Bobby Wilson - The Thistle Archive

Bobby Wilson

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Bobby Wilson

• Bobby Wilson, 1909 (VIF)

Robert Wilson was Sunday, 25th December, 1887, in Lugar, East Ayrshire.

The midfielder signed for George Easton's Thistle on Friday, 30th April, 1909, having most recently been with Maryhill.

Aged 21, he made his debut appearance on Monday, 16th August, 1909, in a 2-1 defeat away to Morton in the SFL First Division.

Robert scored his first goal for Thistle on Monday, 3rd January, 1910, in a 1-1 draw away to Aberdeen in the SFL First Division.

He scored the last of his 3 goals on Saturday, 25th January, 1913, in a 4-1 defeat away to Motherwell in the SFL First Division.

He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 3rd May, 1913, in a 3-1 defeat away to Rangers in the Glasgow Charity Cup, having clocked up 118 appearances as a Jag.

His club-list included Langside Athletic, Inglefield, Maryhill, Partick Thistle and Chelsea.

Bobby died on Tuesday, 31st May, 1960, in Wandsworth, London, aged 72.

Bobby Wilson's Summary Totals


League	94	37	20	37	3
Competitive	112	43	24	45	3
All Games	117	46	25	46	3

The son of James Wilson (joiner) and Margaret Wilson (née Kelly) who married in Tarbolton in 1865 and later relocated to Glasgow.

Bobby lived and worked in Langside, and naturally played with the local team, Langside Athletic. It was whilst turning out for Inglefield in the Maryhill Charity Cup in 1906 that he came to the attention of the prominent junior side of the area, Maryhill. He joined the Lochburn Park outfit for season 1906-07 and spent three seasons there before answering the call of George Easton to take him to a Partick Thistle club that was in the doldrums, having recently experienced a traumatic season of homelessness and dreadful results. Bobby arrived as an inside forward, but it wasn't long until he settled as a right half first and foremost. He spent four eventful seasons at Thistle's brand new ground and played in the historic 3-1 win over Dumbarton Harp in mid-September, the first game ever to be played at Firhill.

It took a while for Thistle to get back on their feet - they never won a league game at Firhill until December 1909 - and the 16th place of 1909-10 was only marginally better than the preceding season horribilis. There was, however, plenty of evidence that things were turning for the better, and this was dramatically underlined in each of the following two seasons when the Jags finished 4th! Bobby was a popular figure with the fans and was enjoying his football playing in the half back line alongside the great Alec Raisbeck. His form was recognised by the Scottish League during these seasons too, and Bobby was capped against the Irish League in October 1910 (a 3-1 win at Belfast) and October 1911 (a 3-0 win at Firhill!) Playing a team game, Bobby accommodated the selectors by reverting back to the forward line for these games. That was an exceptional month in Bobby's career, as Thistle ran Rangers close for the Glasgow Cup, only losing against the run-of-play by one goal to nil in front of 56,000 @ Celtic Park.

Bobby's time at Thistle ended on a low, the team unfathomably having slumped back to 17th place in the 1912-13 league. Away from the football, Bobby worked as a mechanical engineer and this is likely to be the main reason for his leaving for London at this point. Football seems to have taken a back-seat in his mid 20s, although he had one last hurrah with Chelsea Reserves in the springtime of 1914 before retiring from the game. Bobby would live in London for the rest of his days, although he enjoyed a trip back home for special occasions. One newspaper report in particular tells us that he was back cheering on the Jags in October 1914 (see 'Scrapbook' tab) and Glasgow would be the city where he chose to be married, tying the knot with Janet Angus (a library assistant) on Christmas Eve 1915, the old romantic. The couple raised a family in London; the 1921 census tells us that Hilda (3) and Ronald (1) were the first born. Bobby was working as a mechanical engineer with Alley & MacLellan Shipbuilders at this point. It must have paid well as the Wilson household had a servant, a Glasgow lass by the name of Jeanie Daily. Bobby died in London in May 1960, leaving a sum of £8,350 (approx £250,000 in 2024) to his widow, Janet.

