David Melville - The Thistle Archive

David Melville

• David Melville, 1905 (VIF)

David Melville was born on Sunday, 15th April, 1883, in Tayport, Fife.

The midfielder signed for George Easton's Thistle on Tuesday, 5th April, 1904 (after a trial game), having most recently been with East Fife.

Aged 20, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 2nd April, 1904, in a 1-1 draw at home to Hibernian in the Inter City League.

David scored his first goal for Thistle on Wednesday, 30th August, 1905, in a 3-2 win at home to Queen's Park in a Benefit match.

He scored the last of his 3 goals on Saturday, 3rd February, 1906, in a 4-1 win at home to Heart of Midlothian in the SFL First Division.

He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 27th April, 1907, in a 5-1 defeat away to Heart of Midlothian in the SFL First Division, having clocked up 100 appearances as a Jag.

His club-list included Buckhaven, East Fife, Partick Thistle, Bradford City, Stockport County, Arthurlie, Southport Central and York City.

David died on Wednesday, 23rd February, 1927, in Hong Kong, aged 43.

David Melville's Summary Totals


League	63	25	10	28	2
Competitive	91	34	17	40	2
All Games	100	37	19	44	3

Defender David joined Thistle from East Fife in April 1904. His first known Jags appearance was an Inter City League match against Hibernian on 2 April 1904, at Meadowside, in front of a 3,000 crowd. The match ended 1-1. The Thistle Archive report on the match recalls “On a barely playable pitch, Thistle had 3 debutants.” At 1-1 the report goes on “The game then became rash and reckless.”

David scored his first Thistle goal in a 3-2 win in a benefit match for funds for Rockbank Juniors against Queen’s Park at Meadowside. The Jags team contained 2 guest juniors, and David scored the opening goal of the game. In the 1903-04 season David played on 2 occasions. He cemented his place in the side in the 1904-05 season, playing in 38 competitive matches, an 86.4% appearance rate. In the 1905-06 season he played 34 competitive matches, an 82.9% appearance rate. In 1906-07 David played in 18 competitive matches. The player left the Jags at the end of the 1906-07 season, having made 100 known appearances as a Jag.

In 1907, David moved south to join Bradford City. After a couple of seasons at Bradford, he moved on to Stockport County, and played there for three seasons, scoring 4 times in 77 appearances. David also played for Southport and York. In an article in the Stockport County v Barnet match on 30 March 2021, the club included a profile of David amongst other former players. It read “Another Scottish import although he arrived via Yorkshire. His earlier football had been played for Partick Thistle and Bradford City. Whilst not always the first name on County’s team sheet he appears to have been a consistent performer - making over 20 appearances in each of his three seasons at Edgeley Park. After leaving he played for Southport and York City.”

David joined the armed forces in 1914 on the outbreak of war. He returned to serve with the 2nd Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers after a short break away from uniform. While serving in Hong Kong, David contracted pneumonia. On 23 February 1927 David died, aged 43, and was buried in Hong Kong.

On account of his service during WWI, David is included in our feature piece, The Partick Thistle returned →.

(DMAC)

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(age) 1903-04

1. (20y, 11m, 18d) #5 Sat-02-Apr-1904 [h] D1-1 Hibernian (Inter City League - game 3)

2. (20y, 11m, 20d) #5 Mon-04-Apr-1904 [a] D0-0 Glentoran (Friendly)

(age) 1904-05

3. (21y, 4m, 0d) #5 Mon-15-Aug-1904 [h] L1-2 Port Glasgow Athletic (Friendly)

4. (21y, 4m, 2d) #5 Wed-17-Aug-1904 [h] W2-0 Motherwell (Friendly)

5. (21y, 4m, 5d) #5 Sat-20-Aug-1904 [h] L0-5 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 1)

6. (21y, 4m, 7d) #5 Mon-22-Aug-1904 [a] L0-2 Maryhill (Friendly)

