The Thistle Archive

With his appearance and two goals in a 5-0 win away to Smithfield on 14th May 1877, this player made history! Alongside two others - Jack Beattie and Hugh McColl - he jointly became the first to be quoted as a Partick Thistle player, not to mention being the joint-first to be quoted as a goalscorer (no sequence was clarified). At the end of 1875 when Thistle were (most likely) formed, was he perhaps one of the likely lads who banded together for the unwittingly historic deed? It's a great pity that reporting was so loose in those days, as the full justice is rarely served to the players of that era. With around 50 appearances going into the mid 1880s, it'd be fair to say John was an early stalwart; in reality he's likely to have played a great many more.

John was involved in a number of landmark games as the club developed. He was there as the Jags entered the Scottish Cup for the first time and he's known to have featured in 13 of the ties as the 1880s unfolded (as well as a couple which were voided). Echoing the pioneering adventures of Partick, their burgh rivals, on Saturday the 26th November 1881, Partick Thistle played their first ever game against non-Scottish opposition – their first ever game on “foreign” soil. John was in place in his usual role on the left side of the forward line. Blackburn Olympic, who were to win the FA Cup in 1883, were the opponents. Kicking off at 3.10pm before 500 hardy but keen souls, the game was played in the howling wind and rain, and the home side were 4-0 up at half-time. John pulled one back for Thistle early doors in the second half, and Thistle were inspired. Now playing with the conditions, they staged an amazing second half comeback and came away with a highly credible 4-4 draw. This exciting adventure raised the club's profile greatly, and the memorably romantic name of Partick Thistle became more widely known on a British scale.

John registered two hat-tricks in his time as a Jag, both coming early in 1882. A 10-0 semi-final win over Brittania on 28th January set the tone as Thistle went on to lift the Yoker Cup for the second season in a row. The week after the cup was won, John repeated his feat, netting three in a 5-1 win over Vale of Teith at Jordanvale on 18th March 1882. The 30th of December 1882, marked the date when Partick Thistle played hosts to a non-Scottish club for the first time. It was Blackburn Olympic again – the rematch! Following the previous seasons’ epic 4-4 draw in Lancashire, it was Thistle’s turn to play mine host. The game was described in the Manchester Courier as “the annual match between these sides”! No crowd can be found for this one although it was played before “a very large crowd of spectators” according to the Sheffield Independent. Niall Kennedy’s research notes that “An interesting experiment was carried out in the game – the first half saw English-style throw-ins (one-handed, any direction), while the second used Scottish throw-ins.” Thistle lost 0-2 - a rare defeat at Jordanvale - but John played his part in history.

More great history was made that season on two cup fronts. Wins over Battlefield, Mavisbank and Cambuslang had Thistle in the Scottish Cup Quarter Finals at only the third time of asking - a magnificent achievement for the club at the time. John was at inside left on 10th February 1883 as Thistle played in front of their new record crowd of 2,000 supporters, the Jordanvale ground record which stands to this day. The renowned Vale of Leven - already three times winners - were a step too far though, and Thistle lost out by 4 goals to 0. In March 1883, by way of consolation for John and for Thistle, there was a third successive win of the Yoker Cup trophy for Thistle, with John in the frontline. Sir John Maxwell (of Pollokshaws) were the opponents. After an even 1st half, aided by the wind, Thistle scored 2 and had a third disallowed. Sir John Maxwell were seldom seen out of their own half. The cup became Thistle's permanent property.