Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches Part 8

~A. Lochhead.~

The three half-backs in the present tie with which I have to deal were Messrs, Auld, Lochhead, and M'Farlane. Mr. Lochhead has been long one of the "s.h.i.+ning lights" of the 3rd L.R.V., and while in some respects inferior to Mr. Auld, has one grand virtue to recommend in a football player--viz., patience. His perception is keen and decisive, and if he imagines a daring forward on the other side can be successfully met without close tackling, he never fails to out-manoeuvre him, and let the spectators see some rare half-back play. Mr. Lochhead took part in the Welsh International in the spring.

~Mr. M'Farlane.~

The 3rd L.R.V. were in perfect training condition in the tie, and well can I remember both Auld and M'Farlane coming in for a large share of hugging by excited partisans as they made their way up the steps towards the pavilion of the Queen's Park Club that memorable Sat.u.r.day afternoon.

Mr. M'Farlane is really a fine all-round player, and this season is keeping up his form in a way that both astonishes and delights his old friends. His "heading" in front of goal is very fine, and has saved many a shot from taking effect.

~J. Oswald, Junior.~

No better pair of dribblers ever served a club than the two Oswalds--senior and junior--last season, and had more genuine success in the games in which they played. The forward combination, with these two men at their best, was decidedly the most powerful in Scotland, and undoubtedly won the match for the Volunteers against the Celtic. Mr.

Oswald, junior, however, was the better of the two, and the manner in which he scored the second goal, which gave the Third the victory, was quite a treat to all who saw the tie that day on Hampden Park.

~J. Oswald, Senior.~

The senior Oswald, as he was called, to distinguish him from his companion of the same name, played against England in the spring, and was as good a dribbler, but not so fine a judge of a goalkeeper's ability to get at the ball when the forwards were crowding round, and sending in shots thick and fast. The pa.s.sing among the forwards of the 3rd L.R.V. that day was so good as to defy criticism, if that were possible, and Oswald, senior, was no exception to the others. The pair, however, loved the loaves and fishes of England better than the 3rd L.R.V., and are now "o'er the Border and awa'."

~J. Hannah.~

In some of the best games of the 3rd L.R.V. last season the pa.s.sing and following up between Mr. Hannah and Mr. Johnstone were not to be beaten anywhere for splendid judgment and properly matured forward play. There are what is known to the player as certain degrees of pluck and endurance, and while I have in my mind's eye some forwards in other clubs, including Mr. William Berry, the Queen's Park light-weight, who must of necessity come under the first, I am inclined to rank Mr. Hannah among the second. He is, however, a first-rate man.

~W. Johnstone.~

Last in order of forwards, but by no means lacking in genuine ability, with rare dribbling powers, comes the name of Mr. W. Johnstone. He played a very steady game all through this tie, and was as fresh as paint after the whistle sounded the finish. Although not such a determined tackler as some of the other forwards not only in his own team, but in the Celtic as well, he is the most earnest worker in the whole club, and in his probationary days would practice unceasingly to attain perfection in certain points of the game in which he was deficient. He played against Wales in 1889, and in 1887 against Ireland.

~J. Kelly (Celtic).~

Although Mr. Kelly is, so to speak, unknown to the game as a goalkeeper, he promises to become a good man below the bar. The ability of the Celtic goalkeeper, however, is certainly not equal to the back and half-back play; and, while Kelly did very well in this match, his duties were rendered less difficult by the splendid defence shown at back by Mr. M'Keown, and the grand half-back efforts of Mr. M'Laren. He has several good points, including the clever fisting-out of the ball, but is not a strong kicker, and sometimes goes too far away from his charge.

~P. Gallacher.~

When the Celtic were hard pressed on several occasions, Mr. Gallacher always fell back on his goal, like the prudent general who covers his retreat, and no man did more heading and breasting in running the ball out that day. He wants the judgment of his companion in the same position, but makes up for it by fearless and unceasing work. He was hard pressed several times by Marshall and Oswald, sen., and had the worst of the tackling, but he generally came up smiling, and renewed hostilities with Spartan bravery.

~M. M'Keown.~

Mr. M'Keown was decidedly the best back on the losing side that day, and his defence near goal splendid. He is not, however, particularly careful in his returns, and sometimes kicks over his own lines when hard pressed, but there can be only one opinion as to his genuine ability in close tackling--he can do it to perfection. During the game, even Marshall, who is not afraid of anybody, sometimes steered clear of M'Keown by pa.s.sing up the ball to Johnstone instead of keeping possession to the last. He played against Ireland the same year.

~W. Maley.~

The Celtic had as their three half-backs in the contest under review Messrs. W. Maley, J. M'Laren, and J. Kelly (the latter of whom has already been mentioned in a previous article). Mr. W. Maley, if I am not mistaken, is a young member of a very young club that has made a name for itself in a couple of seasons. He has, however, a deal to learn before he can be cla.s.sed alongside Kelly and M'Laren. He is kind of slipshod in his mode of tackling, wanting finish, but nevertheless a dangerous man to meet in a charge.