7. (21y, 4m, 12d) #5 Sat-27-Aug-1904 [a] D2-2 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 2)

8. (21y, 4m, 26d) #5 Sat-10-Sep-1904 [h] W2-0 Clyde (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

9. (21y, 5m, 2d) #5 Sat-17-Sep-1904 [h] W3-1 Morton (SFL First Division - game 4)

10. (21y, 5m, 9d) #5 Sat-24-Sep-1904 [a] L0-2 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

11. (21y, 5m, 11d) #5 Mon-26-Sep-1904 [h] L0-1 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 5)

12. (21y, 5m, 16d) #5 Sat-01-Oct-1904 [a] W1-0 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 6)

13. (21y, 5m, 23d) #5 Sat-08-Oct-1904 [h] L0-3 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 7)

14. (21y, 6m, 0d) #5 Sat-15-Oct-1904 [h] W2-1 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 8)

15. (21y, 6m, 7d) #5 Sat-22-Oct-1904 [a] W1-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 9)

16. (21y, 6m, 14d) #5 Sat-29-Oct-1904 [a] W1-0 Morton (SFL First Division - game 10)

17. (21y, 6m, 21d) #5 Sat-05-Nov-1904 [h] W1-0 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 11)

18. (21y, 6m, 28d) #5 Sat-12-Nov-1904 [h] W3-0 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL First Division - game 12)

19. (21y, 7m, 4d) #5 Sat-19-Nov-1904 [a] W4-1 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 13)

20. (21y, 7m, 18d) #5 Sat-03-Dec-1904 [h] W3-2 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 14)

21. (21y, 7m, 25d) #5 Sat-10-Dec-1904 [h] W2-0 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 15)

22. (21y, 8m, 2d) #5 Sat-17-Dec-1904 [a] D2-2 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 16)

23. (21y, 8m, 9d) #5 Sat-24-Dec-1904 [a] L0-3 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 17)

24. (21y, 8m, 16d) #5 Sat-31-Dec-1904 [h] L0-1 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 18)

25. (21y, 8m, 18d) #5 Mon-02-Jan-1905 [a] L2-3 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 19)

26. (21y, 8m, 19d) #5 Tue-03-Jan-1905 [h] L1-4 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 20)

27. (21y, 8m, 30d) #5 Sat-14-Jan-1905 [a] L1-6 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL First Division - game 22)

28. (21y, 9m, 6d) #5 Sat-21-Jan-1905 [h] W2-1 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 23)

29. (21y, 9m, 13d) #5 Sat-28-Jan-1905 [a] D1-1 Hibernian (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

30. (21y, 9m, 20d) #5 Sat-04-Feb-1905 [h] W4-2 Hibernian (Scottish Cup 1st Round replay)

31. (21y, 9m, 27d) #5 Sat-11-Feb-1905 [a] W1-0 Kirkcaldy United (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)

32. (21y, 10m, 10d) #5 Sat-25-Feb-1905 [a] L0-3 Celtic (Scottish Cup Quarter Final)

33. (21y, 11m, 10d) #5 Sat-25-Mar-1905 [h] L0-1 Queen's Park (Glasgow League - game 2)

34. (21y, 11m, 17d) #5 Sat-01-Apr-1905 [h] W2-1 Celtic (Glasgow League - game 3)

35. (21y, 11m, 24d) #5 Sat-08-Apr-1905 [a] L0-1 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 26)

36. (22y, 0m, 0d) #5 Sat-15-Apr-1905 [a] D3-3 Celtic (Glasgow League - game 4)

37. (22y, 0m, 7d) #5 Sat-22-Apr-1905 [a] W4-3 Rangers (Glasgow League - game 5)

38. (22y, 0m, 9d) #5 Mon-24-Apr-1905 [h] L1-2 Third Lanark (Glasgow League - game 6)