(WS/ANB/CGS)

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(age) 1909-10

1. (21y, 7m, 22d) #8 Mon-16-Aug-1909 [a] L1-2 Morton (SFL First Division - game 1)

2. (21y, 8m, 3d) #8 Sat-28-Aug-1909 [a] D2-2 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 3)

3. (21y, 8m, 10d) #8 Sat-04-Sep-1909 [a] W1-0 Renton (Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Round)

4. (21y, 8m, 17d) #10 Sat-11-Sep-1909 [a] L1-2 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

5. (21y, 8m, 24d) #10 Sat-18-Sep-1909 [h] W3-1 Dumbarton Harp (Scottish Qualifying Cup 2nd Round)

6. (21y, 9m, 0d) #6 Sat-25-Sep-1909 [a] L2-3 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 4)

7. (21y, 9m, 2d) #4 Mon-27-Sep-1909 [a] L0-5 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 5)

8. (21y, 9m, 14d) #7 Sat-09-Oct-1909 [h] W3-1 Nithsdale Wanderers (Scottish Qualifying Cup 3rd Round)

9. (21y, 9m, 21d) #8 Sat-16-Oct-1909 [a] W3-1 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 7)

10. (21y, 9m, 28d) #8 Sat-23-Oct-1909 [h] D2-2 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 8)

11. (21y, 10m, 5d) #6 Sat-30-Oct-1909 [a] D2-2 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 9)

12. (21y, 10m, 12d) #8 Sat-06-Nov-1909 [h] D0-0 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 10)

13. (21y, 11m, 16d) #6 Sat-11-Dec-1909 [h] D1-1 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 14)

14. (21y, 11m, 23d) #10 Sat-18-Dec-1909 [a] L1-2 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 15)

15. (22y, 0m, 0d) #4 Sat-25-Dec-1909 [h] W3-1 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 16)

16. (22y, 0m, 7d) #4 Sat-01-Jan-1910 [a] L0-2 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 17)

17. (22y, 0m, 9d) #4 Mon-03-Jan-1910 [a] D1-1 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 18)

18. (22y, 0m, 10d) #8 Tue-04-Jan-1910 [a] W3-0 Kilmacolm (Friendly)

19. (22y, 0m, 11d) #8 Wed-05-Jan-1910 [h] L2-3 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 19)

20. (22y, 0m, 28d) #4 Sat-22-Jan-1910 [a] L3-4 Morton (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

21. (22y, 1m, 11d) #8 Sat-05-Feb-1910 [h] D1-1 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 22)

22. (22y, 1m, 25d) #4 Sat-19-Feb-1910 [a] L1-2 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 24)

23. (22y, 2m, 1d) #4 Sat-26-Feb-1910 [h] W3-1 Port Glasgow Athletic (SFL First Division - game 25)

24. (22y, 2m, 8d) #4 Sat-05-Mar-1910 [h] L1-3 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 26)

25. (22y, 2m, 15d) #4 Sat-12-Mar-1910 [h] D0-0 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 27)

26. (22y, 2m, 22d) #4 Sat-19-Mar-1910 [a] L0-1 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 28)

27. (22y, 3m, 3d) #6 Mon-28-Mar-1910 [h] W1-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 30)

28. (22y, 3m, 15d) #10 Sat-09-Apr-1910 [a] L1-3 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 33)

29. (22y, 3m, 24d) #4 Mon-18-Apr-1910 [h] D1-1 Celtic (Willie Howden Benefit)

30. (22y, 4m, 9d) #4 Wed-04-May-1910 [h] L0-1 Clyde (Glasgow Charity Cup Quarter Final)

(age) 1910-11

31. (22y, 7m, 23d) #4 Wed-17-Aug-1910 [h] W2-1 Third Lanark (Friendly)

32. (22y, 7m, 26d) #4 Sat-20-Aug-1910 [a] D1-1 Morton (SFL First Division - game 1)

33. (22y, 8m, 2d) #4 Sat-27-Aug-1910 [h] W2-1 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 2)

34. (22y, 8m, 4d) #4 Mon-29-Aug-1910 [h] L1-2 Rangers (Archie McKenzie Benefit)

35. (22y, 8m, 9d) #4 Sat-03-Sep-1910 [a] L0-3 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 3)

36. (22y, 8m, 16d) #4 Sat-10-Sep-1910 [h] L1-2 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

37. (22y, 8m, 30d) #4 Sat-24-Sep-1910 [h] W1-0 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 5)

38. (22y, 9m, 1d) #4 Mon-26-Sep-1910 [h] D1-1 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 6)

39. (22y, 9m, 6d) #4 Sat-01-Oct-1910 [h] W2-1 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 7)

40. (22y, 9m, 13d) #4 Sat-08-Oct-1910 [h] W2-1 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 8)

41. (22y, 9m, 20d) #4 Sat-15-Oct-1910 [h] D2-2 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 9)

42. (22y, 9m, 27d) #4 Sat-22-Oct-1910 [a] W3-0 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 10)

43. (22y, 10m, 4d) #4 Sat-29-Oct-1910 [h] W1-0 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 11)

44. (22y, 10m, 11d) #4 Sat-05-Nov-1910 [a] L1-2 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 12)

