Yet another picture of Falkirk FC-ish from the dim and distant past, I particularly like this photo because it is a picture of the reserve team, and every member of this reserve team played at least once for the first team. As with most reserves sides most of the players never had the same impact as others. Besides I would never have a picture of Falkirk's great Inside-Right Thomas McDonald, or William Law [the first player to be sent off in Stirlingshire] without finding this.
The team is
Thomas Bellingham, George Kerr, John Drummond, Robert Rae, Robert Sibbald
Robert Symington, John Devlin, William Law
Thomas McDonald, George Rae, William Murphy
But more importantly to the wider community of Scottish Football historians, this might be the earliest surviving picture of Jock Drummond who at one point was Scotland's most capped player. He is at the centre of the back row, and he would have been about 16 or 17 at this point. I have been looking for Jock Drummond's grave in Camelon for a while, but have yet to find it. I am beginning to fear that he was cremated.
I would go on about Jock Drummond's Falkirk career, but what can I say? He was good, he got capped, moved to play for the Huns, came back. There are learned people who have written better stuff about him than I. In the real world the family moved to Falkirk when he was young, they lived in the 'Grahamsford' area of town, he was a junior Bank clerk. He became famous at football. When he returned he lived near the High Station.
John Drummond
b 13th April 1870, Alva, Stirlingshire
d 23rd January 1935, Falkirk, Stirlingshire
Debut – Saturday April 16th 1887 v Alloa Athletic (H) Friendly
League Debut – Saturday August 20th 1904 v Aberdeen (A) Scottish League Division 2
Positions – Left-Back, Centre-Half, Left-Half, Right-Back
Representative Honours – Scotland v Ireland 1891/92, Stirlingshire v Linlithgowshire 1888/89, v Fife 1890/91, v Forfarshire v 1890/91, 1891/92
Club Honours – Scottish League Division 2 RU 1904/05, Stirlingshire Cup W 1889/90, RU 1891/92, Falkirk District Charity Cup W 1889/90, 1891/92, RU 1890/91, Falkirk Infirmary Shield W 1891/92, RU 1889/90, 1890/91
Scottish League Division 2 Matches/Goals [13/-]
Scottish Cup Matches /Goals [12/-]
Scottish Qualifying Cup Matches/Goals [2/-]
Minor League Matches/Goals [13/1]
Minor Cup Matches/Goals [33/1]
Other Matches/Goals [97/4]
Total Matches/Goals [170/6]
Played for Zingari v Falkirk Excelsior, Friendly at Tannery Pk, Falkirk, 28th April 1887
Played for Falkirk Caledonians v Redding Athletic, Friendly at Redding, 5th May 1887
Played for Redding Athletic v Vale of Avon, Friendly at Redding, 8th June 1887
Played for Redding Athletic v Kilsyth Wanderers, Friendly at Garrell Garden Pk, Kilsyth, 10th September 1887
Played for Falkirk District XI v Rangers Ibroxonians, Benefit Match at Brockville Pk, Falkirk, 11th June 1889
Played for King's Park v Hurlford, Friendly at Forthbank Pk, Stirling, 1st January 1891
Known Career – Falkirk [1886/87-1892/93], Rangers [1891/92-1903/04], Falkirk [1904/05-1906/07]
Notes
Scored Falkirk's first recorded goal from a penalty kick, v Glasgow Wanderers (H) September 12th 1891, Scottish Federation
Cousin of George Drummond. [Falkirk 1899/00-1901/02]
Made his League debut for Falkirk 17 Years 126 Days after his Falkirk 1st XI debut
Played his last match for Falkirk [Friendly v Morayshire XI (A) May 7th 1907] 20 Years 21 Days after his debut.
I have his playing record whilst at Rangers somewhere but cannot seem to find it right now, it is a shame as I would like to put his complete career here.