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| Adam McCall |
 Adam McCall was born on Tuesday, 24th March, 1885 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. The forward signed for George Easton's Thistle on Tuesday, 5th September, 1905 (after a trial period), having most recently been with Darvel. Aged 20, he made his debut appearance on Wednesday, 30th August, 1905, in a 3-2 win at home to Queen's Park in a Benefit match. That day, Adam became a member of our scoring debutant's club. He scored the last of his 3 goals on Saturday, 24th March, 1906, in a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren in the SFL First Division. He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 14th April, 1906, in a 3-0 win at home to Port Glasgow Athletic in the SFL First Division, having appeared as a Jag on 6 occasions. His club-list included Darvel, Partick Thistle, Ayr Parkhouse, Vale of Leven, Nithsdale Wanderers, Bristol Rovers, Worcester City and Halesowen Town. Adam died on Monday, 10th December, 1973, in Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway, aged 88. |
 This 20-year-old Ayrshire junior was given a trial at Thistle in August 1905 and, having scored in a 3-2 friendly win over QP, a suitably impressed George Easton signed him to terms shortly afterwards. He made his competitive senior debut on 25th September 1905, Thistle edging out Hibs by one goal to nil in front of 3,000 on a Monday evening at Meadowside. Adam was in place for the next league game at Firhill, and managed to get on the scoresheet as Thistle defeated Morton by two goals to one. Along with his Ayrshire pal William Brown, Adam was loaned to Ayr Parkhouse in January 1906. Upon his return, he squeezed in three further league appearances in March and April, scoring in a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren. Adam's final record for the first team (all achieved in 1905-06) makes for rather impressive reading; P6 W5 D1 L0 with 3 goals personally being scored. Surprisingly, Adam was involved in a second loan deal at the end of that season, obliging Vale of Leven for a short stint. Season 1905-06 was a big success for Thistle, and outright fifth represented the best placing yet. Despite this, and despite his own good record, Adam never played again for the Thistle first team. Was it more convenient for him to play in Ayrshire we wonder? In the summer of 1906 he signed permanently with Second Division Ayr Parkhouse, where he (personally) enjoyed a succesful run, appearing in almost 20 first class matches and scoring half a dozen goals. Despite this, the Parkies finished bottom of the 12 club league. Adam was on the open to transfer list after that, and never got much of a look in. Clearly looking for a fresh start, Adam went on loan to Bristol Rovers in the Southern League in December 1909 and played 32 league and cup games up to 1911, scoring just once. In the autumn of 1911, Adam tried for Worcester City, but failed to make much of an impact. As the Birmingham Daily Gazette (Monday 9 October 1911) put it: “Worcester City are not experiencing much fortune with new players and Adam McCall, who was drafted into the side against Walsall at St George’s Lane on Saturday [7 October 1911], could not be classed as a great success. In his position at inside right he was offered many chances of putting his team on the winning side, but he was unable to gather the ball with precision, and many golden opportunities went begging.” Adam went on to play for Halesowen Town, who, like Worcester, were also in the Birmingham & District League. Adam died in late 1973 and was buried at Sanquhar churchyard (see 'Gallery' tab above.) |
| (WS/JK/DG) |
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