45. (22y, 10m, 18d) #4 Sat-12-Nov-1910 [a] W2-1 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 13)

46. (22y, 10m, 25d) #4 Sat-19-Nov-1910 [h] W1-0 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 14)

47. (22y, 11m, 1d) #4 Sat-26-Nov-1910 [a] L3-4 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 15)

48. (22y, 11m, 22d) #4 Sat-17-Dec-1910 [h] W1-0 Morton (SFL First Division - game 18)

49. (23y, 0m, 8d) #4 Mon-02-Jan-1911 [h] W1-0 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 21)

50. (23y, 0m, 9d) #4 Tue-03-Jan-1911 [h] D2-2 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 22)

51. (23y, 0m, 13d) #4 Sat-07-Jan-1911 [a] L0-2 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 23)

52. (23y, 1m, 10d) #4 Sat-04-Feb-1911 [h] W3-2 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 26)

53. (23y, 1m, 17d) #4 Sat-11-Feb-1911 [h] L0-3 Dundee (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)

54. (23y, 3m, 21d) #4 Sat-15-Apr-1911 [h] W6-1 East Stirlingshire (Friendly)

55. (23y, 3m, 30d) #4 Mon-24-Apr-1911 [a] W1-0 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 33)

(age) 1911-12

56. (23y, 7m, 21d) #4 Tue-15-Aug-1911 [h] D1-1 Morton (SFL First Division - game 1)

57. (23y, 8m, 19d) #4 Wed-13-Sep-1911 [h] W3-0 Celtic (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final replay)

58. (23y, 8m, 22d) #4 Sat-16-Sep-1911 [h] W3-0 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 5)

59. (23y, 8m, 29d) #4 Sat-23-Sep-1911 [a] D0-0 Third Lanark (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

60. (23y, 9m, 2d) #4 Wed-27-Sep-1911 [h] W2-0 Third Lanark (Glasgow Cup Semi Final replay)

61. (23y, 9m, 5d) #4 Sat-30-Sep-1911 [h] W1-0 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 7)

62. (23y, 9m, 12d) #4 Sat-07-Oct-1911 [n] L0-1 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Final)

63. (23y, 9m, 26d) #4 Sat-21-Oct-1911 [a] L1-3 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 9)

64. (23y, 10m, 3d) #4 Sat-28-Oct-1911 [h] L0-1 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 10)

65. (23y, 10m, 10d) #4 Sat-04-Nov-1911 [a] W1-0 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 11)

66. (23y, 10m, 17d) #4 Sat-11-Nov-1911 [h] D2-2 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 12)

67. (23y, 10m, 24d) #4 Sat-18-Nov-1911 [a] W2-1 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 13)

68. (23y, 11m, 7d) #4 Sat-02-Dec-1911 [h] L1-2 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 15)

69. (23y, 11m, 14d) #4 Sat-09-Dec-1911 [h] W3-1 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 16)

70. (23y, 11m, 28d) #4 Sat-23-Dec-1911 [h] W2-1 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 18)

71. (24y, 0m, 5d) #4 Sat-30-Dec-1911 [a] W3-0 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 19)

72. (24y, 0m, 7d) #4 Mon-01-Jan-1912 [h] D2-2 Third Lanark (SFL First Division - game 20)

73. (24y, 0m, 8d) #4 Tue-02-Jan-1912 [a] L1-4 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 21)

74. (24y, 0m, 12d) #4 Sat-06-Jan-1912 [a] W3-0 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 22)

75. (24y, 0m, 19d) #4 Sat-13-Jan-1912 [a] L0-2 Morton (SFL First Division - game 23)

76. (24y, 0m, 26d) #4 Sat-20-Jan-1912 [a] W2-1 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 24)

77. (24y, 1m, 2d) #4 Sat-27-Jan-1912 [h] D2-2 Dundee (Scottish Cup 1st Round)

78. (24y, 1m, 16d) #4 Sat-10-Feb-1912 [a] W1-0 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 25)

79. (24y, 1m, 23d) #4 Sat-17-Feb-1912 [h] W2-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 26)

80. (24y, 1m, 30d) #4 Sat-24-Feb-1912 [a] W1-0 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 27)

81. (24y, 2m, 6d) #4 Sat-02-Mar-1912 [h] W3-1 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 28)

82. (24y, 2m, 13d) #4 Sat-09-Mar-1912 [a] W2-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 29)

83. (24y, 2m, 20d) #4 Sat-16-Mar-1912 [h] D1-1 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 30)

84. (24y, 3m, 5d) #4 Sat-30-Mar-1912 [h] D2-2 Raith Rovers (SFL First Division - game 31)

