an quite simply the side Falkirk put out on that Monday Afternoon in Stenhousemuir were cuffed. It is a hideous sight to this day - Stenhousemuir 8 Falkirk 2.

It is no surprise he soon signed pro forms with East Stirlingshire, and stayed with them for nearly a decade, probably never looking back. Last laugh to Falkirk though, a couple of seasons later Falkirk 'pinched'"Punkie" Reid from the Vale a couple of season's later, but more on him another time.


Andrew Prentice

b c1875
d 10th Jun 1931, Falkirk, Stirlingshire

Falkirk Debut – Monday August 17th 1896 v Stenhousemuir (A) Friendly
East Stirlingshire Debut - Saturday November 28th 1896 v Royal Albert (H) Scottish Combination

Known Matches

Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [107/1]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [16/-]
Scottish Qualifying Cup Matches/Goals [28/1]
Minor League Matches/Goals [68/1]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [20/-]
Other Matches/Goals [39/2]
Total Matches/Goals [278/5]

Known Career – Falkirk Alert, Falkirk Northern, Vale of Carron, Falkirk [1896/97], East Stirlingshire [1896/97-1904/05]
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Reading beyond the Sporting Columns

October 10, 2013, 8:36 am
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I must admit, when researching the game in the past, when it is a paper I know well, for example the Falkirk Herald I often skip most of the paper, I read the sports columns, and I read the local news. I know I should read every line of both the Saturday and Wednesday Editions [as it used to be], but that takes so much time, and it makes your eyes hurt, and it makes you never want to read another paper for the rest of your life.

This gets me through seasons much more rapidly, but it means I miss a lot of little things, it also means I can not take in the game in the wider context of society, if I had more time/patience I would do so. But every so often something just catches my eye, a name I recognise, or something and I get an insight into the world of football in Falkirk beyond twenty two men chasing the leather.

Towards the end of the 1889/90 season Falkirk & East Stirlingshire were as ever in contention for the local cups on offer, and this season the two clubs were again having one of their on-off lover's tiffs and refusing to play each other in friendly matches [even though the match was always a big draw]. The first meeting of the two teams that season was to be the final of the Falkirk Cottage Hospital Shield held, as usual, at Camelon's Victoria Pk. East Stirlingshire won 5-3 and that is all I had in my notes.

Then a couple of years on looking for something else completely I just noticed a little article in the papers not in the Sports column but surrounding the game, well more the aftermath of the game. It seems that at least some of the 'Shire lads went out that night to celebrate their victory. There is very little of concrete to go on, it would seem [to my biased eyes] that in their revelry four "shireites" [at least two of them [Thomas Dunn & Andrew inches] seem to have been ESFC players] having lost an argument on the relative merits of the two teams with a single Falkirk fan decided to beat the crap out of him. What else do you expect from Bainsford?


Whether Andrew Inches was ESFC's legendary half or not I can't say, but it is not a common name ... and there is a problem with the change of name from Dunn to Burns in the two reports so it might not have been the Thomas Dunn. Millar/Miller and Chestnut I do not know, but they may have been in the reserves .... and, of course Falkirk had a forward called Nimmo at the time...


All in all I think we should just learn the lesson not to be around the same pub the next time ESFC win something, just to make sure.

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Reading Beyond the Sports Columns Pt II

October 10, 2013, 11:40 pm
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Apropos yesterdays post about East Stirlingshire players/fans beating up defenceless people as is their nature, I came across this too.


Of course I can hear people saying that Thomas was also a Falkirk FC player, but I counter that by saying he only played a handful of games for Falkirk when he played for many a season in the Black & White.


Thomas McCall looking guilty in the Black & White of the 'Shire.

Besides, no proper Falkirk player would beat up an "imbecile" whilst too drunk to remember, would they?
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Falkirk v Aberdeen, Brockville Pk 1914

October 11, 2013, 4:37 am
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Another pic from the past, [there are lots of them out there if you are willing to dig] this one [according to the caption] is from the Falkirk v Aberdeen Division 1 Match at Brockville Pk on the 14th of March 1914: 2-0 to Falkirk, and the houses in the background certainly appear to be those in Watson Street.


I am somewhat perturbed by this picture. The two players named as Falkirk players seem to be wearing a lighter coloured top than the Aberdeen player; I do not know what the Aberdeen change strip was this season, but at this point Aberdeen wore Black & Gold stripes so it is definitely not that; to my knowledge there has never been a Falkirk player by the name of Templeton; to the right the player may or may not be Robert Orrock [I'm not sure though]; the player named as Wylie looks awfy like Thomas Glancy of Falkirk to me. That and the fact there is no way to be 100% sure that the goalie is Alex Stewart, makes me think something has gone wrong up Dundee Courier way.

