Peter Bennett

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Peter Bennett

Peter Bennett was probably born in Scotland, although his place and date of birth remain unknown to us. * The forward joined Thistle in 1888. He made his first known appearance on Saturday, 13th October, 1888, in a 2-0 friendly win at home to Rangers. Peter scored his first goal for Thistle on Saturday, 20th October, 1888, in a 1-1 friendly draw at home to Northern. The last of his 11 known goals was scored on Saturday, 9th April, 1892, in a 3-1 defeat away to Linthouse in the Scottish Alliance League. He played his last known game for the club on Saturday, 7th May, 1892, in a 3-1 friendly defeat at home to St Mirren, having appeared for the Thistle on at least 28 occasions. His known club-list included only Partick Thistle. We don't know where or when Peter died. * * If you can help us to improve any of these marked points on The Thistle Archive, then please do get in touch →

Bio Extra

Peter played mainly as a right-sided forward and his time at Thistle spanned 4 seasons across both the first team and the reserves, his first campaign being notable in a couple of ways. Not many Thistle players make their debut in a win over Rangers, but Peter did just that on 13th October 1888. 2,500 were at Inchview to see it; Partick Thistle 2 Rangers 0. He played his part in the club's historic run to a first-ever Glasgow Cup final, Thistle having progressed at the expense of Maryhill, 3rd L.R.V. and Clyde. In early December 1888, it was Peter's goal that was the clincher in the semi final replay against the latter club. Alas, the final, played just one week later, was somewhat anticlimactic for those of a Thistle persuasion; Queen's Park 8 Partick Thistle 0. Peter himself came in for some critcism in the Scottish Sport: Were one to go solely on the form displayed last Saturday in the final battle for the possession of that handsome trophy, the Glasgow Cup, played at Ibrox Park in presence of six thousand spectators, the only conclusion possible is that the Partick Thistle is a very much overrated team. We all went down to Rangers’ pretty ground expecting to see one of those soul-stirring contests usually associated with final ties, when what was supposed to be the two best clubs meet to fight for the local championship. We were treated instead to a very lame spectacle. The Partick team gave no indications that they were possessed of more than second-class ability, and at no period in the game, bar the first five minutes and for a short while in the middle of the second half, had they ever a look in. Of course no one will assert that the Thistle representatives showed their true form. The Thistle played a hard game, it is true, but their efforts were feeble. In their movements they are, with one or two exceptions, most lethargic, being very slow on the ball. Their tendency to dally with it at critical moments must have been exasperating to their supporters. One great blemish, too, was the disposition to dribble displayed by their half backs, while their forwards were anxiously waiting for the ball to be sent on to them. This dribbling proved an expensive affair, as time after time their halves had the ball taken from them. I have it from an enthusiastic supporter of the Partick club that he never saw the team play worse. His opinion was that they were beaten before they stepped on to the field – that fear, which takes possession of many clubs when facing Queen’s Park, having more to do with their collapse than an inability to play good football. There may be something in this. The Queen’s Park has still a terror for some people. Many of the people who formed the Partick Thistle team had never before stood up against our great leading club and may be excused if they gave way to a nervous fear begotten of the great task before them. Their backs don’t seem to put force into their kick. Their half-backs, save Ward, did little to stop the Queen’s Park forwards, and frequently entered into a dribbling competition, in which they were worsted. McCorkindale their goalkeeper, gave no indication that he is in the possession of the remarkable cleverness claimed for him by supporters of the club. Bennett seems smart, but he clearly wants experience against first class teams. He played too much single-handed. Johnston worked hard, but for the rest little can be said. Ouch. Peter soldiered on though and, although never an automatic pick, got his goals tally into double figures over the course of a few seasons. In 1891-92 - his final season - he clocked up 15 known appearances, 10 of which were in the Scottish Alliance, Thistle's first-ever experience of a league card. It all ended on a bit of a sour note in the springtime of 1892 as Thistle were humiliated on a tour of England, suffering 9-1 defeats at both Bootle and Wednesday. It's quite possible this impacted Peter's future prospects as he never re-appeared for season 1892-93!

(WS/AM/NK)

Every Goal

compiled from our All Games criteria.

	20.10.1888 Northern [h] D1-1 (Friendly)
	01.12.1888 Clyde [h] W1-0 (Glasgow Cup Semi Final replay)
	24.11.1888 Port Glasgow Athletic [a] W6-0 (Friendly)
	11.05.1889 Airdrieonians [h] W5-2 (Friendly)
	15.02.1890 St Mirren [a] W4-1 (Friendly)
	01.03.1890 Ayr [h] W5-2 (Friendly)
	05.12.1891 Port Glasgow Athletic [h] W2-1 (Scottish Alliance - game 10)
	12.12.1891 Northern [a] L4-9 (Scottish Alliance - game 11)
	09.04.1892 Linthouse [a] L1-3 (Scottish Alliance - game 20)

Historian's note: It's often very difficult to get a handle on player IDs in the 19th century and Bennett certainly comes into that category. We've settled on Peter given that he's so named in the Glasgow Evening Post of 22 January 1892, and also we get the initial "P" dating back to the same paper on 29 November 1889, giving us the span that fits the teamlines. We note that the Official History book have him listed as J. Bennett, and we've also seen as S. Bennett (mis?) quoted once along the way, groan.