~J. M'Laren.~

The finest half-back of the Irish combination is undoubtedly Mr. J.

M'Laren, and in this tie his play was really magnificent. When the Volunteers' forwards again and again got near the Celtic goal, he was the first to checkmate them, and, not contented to work his own place successfully, frequently went to the a.s.sistance of some of the forwards when he thought they had more than enough to do. He played for his old club, the Hibernian, against Wales in 1888, and in 1889 against England for the Celtic.

~M. Dunbar.~

Mr. Dunbar was one of the most active men in the Celtic forward division in this match, and showed very good dribbling, but was easily tackled when getting near goal, and more than once "removed" off the ball by Auld and Lochhead. He is, however, a steady worker, and most reliable when backing up. Mr. Dunbar, if I am not mistaken, was at one time a member of the Cartvale, and played for Scotland against Ireland for that club in 1886.

~R. M'Callum.~

In his general style of play Mr. M'Callum was not unlike Mr. William M'Kinnon (Dumbarton), who flourished from 1881 to 1885, and was one of the best forwards in that county. He was not such a tricky and cunning tackler, however, but faced up to his man with a confidence that betokened superiority. He was, like the rest of the Celtic forwards, a good dribbler, and possessed considerable speed. For a young player he was also very judicious in pa.s.sing the ball, and during this contest he helped to start some of the best runs of the day. He played against Ireland, at Belfast, in 1888, and is now located in Blackburn, where he partners Harry Campbell on the right wing of the Rovers.

~W. Groves.~

It was in the final tie for the Scottish Challenge Cup between the Hibernian and Dumbarton in 1887, which the crack Edinburgh team won by two goals to one, that brought Mr. Groves into special notice, and it may be, for aught I know, caused him to be carried off by the Celtic later on. Like a good many other players, he varies a bit in his style.

Some days he is easily tackled; while at others not a single back or half-back on the field has a chance with him, and it must be said of him that he is one of the neatest dribblers of the day. He played against Wales in 1888.

~J. Coleman.~

Among the forward division of the Celtic, Mr. Coleman was a decided acquisition, and during that same season scored a lot of goals for the new Irish combination, which came to the front with something like the rapidity of "Jonah's gourd." A beautiful dribbler and runner, he made several grand spurts towards the 3rd L.R.V. goal, but had a weakness for keeping the ball too long, and was often tackled by the sure feet of Rae and Thomson. In speed and general play he reminded me very much of Mr.

William Miller (3rd L.R.V.), an International against England as far back as 1876.

~T. Maley.~

When the whole of the Celts were at their best, and this happened pretty often last season in their Challenge Cup ties, Mr. T. Maley generally rose to the occasion, and led his team brilliantly. His steady-going style is much liked, not only by his colleagues, but spectators, and it is quite a rare thing to see him gra.s.sed by an opponent. When approaching the goal with the ball, he is like the priest who had a "wonderful way wid him"--slipping through the backs in a manner that is sure to make the goalkeeper gnash his teeth, and wish Maley was far enough away.

_V.--THE PIONEERS OF a.s.sOCIATION FOOTBALL IN SCOTLAND;_

OR,

_"THE CONQUEROR'S FOOTBALL BOOTS."_

My football boots are getting what might be called shabby genteel now, and no wonder. If they could speak they would tell you many a strange episode in the life of an a.s.sociation football player, and how he kept his place in a leading club for nearly a dozen years. They have been old and dear friends, those well-worn boots, and although now somewhat curled up at the toes, have kicked many a good goal out of a hot and exciting scrummage in front of an opponent's upright posts, and even in an International tussle; but now that they, like myself, have retired from active duty, and may reasonably be supposed not to be enc.u.mbered with existing prejudices, which in the nature of things might more or less interfere with expressing an honest opinion about the a.s.sociation football player of the past or his colleagues and successors, I will introduce them to you, and in figurative language allow them to tell their own unvarnished tale. My last advice, however, to you, my old friends, before leaving you to the tender mercies of a scribbler, is not to answer all the questions he thinks proper to put. Please don't tell him what you heard or saw after leaving the football field clinging to my sole and instep, of my love intrigues, my stolen interviews with blue-eyed Annie, and when she jilted me and got married to Charlie Quilter, who played "left wing" in the Flying Blues. Charlie must have regretted what he did more than once.

The Blues used to play us a couple of games in the year, and not long before Charlie got married he was, as a matter of course, one of their eleven. On that occasion I felt nettled to think that a big, broosy-faced, lisping fellow like Charlie should have "put my eye out,"

and could not resist the temptation of frequently crossing to his side during the game, and "going" for him. Oh! how my old companions, my boots, behaved on the occasion--the very laces almost burst with indignation; but Quilter, poor soul, never gave a winch, and bore it with becoming fort.i.tude. He has now, like myself, got settled in life (I am a confirmed bachelor), and we are still the best of friends, for that "blue-eyed Annie loved him, too," was one of those things I could never forget. It is too bad, however, in me to block the way with this dissertation, and not allow Mr. Boots to begin. I shall leave the rest to him with confidence.