I'm also interested in what that advert might be "NE..." could be anything.
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Hibernian v Falkirk - Easter Road - Oct 1913

October 11, 2013, 10:48 pm
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No real reason for posting this, just another picture of a Falkirk match, this goes out to Jason Urquhart& Bobby Sinnet.


Oh and we cuffed you 3-0 on your own patch ;)
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Firs Park 1928

October 12, 2013, 1:03 am
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The home of the 'Shire for so many a season, Firs Park was always an interesting ground [the last time I was there was for an ESFC v QP match a couple of years ago] it has the famous 'wall'.

Anyway, an 'associate' Alan McCabe put me on to this website 'Britain from Above' where I found a pic of Firs Park from 1928. [top-left]


Original here

For those who do not know, East Stirlingshire had only relatively recently moved into this ground, their spiritual home "Merchiston Park' no longer in use. Previously Firs Park was used by Junior Clubs big enough to pay for its upkeep [most Minor/Junior/Juvenile clubs played on Victoria Park just round the corner].

This explains why the ground doesn't look particularly like a League Ground, over the years it got developed. It is still there, but no longer used, for the reasons you would have to ask shirey people ....
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Falkirk v Aberdeen, 1946

October 12, 2013, 7:35 am
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Have nothing to add, except it was George Brookes [not Brooks]


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"New" Falkirk Match

October 13, 2013, 12:28 am
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Researching the past can be a pretty hit or miss occupation. If it was all available to see in a book, or on a website there would be no point in researching it ...

It is hit or miss because reporting of football was so patchwork back in the earliest days of the game. Take for example my latest find, Falkirk v Glasgow Caledonians on the 1st November 1879. Yesterday I did not know this match existed, it was not reported in the Falkirk Herald [where it should have been] but in the Glasgow Herald on the following Monday [so the Falkirk Herald people had time to read it for the next Saturday edition] but that is the way it was back then.


Sadly the report doesn't tell me much, but it is another match and it makes the 1879/80 season slightly less 'patchy'.But if I have to check the local papers for every place Falkirk could concievably have played a football match it might take an awfy long time getting through them all.
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Falkirk v Celtic Feb 28th 1914

October 14, 2013, 8:59 am
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Yes, I am biased, I like it when Falkirk win, but I like it more when Falkirk is shown in the backdrop, again, this shows Watson Street whilst we thump Celtic 1-0 to a James Robertson Goal


It doesn't happen all the time, let me enjoy those rare occasions.
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Thomas Townsley

October 16, 2013, 10:05 am
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Ah, Thomas Townsley, okay not quite a Falkirk-ite [he came from a couple of miles outside the town, he was from California] I like him for many reasons [not least of which is the fact I am vagueley related to him, he was the uncle of my uncle's wife [I don't know what that is called]], he only played one match for Scotland [for which he was captain], but I like the most that when Falkirk got a penalty, he whistled for Thomas Scot to run up from right-back to bluter the ball in, in one movement, I can imagine that.


He started and ended his career at Falkirk, spending a couple of seasons at Leeds in between, it is the way of things. I hope he earned lots of money at Leeds.


As a player, he seems to have been the controlling midfielder type of Centre-Half than a stopper, he scored, if not prolifically. In pictures he is instantly recognisable by his 'lugs'.

He seemed like a decent chap was probably undervalued by Scotland because of his club.

Thomas Townsley

b 28th April 1898, Polmont, Stirlingshire
d 10th April 1976

Debut – Saturday April 26th 1919 v Vale of Leven (H) Friendly
League Debut – Monday September 8th 1919 v Ayr United (H) Scottish League
Positions – Centre-Half, Right-Half
Representative Honours – Scotlandv Wales 1925/26, Scottish League v English League 1922/23, 1923/24, 1924/25, v Irish League 1924/25


Falkirk FC Club Honours – Dunedin CupW 1922/23, RU 1921/22, 1931/32, Stirlingshire Cup W 1922/23, Falkirk Infirmary Shield W 1919/20, 1920/21, 1921/22, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1924/25, 1930/31

Known Career – Laurieston Villa, Cowie Wanderers, California Celtic, Falkirk [1918/19-1925/26], Leeds United [1925/26-1930/31], Falkirk [1931/32-1932/33], Bo'ness [1933/34]

Scottish League Division 1 Matches/Goals [267/12]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [17/-]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [28/2]

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Falkirk FC's First Captain

November 8, 2013, 8:03 am
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In the first two seasons of the existence of Falkirk, match reports said remarkably little, often giving more space to the conditions under which the match was played rather than giving the details of the game itself [for example it is not until the final match of the 1878/79 Season that any scorers are recorded]. Often full teams are not given, only the players who were deemed to play well are named.

