When the Queen's Park embarked on its first essay as
cup-tie fighters, the team for club matches had to submit to occasional
change, as player after player dropped out. In the season 1871-72 the club
had only played three games, one being against the Wanderers, in London, and
this team for a time did not vary to any great extent from that which
represented Scotland against England in the first International. Of these
players in 1873, W. Ker had gone to America, November, 1873 ; the brothers
Smith lived in London, Robert going to America later. Alexander Rhind
resigned 26th November, 1873, and went to Inverness; D. Wotherspoon and his
brother to Clydesdale, along with R. Gardner, 1874, and J.J.Thomson to
Liverpool in October, 1874. Thus what may be styled the old brigade was
partly eliminated. Then came along the great players, who, with those that
remained, none now original members, really made the name of the club. In
the final tie for the Scottish Cup in 1873-74, against Clydesdale, then a
strong club, the following team represented Queen's Park: R. W. Neill; J.
Taylor and J. J. Thomson; C. Campbell and J. Dickson; J. B. Weir, R. Leckie,
A. M'Kinnon, W. M'Kinnon, T. Lawrie, and H. M'Neil. Note the placings in
this team; R. Neill is goalkeeper, and J. Dickson a half-back. C. Campbell
was introduced into the team in the first round of the first Scottish Cup
competition, against Dumbreck, when Hampden Park was opened in 1873, and he
was elected to the vice-captaincy at the annual general meeting in 1875.
Neill and Dickson soon found their true vocations, and in the following
season "the former, on the departure of J. J. Thomson, joined J. Taylor at
full back, Dickson taking up and adorning the responsible position of
goalkeeper. J. Philips came into the team as a partner to C. Campbell at
half-back. D. M'Gill was played as a forward for a short time ; he was
elected honorary secretary in 1879, but after a few months resigned the
position owing to business reasons. The team was now again practically
fixed. Tom Lawrie, owing to injury to his knee, had a short career as a
forward, but a long one as a legislator, both for the club, and in home and
International football politics. Andrew B. Hillcoat and T. F. Smith were two
forwards who played in the final for the cup in 1875-76 against 3rd Lanark,
acting as substitutes for T. Lawrie and Angus M'Kinnon. The Queen's Park
team on that occasion consisted of Dickson; Taylor and Neill; Campbell and
Philips; Smith, "Herriot" (Highest), M'Gill, W. M'Kinnon, Hillcoat, and H.
M'Neil. The point which it is desired to indicate here is, that the Queen's
Park team did not essentially vary in those early days. Once the eleven had
been evenly balanced the players were retained, and each and all were bound
together by the desire to maintain the prestige of the club. This was the
secret of its success in the latter half •of the decade 1870-1880, and also
in the following ten years, 18S0-1890, when the team had been almost
entirely changed. Odd players dropped out, but the backbone of the team
remained, and the loss of a player occasionally did not disturb the general
excellence of the combination. The substitutes were all tried before being
given a permanent place in the First Eleven, and in this respect the Queen's
Park was no respecter of persons. Ability alone was the qualification. The
club had a very high opinion of the old players, and, on emergencies,
dragged them out of retirement, believing that experience counted for much,
even though physical strength may have been somewhat lacking. This was
scarcely a wise policy, and once or twice nearly brought about disaster. It
is a well-known axiom, " Youth will be served." It may perhaps here be
advisable to indicate briefly how, and when, the changes came about in these
early times. Of course, in the early charging days, hard knocks were given
and received, and players sustained temporary injuries. This let in some of
the Second Eleven players, whose practice in senior football developed any
latent ability in them, and if found suitable they were retained. But the
main team stuck together. In a Scottish Cup tie, between Queen's Park and
Clydesdale, played at Titwood Park in 1877, C. Campbell and Geo. Ker filled
the full back positions, D. Davidson and W. G. Davidson being the
half-backs, and A. R. Anderson in goal, the forwards being W. M'Kinnon, J.
