Falkirk v Sunderland AFC 1896

I don't know why, but it took Falkirk FC a long time to host an English Club side at Brockville, I mean, East Stirlingshire had played several [including the World famous Corinthians] at Merchiston Park; East Stirlingshire had gone on tours down South while we contented ourselves with tours to the Highlands. I just have no answers.

The first club proper English Club side to play at Brockville Pk was Sunderland AFC, on Thursday 23rd April 1896. Of course part of Sunderland's tour of Scotland, but hey. Falkirk got rightly thumped, the final score being 5-3 to the Black Cats. Of Falkirk's three goals Andrew Hamilton scored two of them, strangely Sunderland signed him at the end of the season [wonder how...]

Anyway three days later Falkirk played Bury [with John Pray] and we resolved our demons by beating them 6-2 [of course in a return match they beat us 9-0 the next season]

Falkirk 3 Sunderland 5

Falkirk - Parlane; Turnbull & McFarlane; McLaughlan, Rae & Fearns; Glegg & Tennant, McDonald, Burt & Hamilton.

Sunderland - Doig; McNeil & Gow; Wilson, Gibson & Johnston; Gillespie & Harvey, Miller, McKenzie & Scott.

H-T 1-0

Scorers - Tennant, Hamilton [2] : Miller [2], Scott, OG [McFarlane], Gillespie.

Attendance - c1800

Match report