However in those reports with full teams and where there is a captain indicated on every occasion in those first two seasons the Falkirk captain is given as R.Peddie. He was not club captain as this was not yet an official position in the club, and there was no named Club Captain appointed at an AGM until Walter Gibson in 1882, but here was clearly the player who lead the team on the field of play.

R.Peddie was Richard Peddie, and in every match that R.Peddie there was also a W.Peddie [William Peddie] alongside him, yes here in the very first season was Falkirk FC's first set of brothers playing in the same side. The Falkirk club in 1878 was almost completely a team full of 'Bairns' which is why these two should be seen as interesting, for not only did they live in Grangemouth, they were both actually born in Sunderland. [Falkirk FC's first 'foreigners']. Of course it was not strange to have people born all over the place living in a major port, and the fact that Peddie is a very common name in Grangemouth suggests that they were born in Sunderland while the family was living there pro tempore, so we can't hold that against them.

Before turning up in the Falkirk ranks both brothers were noted in the Grangemouth annual Sports Day [though curiously in the rowing events], and in the Rifle Volunteers events, but neither of these seem particularly prescient for future football players. This came when both players started appearing in the reports of Grangemouth [rugby] football matches. Interestingly in a match between the Captain's Side and the Vice-Captain's Side of Grangemouth Football Club William Peddie is noted as Captain [with Richard playing on the other side], so why Richard was chosen as Falkirk's first captain is mysterious.

According to the rugby reports both players had an impressive turn of pace, and this was before the gap between the two codes of football had widened to the seemingly unbridgeable gap of today, so the skill of a winger in rugby would be just as useful in football [apart from the obvious difference] so why not?

The known Falkirk careers of the two players are incredibly similar, the only difference being William appearing in a friendly against Lenzie when Richard was absent [no captain being named], both brothers played in the club's first match [and victory] in the Scottish Cup v Campsie Glen on Saturday the 28th of September 1878, but both came before any goals were recorded, so although forwards no goals are attributed to them.

After the 1878/79 season both brothers disappear from Falkirk FC & football without a mention, and usually players like this just completely leave my radar, except that I stumbled across the gravestone of Richard in Camelon Cemetery.


I did not expect to find this here [Grandsable if anywhere..], and it took me a bit digging to assert that it was the same person. After football William continued with his Rifle Volunteers [representing Stirlingshire in the National Games in the 1890s] while Richard almost completely disappeared except for one little instance. In June 1882 he was named as one of the founders of Zetland Football Club, the first Association club from Grangemouth. There was extremely little published at the time about the exploits of Zetland FC and they soon seem to have been replaced by Grangemouth FC [I suspect though that they were one and the same club], I can not tell if Richard actually played for Zetland/Grangemouth, or if he had given up the game in the intervening three years.

No pictures of either brother seem to exist, and I have yet to find out what happened to William, but I am forever searching for these little things, until then a place in the history books of the club should be given to Falkirk's first brothers, Falkirk's first Englishmen, and most importantly, Falkirk's first Captain.

Richard Peddie

b c1857, Sunderland, Durham
d 11th February 1905, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire

Debut – Saturday March 23rd 1878 v Grasshoppers (H) Friendly

Positions – Inside-Left
Scottish Cup Matches /Goals [1/-]
Other Matches/Goals [7/-]
Known Career – Falkirk [1877/78-1878/79], Zetland? [1882/83]

William Peddie

b c1855, Sunderland, Durham
d

Debut – Saturday March 23rd 1878 v Grasshoppers (H) Friendly

Positions – Outside-Left
Scottish Cup Matches /Goals [1/-]
Other Matches/Goals [8/-]
Known Career – Falkirk [1877/78-1878/79]

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Robert Bishop

November 9, 2013, 11:32 am
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Sometimes it takes an annoying, self-righteous, self-important, obstreperous get to change the fortunes of a football club from that of also-rans into annoying, self-righteous & self-important [clubs just can't be obstreperous,] gets: Falkirk's first proper secretary was just that person.

Where Falkirk FC could have gone down the route of Grahamston FC & dare I say it [today's East Stirlingshire] the 'shire, one annoying, self-righteous, self-important & obstreperous person was at the helm of Falkirk FC.

