James Bryce - The Thistle Archive

James Bryce

• James Bryce, c1896 (HA)

James French Bryce was born on Tuesday, 15th February, 1870, in Cathcart, Glasgow.

The midfielder signed for Thistle in November, 1894, having most recently been with Third Lanark.

Aged 24, he made his first known appearance on Saturday, 10th November, 1894, in a 5-3 defeat at home to Rangers in the Glasgow Cup.

James scored his first known goal for Thistle on Saturday, 2nd January, 1896, in a 3-0 friendly win away to Dundee.

He scored his second (and final known) goal for us on Saturday, 21st January, 1899, in a 4-3 win away to Clyde in the Glasgow League.

He played his last known game for the club on Saturday, 1st September, 1900, in a 4-0 friendly win away to King's Park, having appeared for the Thistle on at least 86 occasions.

His club-list included Third Lanark, Partick Thistle, St Bernard's, Abercorn, Renton and Thornliebank.

James died on Wednesday, 28th April, 1943, in Melbourne, Victoria, aged 73.

James Bryce's Summary Totals


League	40	20	5	15	0
Competitive	66	32	6	28	1
All Games	84	40	9	35	2

The son of David Bryce (coal merchant, later dairy man) and Mary Bryce (née McKay).

James, then a Third Lanark reserve, answered the call when Thistle were in need of a right half in November 1894. Reporting after the 4-2 League win over Cowlairs (5th January 1895) the Scottish Referee noted that he continued to fill the position with credit to both himself and Cathkin. The Firhill executive were clearly in agreement and his stay was extended. There were 20 appearances before the season was over, a figure which more than quadrupled by the end of the century. After a two season gap, James, who had played at Inchview, returned to Thistle for a second spell in 1898-99. The club were now in the top-flight and had a new home ground, Meadowside.

His first goal on his return was a memorable one. It came on 21st January 1899 in a Glasgow League game at Shawfield. Although the pitch was poor the fans were entertained. Clyde had a 3-0 lead at half time, but the second half was all Thistle. The score was tied at 3-3 when a penalty was awarded to Thistle in the 90th minute. With their record on penalty kicks it seemed likely that the game would end tied, but James Bryce converted the kick to give Thistle a 4-3 win. “The collapse of the Clyde in the second half was as complete as it was sensational” reported the Athletic News.

James suffered the pain of relegation in 1898-99 and the joy of promotion in 1899-00 as the Second Division title was clinched. In this respect, it might be said he was a true Jag! After Thistle, he had relatively short/guest spells at Third Lanark (again), St Bernard's, Abercorn, Renton and Thornliebank. Not to be confused with the James Bryce (also a half-back) who played with Queen's Park from 1907 onwards.

James came from a very large family (he was 7th born) and worked as a coppersmith. His younger brother William (b. 1872) worked as a blacksmith and he too was a footballer, turning out for Third Lanark and Abercorn. James was one of many Scots who emigrated to Australia, and a party of 5 Bryces (presumably his wife and kids) arrived in the port of Fremantle on hogmanay 1927. James passed away in southern Australia in the springtime of 1943, aged 73. His cremated remains were scattered at Fawkner Memorial Park in the northern Melbourne suburb of Hadfield, Victoria.

(WS/JK/NK)

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(age) 1894-95

1. (24y, 8m, 26d) #4 Sat-10-Nov-1894 [h] L3-5 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

2. (24y, 9m, 2d) #4 Sat-17-Nov-1894 [h] W5-3 Motherwell (SFL Second Division - game 5)

3. (24y, 9m, 9d) #4 Sat-24-Nov-1894 [a] L2-4 Morton (SFL Second Division - game 6)

4. (24y, 10m, 0d) #4 Sat-15-Dec-1894 [a] W4-3 Cowlairs (SFL Second Division - game 7)

5. (24y, 10m, 7d) #4 Sat-22-Dec-1894 [h] W3-2 Airdrieonians (SFL Second Division - game 8)

6. (24y, 10m, 14d) #6 Sat-29-Dec-1894 [a] L1-4 Aberdeen FC (Friendly)

7. (24y, 10m, 17d) #4 Tue-01-Jan-1895 [a] W2-1 Inverness Thistle (Friendly)

8. (24y, 10m, 18d) #6 Wed-02-Jan-1895 [a] W4-1 Victoria United (Friendly)

9. (24y, 10m, 21d) #4 Sat-05-Jan-1895 [h] W4-2 Cowlairs (SFL Second Division - game 9)

10. (24y, 11m, 4d) #4 Sat-19-Jan-1895 [a] D3-3 Abercorn (SFL Second Division - game 10)

11. (25y, 0m, 1d) #4 Sat-16-Feb-1895 [a] L0-4 Linthouse (Friendly)

12. (25y, 0m, 8d) #4 Sat-23-Feb-1895 [h] W5-1 Abercorn (SFL Second Division - game 11)

13. (25y, 0m, 15d) #4 Sat-02-Mar-1895 [a] W6-5 Falkirk (Friendly)