39. (22y, 0m, 14d) #5 Sat-29-Apr-1905 [a] L0-2 Queen's Park (Glasgow League - game 7)

40. (22y, 0m, 21d) #5 Sat-06-May-1905 [a] D2-2 Royal Albert (Friendly)

41. (22y, 1m, 0d) #5 Mon-15-May-1905 [h] W5-0 Rangers (Glasgow Charity Cup Quarter Final)

42. (22y, 1m, 5d) #5 Sat-20-May-1905 [n] D1-1 Third Lanark (Glasgow Charity Cup Semi Final)

43. (22y, 1m, 9d) #5 Wed-24-May-1905 [n] W*1-1 Third Lanark (Glasgow Charity Cup Semi Final replay) * W7-0 corners

44. (22y, 1m, 12d) #5 Sat-27-May-1905 [n] L0-2 Celtic (Glasgow Charity Cup Final)

(age) 1905-06

45. (22y, 4m, 0d) #5 Tue-15-Aug-1905 [h] L2-3 St Mirren (Friendly)

46. (22y, 4m, 4d) #5 Sat-19-Aug-1905 [a] W1-0 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 1)

47. (22y, 4m, 11d) #5 Sat-26-Aug-1905 [a] L1-2 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 2)

48. (22y, 4m, 15d) #5 Wed-30-Aug-1905 [h] W3-2 Queen's Park (Rockbank FC Fundraiser)

49. (22y, 4m, 18d) #5 Sat-02-Sep-1905 [h] W2-0 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 3)

50. (22y, 4m, 25d) #5 Sat-09-Sep-1905 [a] D1-1 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 4)

51. (22y, 5m, 1d) #5 Sat-16-Sep-1905 [a] L2-3 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 5)

52. (22y, 5m, 8d) #5 Sat-23-Sep-1905 [a] L0-4 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

53. (22y, 5m, 10d) #5 Mon-25-Sep-1905 [h] W1-0 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 6)

54. (22y, 5m, 15d) #5 Sat-30-Sep-1905 [a] D1-1 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 7)

55. (22y, 5m, 22d) #5 Sat-07-Oct-1905 [h] W2-1 Morton (SFL First Division - game 8)

56. (22y, 5m, 29d) #5 Sat-14-Oct-1905 [a] L0-2 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 9)

57. (22y, 6m, 6d) #5 Sat-21-Oct-1905 [a] W2-1 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 10)

58. (22y, 6m, 13d) #5 Sat-28-Oct-1905 [h] D2-2 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 11)

59. (22y, 6m, 20d) #5 Sat-04-Nov-1905 [h] L0-3 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 12)

60. (22y, 7m, 10d) #5 Sat-25-Nov-1905 [a] W2-1 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 13)

61. (22y, 7m, 17d) #5 Sat-02-Dec-1905 [a] D1-1 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 14)

62. (22y, 7m, 24d) #5 Sat-09-Dec-1905 [h] W1-0 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 15)

63. (22y, 8m, 8d) #5 Sat-23-Dec-1905 [a] W2-1 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL First Division - game 17)

64. (22y, 8m, 17d) #5 Mon-01-Jan-1906 [a] W3-2 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 18)

65. (22y, 8m, 18d) #5 Tue-02-Jan-1906 [a] L0-1 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 19)

66. (22y, 8m, 22d) #5 Sat-06-Jan-1906 [h] L2-5 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 20)

67. (22y, 8m, 29d) #5 Sat-13-Jan-1906 [h] W2-1 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 21)

68. (22y, 9m, 5d) #5 Sat-20-Jan-1906 [a] L1-4 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 22)

69. (22y, 9m, 12d) #5 Sat-27-Jan-1906 [a] W2-1 Leith Athletic (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

70. (22y, 9m, 19d) #5 Sat-03-Feb-1906 [h] W4-1 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 23)

71. (22y, 9m, 26d) #5 Sat-10-Feb-1906 [a] D1-1 Hibernian (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)