His name was Robert Bishop. A mediocre player [he did however play in Falkirk FC's first victory, the Stirlingshire Cup win v East Stirlingshire in 1884] playing across the half-back line, he [in playing terms] was one of many who fleeted through the ranks of Falkirk players.

However, in 1886, he got a very serious knee injury and by 1887 stopped playing. In place he took up another two mantles; he took over the role of Club Secretary of Falkirk, and he later became a Referee.

To get over his playing career, yes, he was alright, when good backs were behind him he was better, he was not a big scorer, he filled a role.

The lack of a playing position meant he could concentrate on his role as club secretary [BIG NOTE – I am not 100% sure what the duties of the club secretary were: he did not select the team [though he was on the selection committee]; but he did correspond with the other clubs to arrange fixtures; he could not sign players [it was a club, you had to join [though I am sure he made it possible for membership fees to be waived]]; he was the public representative of the club; he had to attend those [I am sure] incredibly boring SFA meetings when they talked of protocol and little else], he was the central character of the club.

Robert Bishop was a bitch, he was especially a bitch to the Falkirk Herald [whose Sports Editor 'Scrutator' was a committed shire-ite] he once wrote to, and was published in, the Falkirk Herald complaining that the hero of the Falkirk fans [Alex Stark] had been referred to as 'buttons' [his nickname]. This would be like Alex Totten complaining that Kevin McAllister was called 'Crunchie'. It could not happen.

I don't know if it was like Arsene Wenger trying to protect his players, or like Gordon Strachan just being a tosser, but he was caustic with the press, especially if they said anything that did not shine the best light on Falkirk Football Club.

I cannot say from such a distance in time, but I get the feeling that it was Robert Bishop behind the decision in 1885/86 not to play friendly matches with any team in the district [in the end Falkirk did play a benefit against 1st Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers [Falkirk]] in order to get the club out of the parochial nature of Falkirk football [home & away matches against all the other teams mixed in with the cups]. The club might not have struck terror into the hearts of the Glasgow & Edinburgh clubs, but it got us known throughout the country, which reaped rewards in the ensuing seasons: no more friendlies with Grahamston, Grasshoppers, Dunipace & Tayavalla, instead Glasgow Thistle, Battlefield, Rangers Swifts, Queen's Park Strollers etc. would make up the majority of the Falkirk fixture card.

Fixtures were soon resumed with the local rivals, East Stirlingshire & King's Park, but the era of being a 'Stirlingshire' team had been left behind. Robert Bishop also presided over the next part of Falkirk FC's growth, when [even though all teams were amateur] Falkirk actively started 'poaching' talent from the minor clubs around. David Fleming from Laurieston, Albert Dixon from Grangemouth, Alex Hay from Grahamston and Robert Walker from Alloa all joined the cause. This did not make Falkirk unbeatable, it did however strengthen the club [no one could beat East Stirlingshire under the great “Laurie” at this time, but Falkirk made sure they could compete].

Of course great men are not made by their own skill alone, Robert Bishop was fortunate to be in charge when Falkirk's best player in the pre-League era came to the fore, 'Bob' did not make Alex Stark, nor a year later did he create Thomas McDonald or Daniel Daye, but he was there to reap the rewards of his earlier policies. But then again he kept them with Falkirk [it was well known that East Stirlingshire wanted Alex Stark], and although Falkirk did not always dominate, the club were never dreadful. I think they stayed because they believed Falkirk would out.

So, an average player, who was very annoying with the media, shaped the future of the club, Robert Bishop is another of those who 'made' the club what it is now.

Robert Bishop

b 2nd November 1861, Falkirk, Stirlingshire
d 21st September 1943, Larbert, Stirlingshire

Debut – Saturday February 2nd 1884 v Grasshoppers (H) Stirlingshire Cup 1st Round.
Positions – Left-Half, Right-Half
Representative Honours – Stirlingshire v Fife 1885/86.
Club Honours – Stirlingshire Cup W 1883/84, RU 1886/87, Falkirk District Charity Cup RU 1885/86
Scottish Cup Matches /Goals [4/-]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [9/-]
Other Matches/Goals [6/-]
Other Matches/Goals [20/-]
Total Matches/Goals [39/-]

Known Career – Falkirk [1883/84-1887/88]
Played for Falkirk District XI v Cowlairs, Benefit Match at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 3rd May 1886
Played for Campsie v Falkirk, Friendly at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 23rd April 1887

Falkirk Secretary [1883/84-1886/87, 1888/89-1891/92, 1893/94-1895/96]

Record as Secretary

P30  W14  D5  L11  F115  A87

NB, as ever this is incredibly unfair as I am only including Scottish Cup, Stirlingshire Cup, Falkirk Charity Cup & Falkirk Infirmary Shield matches. Many other matches were played, but they were non-competitive.

