 |
Your Archive Needs YOU! Page upload volunteers are urgently required; free time is precious for everyone but if you can spare some then please do get in touch → and play your part in helping to build an Archive for all of Jagskind to use and enjoy! Read more → |
| James Irvine |
 James Irvine was probably born in England, although his place and date of birth remain unknown to us. * The midfielder appeared for Thistle in March, 1886. He made his only known appearance on Saturday, 20th March, 1886, in a 1-1 friendly draw at home to Battlefield. There were no goals for James in his only known appearance for Thistle. His club-list included Jesmond, Tyne Association, Partick Thistle, Motherwell and Gateshead Association. We don't know where or when James died. *
|
 This half back began on Tyneside with two of the earliest clubs from the area, Jesmond and Tyne Association. Most likely on account of work, he landed in Scotland in 1886 and turned out for Partick Thistle on at least one known occasion, a 1-1 draw at Inchview with Battlefield on 20th March. There were chances at both ends as the teams enjoyed spells of pressure then a disputed goal from a scrimmage gave Battlefield a half-time lead. A goal by Andrew Johnston earned Thistle a deserved draw. James played at centre half alongside many of the early Thistle legends that day, the team lining up: Andrew Duff, John Hendry, McFadyen, George McKay, James Irvine, Bob Marshall, Bobby Brown, John Marshall, Bob Robertson, Jerry Suter, Andrew Johnston. It was just a couple of months later when the best players from Glencairn and Alpha merged to form Motherwell. This would be the next port of call for James, although he never featured in the inaugural games for the new club, a 3-2 win over Accies on 9 September 1886 and 1-6 Scottish Cup defeat to Cambuslang Rangers a couple of days later. However, we get a measure of the impact that he made from a piece in the Athletic News (11/10/1887) which tells that the members of Motherwell FC made a presentation to him prior to his departure from “the land o' the cakes” as they so quaintly put it. James was described as a “capital centre half” and it was reported that he had returned back down south to live in the old river side town, and that he would play with the local Gateshead Association club. |
| (WS/AFK) |