| Alex Morton |
 Alexander Morton was born on Monday, 1st May, 1882, in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire. The midfielder signed for Thistle on Thursday, 2nd January, 1902, having most recently been with Cambuslang Rangers. Aged 19, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 4th January, 1902, in a 2-1 defeat at home to Port Glasgow Athletic in the SFL Second Division. Alex scored his only goal for Thistle on Saturday, 25th January, 1902, in a 5-2 win at home to Arthurlie in the SFL Second Division. He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 2nd May, 1903, in a 0-0 friendly draw away to East Stirlingshire, having appeared as a Jag on 39 occasions. His club-list included Cambuslang Rangers, Partick Thistle and Airdrieonians. Alex died on Wednesday, 27th May, 1925, in Stirling, aged 43. |
 The son of William Morton (Quarryman) and Catherine Morton (née McIntosh). So highly thought-of was this Cambuslang teenager, that he was thrust into the momentous top-of-the-table clash with champions elect, Port Glasgow Athletic, on 4th January 1902 at Meadowside. Thistle lost narrowly by 2 goals to 1, the only blemish on an otherwise 100% win ratio at home in the League that season. Alex acquitted himself well on his debut though, and kept his place in the team. He scored in a 5-2 home win against Arthurlie a few weeks later, as the Jags looked to secure the second spot which would ultimately lead to the club being re-elected back to the top flight. Initially recruited as a left-sided forward, Alex soon fell back to his favoured left half slot. He enjoyed a fine season almost solely in that position in 1902-03, appearing in 21 of the competitive fixtures. Thistle finished in a credible 8th position, with only 9 losses in their 22 League games. They took revenge on bitter rivals Port Glasgow Thistle by winning 3-0 away and 4-2 at home! Most likely on account of work, Alex spent season 1903-04 on loan to Airdrieonians, also a top-flight outfit. He appeared in 6 of their League games that term, and even managed a couple of goals. Although Thistle held his registration papers until 1906, he never appeared again at Meadowside, and we rather suspect his hectic life-work balance may have been a factor. In his personal life, Alex married Mary Mathie Wilson and had 16 children! Tragedy struck in late May 1925, when the 43-year-old Alex was working as a coal miner at the Polmaise Colliery, 2 miles south east of Stirling. The collapse of a section of roof led to his hand being crushed, the septicaemia proving to be fatal within a few days. He was laid to rest at Ballengaich Cemetery in Stirling. From more than 150 individual incidents, more than 160 men died in Scottish mine accidents in 1925 alone. Legally allowable conditions were criminal in reality. |
| (WS/JK) |
