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William Alder |
William James Alder was born on Monday, 28th August, 1871, in Partick, Glasgow. The midfielder joined Thistle in 1892, having most recently been with Minerva. Aged 21, he made his first known appearance on Saturday, 1st October, 1892, in a 6-2 defeat away to Glasgow Thistle in the Scottish Alliance League. There were no known goals for William during his spell with Thistle. He played his last known game for the club on Wednesday, 17th May, 1893, in a 3-3 neutral-venue draw against Dykebar in the Greenock Charity Cup, having appeared for the Thistle on at least 8 occasions. His club-list included Minerva, Battlefield, Partick Thistle, Abercorn and Clyde. William died on Monday, 16th July, 1956, in Kilchattan Bay, Argyll and Bute, aged 84. |
Son of William Alder (schoolmaster) and Eizabeth Alder (nÊe Templeton). William could play on any side of the half back line, and made his name with the great Minerva side of the early 1890s, with whom he was a Junior Cup winner in 1892, actually scoring in their 5-2 win over Clyde Benhar Violet. So taken by them were the committee, that no fewer than EIGHT Minerva players joined the Partick Thistle ranks in 1892! William was a Battlefield player during season 1892-93, but turned out for Partick Thistle in a one-off against Glasgow Thistle in a Scottish Alliance game early in October, being on the wrong end of a 6-2 drubbing. The following month William was in action against the Jags, helping Battlefield to a 1-1 friendly draw in a 2 x 30 minutes mud bath at Mossfield Park. He got a taste of top-flight football in February 1893, turning out for Third Lanark in a 2-1 loss away to Renton. He returned for a more substantial second spell at Inchview in the months of April and May 1893, appearing 6 times and scoring in a 4-0 Alliance League win over Glasgow Thistle (revenge!) as well as a 2-0 friendly win over a Queen's Park select. It was stated that William was available for selection for the start of 1893-94, although no further first team appearances transpired. In October 1895, he signed for a spell with top-flight Clyde. William was a master draper by profession and lived on the Isle of Bute. He married Jessie Leitch Maclachlan and it was their daughter, also called Jessie, who signed the death register entry, on which the age at death was incorrectly stated as being 85. |
(WS/JK) |