The Thistle Archive

● The scene, the kits, the Cup (BP/HK)

Thistle v Rangers preview

McMenemy aside, things had looked reasonably good in yesterday's papers, but that was old news on Cup Final morning. George Easton and co. didn't have their problems to seek, with two cornerstones of the revered half-back line ruling themselves out of the big game. Left-half Jimmy McMullan had picked up an ankle knock last week against England but we hadn't let on publically since then. The tactical silence couldn't diguise the fact that he was still hobbling, and simply couldn't play. Willie Hamilton had recovered from his knock in the Accies game last Friday, but he wasn't in the best of health these days, and illness ruled him out. What a blow for Thistle, and for the two players.

The experienced Watty Borthwick (who had stood in for at left back for Willie Bulloch last Friday) moved up to take Jimmy McMullan's place at left half, whilst young Matt Wilson (who had given right half Joe Harris a rest last Friday) moved over to take Willie Hamilton's slot at centre half. Just as Hamilton and McMullan would have been gutted, Borthwick and Wilson would have been thrilled. What an opportunity. There were three expected changes from the 1-0 loss at Hamilton, with Willie Bulloch, Joe Harris and David Johnstone taking their usual places, at the expense of Willie Hamilton, Fred MacLachlan and Andrew Kerr. To say this upheaval was far from ideal would be an understatement, for it was that half-back line which had taken Thistle to where they were, providing dig and drive at the very heart of the battle.

The word yesterday was that Alex Lauder was going to get the nod ahead of Jimmy McMenemy at inside left, but how would this sit in light of this morning's grim news? We can only imagine at some of the conversations which took place, but we get a sense that the directors were seriously worried about the prospects, with too many fringe boys and not enough of the big game players. These are the moments when leaders of men step up, and it was 40-year-old Jimmy McMenemy who made the call for himself, doing so with such determined confidence that it couldn't have failed to galvanize the whole camp. Napoleon had played this part many times before, and the six times Scottish Cup gold medallist would lead the way. Today, he would sacrifice his scientific forward play for a more tactical, combative role, paying particular attention to Andy Cunningham. If he could win that battle, he would greatly reduce the effectiveness of the Rangers frontline.

As advertised, Rangers were at full strength right enough, making three changes from the side which had drawn at Easter Road last Saturday. Tom Reid, Alex Johnstone and Hector Lawson made way for the returning international trio of Billy McCandless, Andy Cunningham and Alan Morton.

A light breeze blew across the pitch, which was hard and conducive to fast play. Leg weariness was a fairly general complaint in the game right now, and a sudden change to dry, fast pitches, after a long spell of sodden grounds, was very welcome, especially for our older boys such as Bulloch and McMenemy.

The press had Thistle beat before the game, sure, only Celtic had defeated Rangers this term, but the Ibrox side weren't entirely invincible. They had drawn their last three League games, thereby passing up the opportunity to go into the final as mathematical champions. They had been held at home to Alloa earlier in the competition. They had bottled it in last year's semi final against Albion Rovers. They had, in fact, been bottling it in the Scottish Cup for many years. Their last success actually came at Celtic Park, but that was 18 years ago.

And let's not underestimate the fact that Celtic Park was the spiritual home of our Jimmy McMenemy; Jimmy and Thistle had already tasted victory there on match day three. And we were the team who had just set a tournament record of seven clean-sheets. And we did have Scotland's number one between the sticks, one of the best half-back masters in Joe Harris, and dangerous raiders such as Salisbury, Kinloch and Blair who, on their day, could torment the best defenders in the land.

For these reasons and more, the thinking Partick Thistle fan would not be without hope today. The most strenuous campaign in Scottish Cup history was coming to an end. A rush and a push and that old trophy is ours. Come on Thistle.

Aged 19, Watty's first taste of senior football came with his local side, Leith Athletic, although he was disappointed not to command a regular first-team place at Old Logie Green. It took some years for his footballing career to find some momentum, but this it did in the mid-10s, with stints at Broxburn Shamrock, East Fife and Cowdenbeath. Watty was a Hibs supporter who actually lived on Easter Road and he got his dream move in the close season of 1916. Toughened and seasoned, the 26-year-old established himself as a first-team regular from the off, and served Hibernian as a solid right back for two full campaigns. He was regarded as a hard man to beat, who took a no-nonsense approach to defending.

Our regular right back of 1917-1918 had been Tom Adams, but it became apparent that ill health was going to severely limit his contribution as the next term came around. George McQueen (Rangers) and John Pearson (Tottenham Hotspur) were drafted in as emergency loanees, with Watty being cherry-picked from the Easter Road roster as the most realistic contender for the permanent place. All went well in his first season, as Thistle finished 4th, Watty featuring in 75% of the games. He'd've been half expecting it, and it came to be that Tom Adams returned for 1919-20, reducing Watty's game time to around 50% of the fixtures. As a charitable favour, Watty appeared in a couple of games for Dalbeattie Star in the Southern Counties Charity Cup at the tail end of the season.

