Westquarter v Falkirk 1933

I think I said in a previous blog post on Bob Shankly that he made his debut for Falkirk FC in August of 1933, well I was only half-right. Bill actually made his debut for the club a month earlier, except it was not for the reason he was signed ... as I'm afraid there is no need for a big, burly Centre-Forward in the gentleman's game of cricket.

Even by the 1930s professional football clubs playing the odd cricket match had become a rarity, whereas in the 19th Century it was quite commonplace, but is quite obvious why these social games died off: there is no point in signing a footballer just to have a wannabe tear-away fast-bowler try to knock his head off before he has even kicked a ball in anger.

Falkirk, quite rightly, were thumped by the village team, the game over in a day, but Scotland has never been renowned for its skill in the longer game.

Interestingly it would seem that Alex, Bob's big brother played in the match, interesting as he never played football for the club, and had retired from the professional game by then. Maybe he was just visiting his brother, since, he was meant to be a ringer he patently failed.

Useful for a really obscure trivia question about Shankly brothers playing together for the same football club.

Falkirk's best player in the match, Johnnie Richardson, although born in South Africa, interestibly was brought up in Westquarter, and lived there for the rest of his life.