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John 'Pitcher' Mitchell

November 18, 2013, 4:22 am
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I don't have much to say about John Mitchell, after all incredibly little was ever written about Goalkeepers, but I found this in The Falkirk Herald from 1976 which I found quite interesting.


Before taking over Harry Smith's place in goal, Mitchell had played a couple of games at Left-Back, but it was in goal that he made his own, barring injury, and I dare say work commitments, he was the regular goalie for about half a decade.

John 'Pitcher' Mitchell

b 9th September 1861, Falkirk, Stirlingshire

Debut – Saturday September 2 1882 v East Stirlingshire (A) Friendly
Positions – Goalkeeper, Left-Back
Representative Honours – Stirlingshirev Fife 1886/87, 1887/88
Club Honours – Stirlingshire Cup RU 1886/87, 1887/88, Falkirk District Charity CupRU 1885/86

Scottish Cup Matches /Goals [11/1]
Minor League Matches/Goals [2/-]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [17/-]
Other Matches/Goals [71/-]
Total Matches/Goals [101/1]

Known Career – Falkirk [1882/83-1890/91, 1892/93]

Other Matches

Played for Alloa Athletic XI v Queen's Park, Friendly at West End Pk, Alloa, 28th April 1883
Played for 1st Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers v Falkirk, Benefit Match at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 13th April 1886
Played for 1st Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers v East Stirlingshire, Benefit Match at Merchiston Pk, Bainsford, 27th April 1886
Played for 1st Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers v Laurieston, Benefit Match at Zetland Pk, Laurieston, 4th May 1886
Played for Falkirk District XI v Partick Thistle, Benefit Match at Tannery Pk, Falkirk, 22nd May 1886
Played for Falkirk District XI v St Mirren, Friendly at Victoria Pk, Camelon, 12th June 1886
Played for Falkirk Caledonians v Falkirk Jubileeans, Friendly at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 20th Apr 1887
Played for Clydesdale Harriers v Falkirk, Friendly at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 5th January 1889

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Robert McDougall

November 18, 2013, 12:56 pm
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The past is a long, long time, and sometimes people get forgotten: it just happens, more important things come along, and of course people die. I do not know if it is the job of us amateur historians to remember them, or even to remind people they existed, perhaps it is to make sure they are not completely forgotten ...

I was recently contacted by a chap about the details of a former Falkirk FC player who signed from Liverpool. It is not often we sign players from Liverpool [those poor players, playing for such a miserable team in a miserable city, I am shocked only that so few have not made the journey North].

The player in question was Robert McDougall and he had made his way to Merseyside from St Cuthbert's Wanderers as a nipper. The liverpuddlian scribes make it out as he never quite made the cut in Lancashire, however I like to think he dreamt of the Elysian Field that was Brockville Park.


Robert McDougall joined Falkirk FC in 1915 [now the more astute of you might make a connection that something else was occurring in Europe from 1914 to 1919, but that is a mere distraction]. He came nominally as a Centre-Forward [oh how little those southrons know] but Falkirk already had the mighty James Robertson, so Robert played on the wing, mostly Outside-Right, occasionally Outside-Left, and when Jimmy was off fighting [the Germans of course] now and then at Centre-Forward.

From Kirkudbright [and who would not want to get away from there] Robert was one of those many players whose career was blighted by the territorial intentions of Kaiser Wilhelm, never really getting a chance at Liverpool, the longest time he spent at a club was with Falkirk, and after the War he seemed to have wound down back in the South-East. Obviously never getting over the times he had the opportunity to pull on that hallowed Navy Blue jersey.

But he is sadly now often forgotten, he played a lot of matches for Falkirk in a time of strife, he is one of those players over whom circumstances got the better deal. He probably deserves better.



Robert McDougall



Debut – Saturday October 16th 1915 v Raith Rovers (H) Scottish League

Positions – Outside-Left, Outside-Right, Centre-Forward
Club Honours – Falkirk Infirmary Shield W 1919/20
Scottish League Division 1 Matches /Goals [92/13]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [4/-]
Scottish Victory Cup Matches/Goals [2/-]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [3/3]
Total Matches/Goals [101/16]

Known Career – St Cuthbert Wanderers, Liverpool [1913/14-1914/15], Falkirk [1915/16], Partick Thistle [1918/19], Falkirk [1918/19-1920/21], Ayr United [1921/22-1922/23], Queen of the South [1923/24-1924/25], St Cuthbert Wanderers

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