At this stage, his reduced game time pretty much set the tone for his Firhill future, and he would have to content himself as a reserve, albeit he was viewed as a highly capable option as a stand-in, as and when necessary. And what a stand-in he proved to be in the gruelling and demanding 55 game campaign of 1920-21! Watty's game ratio was down to 33% this term, but he was invaluable when called upon, gaining plaudits for his 4 appearances in the Cup run, especially in the final itself. It was viewed as a major blow when Jimmy McMullan bowed out due to his ankle injury, but, on the day, Watty proved himself more than able for the challenge, imposing himself on the game, denying his more illustrious opponents the time and space, winning his aerial battles and, we believe, providing the wonderful crossfield assist for John Blair's winning goal.

Whilst some reports credit Salisbury, we rather think that the assist came from Watty, as per the Scotsman and Glasgow Herald accounts. McMenemy, protecting the ball in his own inimitable style, teed up a back pass which invited our stand-in spoiler to, uncharacteristically, burst forward down the left. Watty shimmied past internationalist Andy Cunningham, and lofted over a deep cross-field pass which was cleverly dummied by Jimmy Kinloch, who had spotted the unmarked run of John Blair, by now, dashing inside from the right wing. Blair's finishing drive, from 20 yards, served justice to the fine play and the rest, as the say, is history.

The Scottish Cup winners medal was possibly a career highlight for all eleven of the Jagsmen who took the field on 16th April, 1921, and that was certainly the case for Watty. However, frustrated at his "supersub" status, he hankered after a new challenge and, as I understand it, tried for Bristol City in a Division 2 match on 18th February, 1922, the Robins losing 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday. He was back up the road to play his final game as a Jag at Dens Park two weeks later, before reuniting with Cowdenbeath for a short spell as 1921-22 drew to a close. I'm surmising that Watty was offered the financial benefit of a free transfer at this stage, as a thank you for his efforts at Firhill. He was back in England by the close season of 1922, joining Hartlepools United of Division 3 (North). Back again in the South of Scotland, the somewhat nomadic finale to his career drew to a close at Sanquhar, where, in season 1923-24, Watty played in the inaugural third tier of the Scottish Football League, assisting Nithsdale Wanderers in their quest. He played two seasons there, finishing on a high in 1925, as the title, and promotion, was secured. There would be no second tier twilight action for Watty though, as he retired from the game at that point, aged 35.

Watty settled back in Midlothian, where he latterly worked as a school janitor. He died of a cardiac arrest at his Loanhead home in 1969, aged 79, leaving a widow, Jane.

The Ardrossan-born right winger was a red-hot name in the junior game, starting and finishing his career with Saltcoats Victoria, and representing his country at that level on several occasions. He scored 33 times in his 6 seasons at Firhill, and would actually finish as our top League scorer, with 12, in season 1921-22. However, he was considered more of a provider than anything else, a “clever manipulator” and “extremely dangerous raider”. Had we been able to chart assists from this era, it would have been interesting to assess John Blair's tally, as he was forever being quoted in the build-up play, and his efforts undoubtedly helped us on our way throughout this campaign. The selectors certainly had him marked down as essential this season, starting him on 51 occasions, placing him at the very top of the appearances chart. John was one of only three - along with Joe Harris and Jimmy Kinloch - to feature in all eleven of the Cup games.

He had started this season in fine scoring form, with 8 goals before the New Year, but was on a barren run of 22 games without netting, albeit he had been making worthwhile contributions, notably assisting with the goals which secured Scottish Cup victories over Hibernian, in February, and Motherwell, in March. What a time he chose to end the scoring drought!

As we've read, 40-year-old Jimmy McMenemy, going for his 7th winners’ medal, was marshal of the day’s operation, nullifying threats and guiding others, and he teed-up a back pass which invited our stand-in spoiler, Watty Borthwick, to uncharacteristically burst forward down the left. Watty shimmied past internationalist Andy Cunningham, and lofted over a deep cross-field pass which was cleverly dummied by Jimmy Kinloch, who had spotted the unmarked run of John Blair, by now, dashing inside from the right wing. Having ghosted in behind the high lying Rangers backs, John was now in with a big chance, and his culminating touch, from some 20 yards out, served justice to a fine move. Thistle’s outside right kept his head at the critical moment, “delivering the parting and successful shot with admirable coolness and judgement”, and the ball nestled just inside the post of the Rangers ‘keeper who, like his defenders, also seemed to be taken by surprise.

James Bowie, the Rangers left-half, later stated that the thing he regretted most in all of his career as a player was the “trifling accident to his knickers” (his elastic broke) which caused him to leave the field for a moment or two, twenty minutes into the game. It does seem to stack up with the reports that our man was able to ghost in for a clear opportunity. Frankly, we'll take all the luck we can get.

From John's point of view, he put himself in a great position to have that one shot at glory, and he took it like a champ. John Blair - eternal Partick Thistle legend!