14. (25y, 0m, 22d) #4 Sat-09-Mar-1895 [a] L5-6 Dundee Wanderers (SFL Second Division - game 12)

15. (25y, 1m, 8d) #4 Sat-23-Mar-1895 [h] L0-1 Renton (SFL Second Division - game 13)

16. (25y, 1m, 15d) #4 Sat-30-Mar-1895 [a] L0-9 Airdrieonians (SFL Second Division - game 14)

17. (25y, 1m, 22d) #4 Sat-06-Apr-1895 [a] L0-3 Motherwell (SFL Second Division - game 15)

18. (25y, 1m, 29d) #4 Sat-13-Apr-1895 [h] L0-4 Hibernian (SFL Second Division - game 16)

19. (25y, 2m, 19d) #4 Sat-04-May-1895 [h] L0-1 Linthouse (Friendly)

20. (25y, 3m, 3d) #6 Sat-18-May-1895 [a] W3-1 Renton (SFL Second Division - game 17)

21. (25y, 3m, 10d) #5 Sat-25-May-1895 [h] W5-0 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 18)

(age) 1895-96

22. (25y, 6m, 2d) #4 Sat-17-Aug-1895 [a] L2-3 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 1)

23. (25y, 6m, 4d) #4 Mon-19-Aug-1895 [a] L1-5 Rangers (J. Black Benefit)

24. (25y, 6m, 9d) #4 Sat-24-Aug-1895 [a] W6-2 Renton (SFL Second Division - game 2)

25. (25y, 6m, 16d) #4 Sat-31-Aug-1895 [a] W6-2 Burnbank Swifts (Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Round)

26. (25y, 6m, 23d) #4 Sat-07-Sep-1895 [h] D2-2 Kilmarnock (SFL Second Division - game 3)

27. (25y, 7m, 6d) #4 Sat-21-Sep-1895 [h] W5-1 Airdrieonians (Scottish Qualifying Cup 2nd Round)

28. (25y, 7m, 13d) #4 Sat-28-Sep-1895 [h] W15-0 Cameronians (Glasgow Cup 1st Round)

29. (25y, 8m, 4d) #4 Sat-19-Oct-1895 [h] W6-1 Cowlairs (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

30. (25y, 8m, 11d) #4 Sat-26-Oct-1895 [a] W5-1 Queen's Park (Friendly)

31. (25y, 8m, 18d) #4 Sat-02-Nov-1895 [a] L1-5 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

32. (25y, 8m, 25d) #4 Sat-09-Nov-1895 [h] W2-1 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 5)

33. (25y, 9m, 1d) #4 Sat-16-Nov-1895 [h] L0-6 Airdrieonians (SFL Second Division - game 6)

34. (25y, 9m, 8d) #4 Sat-23-Nov-1895 [h] L1-2 Renton (SFL Second Division - game 7)

35. (25y, 9m, 15d) #4 Sat-30-Nov-1895 [h] L1-2 Motherwell (SFL Second Division - game 8)

36. (25y, 9m, 29d) #4 Sat-14-Dec-1895 [a] L0-7 Leith Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 9)

37. (25y, 10m, 6d) #4 Sat-21-Dec-1895 [h] L1-2 Celtic 'A' (Friendly)

38. (25y, 10m, 18d) #4 Thu-02-Jan-1896 [a] W3-0 Dundee (Friendly)

39. (25y, 10m, 20d) #4 Sat-04-Jan-1896 [a] L1-2 Aberdeen FC (Friendly)

40. (25y, 10m, 27d) #4 Sat-11-Jan-1896 [a] D3-3 Motherwell (SFL Second Division - game 10)

41. (25y, 11m, 3d) #4 Sat-18-Jan-1896 [h] W4-1 Morton (SFL Second Division - game 11)

42. (25y, 11m, 17d) #4 Sat-01-Feb-1896 [h] W4-2 Abercorn (SFL Second Division - game 12)

43. (26y, 0m, 0d) #4 Sat-15-Feb-1896 [a] W4-3 Abercorn (SFL Second Division - game 14)

(age) 1898-99

44. (28y, 9m, 25d) #4 Sat-10-Dec-1898 [a] D1-1 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 15)

45. (28y, 10m, 2d) #5 Sat-17-Dec-1898 [h] L1-3 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 16)

46. (28y, 10m, 16d) #5 Sat-31-Dec-1898 [h] W2-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 17)

47. (28y, 10m, 19d) #5 Tue-03-Jan-1899 [h] L2-8 Rangers (Glasgow League - game 1)

48. (28y, 10m, 23d) #5 Sat-07-Jan-1899 [h] L0-1 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 18)

49. (28y, 10m, 30d) #5 Sat-14-Jan-1899 [h] W5-0 Irvine (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

50. (28y, 11m, 6d) #5 Sat-21-Jan-1899 [a] W4-3 Clyde (Glasgow League - game 2)

51. (28y, 11m, 27d) #5 Sat-11-Feb-1899 [h] D2-2 Morton (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)

