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| John Coham |
 John Harding Coham was born on Thursday, 12th March, 1891, in Southampton, Hampshire. The forward signed for George Easton's Thistle on Saturday, 3rd June, 1911, having most recently been with Southampton. Aged 20, he made his debut appearance on Monday, 21st August, 1911, in a 2-2 draw away to Royal Albert in a Benefit match. John scored his first goal for Thistle on Saturday, 16th September, 1911, in a 3-0 win at home to Hibernian in the SFL First Division. He scored the last of his 7 goals on Saturday, 24th August, 1912, in a 1-1 draw at home to Motherwell in the SFL First Division. He played his last game for the club on Monday, 30th September, 1912, in a 3-2 defeat at home to Celtic in the SFL First Division, having appeared as a Jag on 31 occasions. His club-list included Eastleigh Athletic, Bishopstoke, Southampton, Partick Thistle and Barrow. John died on Sunday, 4th May, 1969, in Blackpool, Lancashire, aged 78. |
 Southampton born winger John joined Eastleigh Athletic FC, a long-standing works football team, that started life as the Eastleigh LWSR (London and South West Railway). This club are not to be confused with the current Eastleigh FC, who were formed in 1946. He joined Southampton as an amateur player in August 1910, and saintsplayers.co.uk describes him as “fleet-footed left-winger”. With other clubs chasing his signature, Southampton signed him on a professional contract at £3 per week. The player made a half-dozen Southern League appearances for the Saints in the 1910-11 season. He also had a day-job at Eastleigh Railway Works. John decided to move north, and signed for Thistle in June 1911. His first senior outing was in a friendly against Royal Albert at Raploch Park, Larkhall, with the contest ending 2-2. John scored the final goal of a 3-0 victory over Hibs in the SFL First Division match at Firhill on 16 September 1911. This was his first senior league match for the Jags, and the Glasgow Herald described it as “one of the best games seen at Firhill for many a day.” John was competing with Frank Branscombe for the outside left position, although Frank did play elsewhere in the forward line during his time at the club. John began the 1911-12 season with only a few starts, but from December 1911 he was an almost ever-present player in League outings. John lost out to Frank Branscombe in the Glasgow Cup Final though, with Rangers winning 1-0 at Celtic Park on 7 October 1911. The Jags finished 5th in the 18 team League that season. Thistle played Barrow in a friendly at Holker Park, with the Jags winning 2-0 on 23 March 1912. Both John and Frank were playing on that day, with Frank getting onto the scoresheet. John returned to Southampton in 1914, but didn’t get any 1st team outings. The player also went to Barrow during his career. John worked in the docks on his return to Southampton. He subsequently joined the merchant navy. At the outbreak of World War 2 he was serving on the Cunard liner Queen Mary, and the famous ship sailed into New York, where she was refitted and repainted grey. The ship (dubbed the “Grey Ghost”) was used as a troopship during the conflict, ferrying soldiers from Australia and later on from the USA. John served in the merchant navy during the war. John died in Blackpool aged 78 in the summer of 1969. |
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