85. (24y, 3m, 12d) #4 Sat-06-Apr-1912 [a] L0-4 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 32)

86. (24y, 3m, 26d) #4 Sat-20-Apr-1912 [h] W1-0 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 33)

87. (24y, 4m, 2d) #4 Sat-27-Apr-1912 [a] L1-2 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 34)

(age) 1912-13

88. (24y, 7m, 23d) #4 Sat-17-Aug-1912 [a] L1-2 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 1)

89. (24y, 7m, 30d) #4 Sat-24-Aug-1912 [h] D1-1 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 2)

90. (24y, 8m, 13d) #4 Sat-07-Sep-1912 [h] W2-1 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 4)

91. (24y, 8m, 20d) #4 Sat-14-Sep-1912 [h] W3-1 Third Lanark (Glasgow Cup Quarter Final)

92. (24y, 8m, 27d) #4 Sat-21-Sep-1912 [a] L0-2 Airdrieonians (SFL First Division - game 5)

93. (24y, 9m, 3d) #4 Sat-28-Sep-1912 [h] D0-0 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Semi Final)

94. (24y, 9m, 12d) #4 Mon-07-Oct-1912 [a] D1-1 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Semi Final replay)

95. (24y, 9m, 14d) #4 Wed-09-Oct-1912 [h] L0-2 Rangers (Glasgow Cup Semi Final 2nd replay)

96. (24y, 9m, 17d) #4 Sat-12-Oct-1912 [a] L1-3 Morton (SFL First Division - game 8)

97. (24y, 9m, 24d) #4 Sat-19-Oct-1912 [h] W2-0 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 9)

98. (24y, 10m, 1d) #4 Sat-26-Oct-1912 [h] W2-0 Raith Rovers (SFL First Division - game 10)

99. (24y, 10m, 8d) #4 Sat-02-Nov-1912 [a] L0-4 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 11)

100. (24y, 10m, 15d) #4 Sat-09-Nov-1912 [h] D2-2 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 12)

101. (24y, 10m, 22d) #4 Sat-16-Nov-1912 [a] L1-3 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 13)

102. (24y, 10m, 29d) #4 Sat-23-Nov-1912 [a] L1-2 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 14)

103. (24y, 11m, 5d) #4 Sat-30-Nov-1912 [h] W4-1 Kilmarnock (SFL First Division - game 15)

104. (24y, 11m, 12d) #4 Sat-07-Dec-1912 [h] L1-3 Heart of Midlothian (SFL First Division - game 16)

105. (24y, 11m, 19d) #4 Sat-14-Dec-1912 [a] L0-2 Hamilton Academical (SFL First Division - game 17)

106. (24y, 11m, 26d) #4 Sat-21-Dec-1912 [h] W1-0 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 18)

107. (25y, 0m, 3d) #4 Sat-28-Dec-1912 [a] L0-1 Dundee (SFL First Division - game 19)

108. (25y, 0m, 8d) #4 Thu-02-Jan-1913 [h] L2-3 Rangers (SFL First Division - game 21)

109. (25y, 0m, 10d) #4 Sat-04-Jan-1913 [a] L0-1 Celtic (SFL First Division - game 22)

110. (25y, 0m, 17d) #4 Sat-11-Jan-1913 [a] L0-2 Falkirk (SFL First Division - game 23)

111. (25y, 0m, 24d) #4 Sat-18-Jan-1913 [h] W2-1 St Mirren (SFL First Division - game 24)

112. (25y, 1m, 0d) #4 Sat-25-Jan-1913 [a] L1-4 Motherwell (SFL First Division - game 25)

113. (25y, 1m, 7d) #4 Sat-01-Feb-1913 [a] D0-0 Queen's Park (SFL First Division - game 26)

114. (25y, 3m, 4d) #4 Sat-29-Mar-1913 [h] L1-2 Hibernian (SFL First Division - game 31)

115. (25y, 3m, 25d) #4 Sat-19-Apr-1913 [h] L0-1 Aberdeen (SFL First Division - game 33)

116. (25y, 3m, 28d) #4 Tue-22-Apr-1913 [a] L0-1 Clyde (SFL First Division - game 34)

117. (25y, 4m, 8d) #4 Sat-03-May-1913 [a] L1-3 Rangers (Glasgow Charity Cup Semi Final)


22y, 0m, 9d		03.01.1910 Aberdeen [a] D1-1 (SFL First Division - game 18)
24y, 2m, 6d		02.03.1912 Kilmarnock [h] W3-1 (SFL First Division - game 28)
25y, 1m, 0d		25.01.1913 Motherwell [a] L1-4 (SFL First Division - game 25)