52. (29y, 0m, 3d) #5 Sat-18-Feb-1899 [a] W2-1 Morton (Scottish Cup 2nd Round replay)

53. (29y, 0m, 10d) #5 Sat-25-Feb-1899 [a] L3-7 Port Glasgow Athletic (Scottish Cup Quarter Final)

54. (29y, 0m, 17d) #4 Sat-04-Mar-1899 [a] D1-1 Celtic XI (Friendly)

55. (29y, 0m, 24d) #4 Sat-11-Mar-1899 [h] W5-1 Clyde (Glasgow League - game 3)

56. (29y, 1m, 3d) #9 Sat-18-Mar-1899 [a] L1-4 Rangers (Glasgow League - game 4)

57. (29y, 1m, 17d) #5 Sat-01-Apr-1899 [h] L1-3 Queen's Park (Glasgow League - game 5)

58. (29y, 1m, 19d) #5 Mon-03-Apr-1899 [h] L0-2 Hibernian (Friendly)

59. (29y, 1m, 24d) #5 Sat-08-Apr-1899 [h] L0-3 Third Lanark (Glasgow League - game 6)

60. (29y, 2m, 11d) #4 Wed-26-Apr-1899 [a] L0-3 Celtic (Glasgow League - game 7)

61. (29y, 2m, 14d) #4 Sat-29-Apr-1899 [h] L1-3 Celtic (Glasgow League - game 8)

(age) 1899-00

62. (29y, 7m, 1d) #4 Sat-16-Sep-1899 [a] L1-5 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

63. (29y, 7m, 22d) #5 Sat-07-Oct-1899 [h] W3-2 Airdrieonians (SFL Second Division - game 7)

64. (29y, 7m, 29d) #5 Sat-14-Oct-1899 [a] L1-4 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 8)

65. (29y, 8m, 6d) #5 Sat-21-Oct-1899 [a] L1-2 Ayr (SFL Second Division - game 9)

66. (29y, 8m, 13d) #4 Sat-28-Oct-1899 [a] W3-2 Morton (SFL Second Division - game 10)

67. (29y, 8m, 20d) #4 Sat-04-Nov-1899 [a] W2-0 Airdrieonians (SFL Second Division - game 11)

68. (29y, 8m, 27d) #4 Sat-11-Nov-1899 [h] W4-0 Leith Athletic (SFL Second Division - game 12)

69. (29y, 9m, 3d) #4 Sat-18-Nov-1899 [h] W4-0 Port Glasgow Athletic (Western League - game 1)

70. (29y, 9m, 10d) #6 Sat-25-Nov-1899 [a] L2-3 Queen's Park (Friendly)

71. (29y, 9m, 17d) #4 Sat-02-Dec-1899 [h] W3-0 Hamilton Academical (SFL Second Division - game 13)

72. (29y, 9m, 24d) #4 Sat-09-Dec-1899 [h] W8-1 Linthouse (SFL Second Division - game 14)

73. (29y, 10m, 8d) #4 Sat-23-Dec-1899 [h] W4-1 St Mirren (Western League - game 2)

74. (29y, 10m, 15d) #4 Sat-30-Dec-1899 [a] D2-2 Abercorn (SFL Second Division - game 15)

75. (29y, 10m, 22d) #3 Sat-06-Jan-1900 [a] L3-4 St Mirren (Western League - game 3)

76. (29y, 10m, 29d) #4 Sat-13-Jan-1900 [a] W2-1 Galston (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

77. (29y, 11m, 5d) #3 Sat-20-Jan-1900 [h] W1-0 Port Glasgow Athletic (Friendly)

78. (29y, 11m, 12d) #4 Sat-27-Jan-1900 [h] W2-1 St Bernard's (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)

79. (29y, 11m, 19d) #4 Sat-03-Feb-1900 [h] W2-1 Motherwell (SFL Second Division - game 16)

80. (30y, 0m, 2d) #4 Sat-17-Feb-1900 [h] L1-6 Rangers (Scottish Cup Quarter Final)

81. (30y, 0m, 16d) #4 Sat-03-Mar-1900 [h] L1-4 Kilmarnock (Western League - game 4)

82. (30y, 0m, 23d) #2 Sat-10-Mar-1900 [a] W1-0 East Stirlingshire (Friendly)

(age) 1900-01

83. (30y, 6m, 1d) #4 Thu-16-Aug-1900 [a] D2-2 Rangers (Friendly)

84. (30y, 6m, 12d) #2 Mon-27-Aug-1900 [h] D1-1 Clyde (Friendly)

85. (30y, 6m, 17d) #4 Sat-01-Sep-1900 [a] W4-0 King's Park (Friendly)


25y, 10m, 18d		02.01.1896 Dundee [a] W3-0 (Friendly)
28y, 11m, 6d		21.01.1899 Clyde [a] W4-3 (Glasgow League - game 2)

#
1	-		21.01.1899 Clyde [a] W4-3 (Glasgow League - game 2)	4-3, pen 90 mins

James Bryce
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Partick Thistle
567/815 ← success rate → 69.6%
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