72. (22y, 10m, 2d) #5 Sat-17-Feb-1906 [h] D1-1 Hibernian (Scottish Cup 2nd Round replay)

73. (22y, 10m, 9d) #5 Sat-24-Feb-1906 [n] L1-2 Hibernian (Scottish Cup 2nd Round 2nd replay)

74. (22y, 10m, 16d) #5 Sat-03-Mar-1906 [h] W1-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 24)

75. (22y, 10m, 23d) #5 Sat-10-Mar-1906 [h] L1-2 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 25)

76. (23y, 0m, 1d) #5 Mon-16-Apr-1906 [a] L0-1 Rangers (Glasgow League - game 2)

77. (23y, 0m, 6d) #5 Sat-21-Apr-1906 [a] L0-2 Queen's Park (Glasgow League - game 3)

78. (23y, 0m, 13d) #5 Sat-28-Apr-1906 [a] L1-2 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 30)

79. (23y, 0m, 17d) #5 Wed-02-May-1906 [h] L0-2 Third Lanark (Glasgow Charity Cup Quarter Final)

80. (23y, 0m, 27d) #5 Sat-12-May-1906 [a] W2-0 Clyde (Glasgow League - game 5)

(age) 1906-07

81. (23y, 4m, 0d) #5 Wed-15-Aug-1906 [a] L1-3 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 1)

82. (23y, 4m, 3d) #5 Sat-18-Aug-1906 [a] D1-1 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 2)

83. (23y, 5m, 4d) #5 Wed-19-Sep-1906 [h] W4-0 Scottish Rifles (Friendly)

84. (23y, 5m, 7d) #5 Sat-22-Sep-1906 [a] D1-1 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 6)

85. (23y, 8m, 0d) #5 Sat-15-Dec-1906 [a] L0-5 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 18)

86. (23y, 8m, 7d) #5 Sat-22-Dec-1906 [h] L0-1 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 19)

87. (23y, 8m, 14d) #4 Sat-29-Dec-1906 [a] L1-3 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 20)

88. (23y, 8m, 18d) #5 Wed-02-Jan-1907 [h] D2-2 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 21)

89. (23y, 8m, 21d) #5 Sat-05-Jan-1907 [h] W3-0 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 22)

90. (23y, 9m, 4d) #5 Sat-19-Jan-1907 [h] L0-2 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 24)

91. (23y, 9m, 25d) #5 Sat-09-Feb-1907 [h] D2-2 Dundee (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

92. (23y, 10m, 1d) #5 Sat-16-Feb-1907 [a] L1-5 Dundee (Scottish Cup 1st Round replay)

93. (23y, 10m, 8d) #5 Sat-23-Feb-1907 [h] W1-0 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 25)

94. (23y, 10m, 15d) #5 Sat-02-Mar-1907 [a] L0-1 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 26)

95. (23y, 11m, 1d) #5 Sat-16-Mar-1907 [h] L0-1 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL First Division - game 27)

96. (23y, 11m, 29d) #5 Sat-13-Apr-1907 [h] L1-4 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 31)

97. (24y, 0m, 0d) #3 Mon-15-Apr-1907 [a] D2-2 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 32)

98. (24y, 0m, 5d) #5 Sat-20-Apr-1907 [a] L1-3 Clyde (Friendly)

99. (24y, 0m, 9d) #5 Wed-24-Apr-1907 [h] L0-2 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 33)

100. (24y, 0m, 12d) #5 Sat-27-Apr-1907 [a] L1-5 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 34)


22y, 4m, 15d		30.08.1905 Queen's Park [h] W3-2 (Rockbank FC Fundraiser)
22y, 6m, 13d		28.10.1905 Motherwell [h] D2-2 (SFL First Division - game 11)
22y, 9m, 19d		03.02.1906 Heart of Midlothian [h] W4-1 (SFL First Division - game 23)

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