B. Weir, T. C. Highet, H. M'Neil, J. T. Richmond, and F. Tod. In the same
year the same arrangement behind was carried out against 3rd Lanark at
Gathkin Park, except that J. Philips played vice W. G. Davidson at half, and
A. Peden forward for Tod. It is recorded, regarding the former match, that
Peden, in the centre, and Ker, at back, proved they would be acquisitions to
any team. Because R. W. Neill and J. Philips were absent, this rearrangement
was necessary. When the 3rd Lanark defeated Queen's Park, in the third round
of the Scottish Cup ties, by one goal to nothing, in 1877-78—the third
defeat the senior club had sustained in ten years—this team was very much
mixed up: A. R. Anderson; J. Philips and G. Ker; C. Campbell (captain) and
D. Davidson; H. M'Neil, E. Levison, F. Tod, W. M'Kinnon, J. T. Richmond, and
J. B. Weir. One of the conquering team of Volunteers on that occasion was J.
L. Kay. Some objection was raised to the goal, Kay, it was alleged, being
offside when Miller scored. The referee, Mr. James Grant (Rangers) gave a
goal. It was one of those misfortunes which on several special occasions has
befallen Queen's Park. Yet on 17th November, 1877, the full strength of the
club overcame Notts by six goals to one, except that Peden played instead of
Ker forward. Exactly the same team played a drawn game—no goals—15th
December, 1877, against Cambridge University. After the dispute between
Queen's Park and Vale of Leven, which lasted a couple of seasons, had been
settled, J. Dickson resumed his old place in goal at Alexandria, and George
Ker once more is found at back, Neill being absent.
At the end of this season, April, 1878, J. Dickson died,
and J. Philips resigned. J. Taylor had also practically given up playing,
acting as umpire for the Queen's Park, and occupy-ing the presidential
chair, season 1878-79. His last International against England was in 1876.
He played against. Birch at Manchester, 6th April, 1878, however. These were
serious losses, but the men to fill the vacant places were readily
developed. W. Thomson kept goal against Ayrshire Association, 26th October,
1878, and C. S. Thomson partnered R. W. Neill at back. In this match, we
find George Ker at half-back, and W. H. Lamberton forward. Against Notts,
1st February, 1879, W. V. O'Brien is right back
with C. S. Thomson. Eadie Fraser is one of the forwards against Notts,. loth
November, 1879, and is the only fresh importation. When we come to season
1879-80, the team is once more powerful. In the final round for the Scottish
Cup against Thornliebank, 21st February, 1880, the Queen's Park team stood :
J. Graham; W. S. Somers and R. W. Neill; C. Campbell and D. Davidson; J. B.
Weir, J. T. Richmond, G. Ker, T. C. Highet, H. M'Neil, and J. L. Kay. In the
final for the Glasgow Charity Cup against Rangers, 13th May, 1880, Archibald
Rowan adorns the position of custodian, and the three half-back formation,
according to the "Scottish Football Annual," was adopted, the team being: A.
Rowan; W. S. Somers and R. W. Neill; C. Campbell, D. Davidson, and A.
Watson; W. Holm, J. T. Richmond, G. Ker, J. Smith, and J. Kay. On 17th May,
1880, in the Dick Memorial match between Queen's Park, holders of the
Scottish Cup, and Clapham Rovers, holders of the English Cup, A. Watson and
W. S. Somers were the backs; the usual pair of half-backs, Campbell and
Davidson; and a strong set of forwards, Highet, Richmond, J. Smith, Ker,
Kay, and M'Neil. The club had been very successful, notwithstanding changes
in the team. Thus in season 1877-78 one match was lost and five goals, in
1878-79 two matches and nine goals, and in 1879-80 one match and eleven
goals, and the Scottish Cup had been won in the two last seasons. When
Queen's Park and Dumbarton met in the seventh round for the Scottish Cup,
17th January, 1880 (won by one goal to nothing), the senior club was out in
great force, and evidently the best was required, judging by the fierceness
of the fight: Graham; Somers and Neil; Campbell and Davidson; Richmond,
Highet, Ker (captain), M'Kinnon, Smith (substitute for H. M'Neil), and
Kay—one of the best that ever represented the club. In the first half of the
Glasgow Charity Cup tie against Vale of Leven, 24th April, 1880 (won by four
goals to nothing), the Queen's Park again played three half-backs, Watson,
C. Campbell, and D. Davidson; A. Rowan, goal ; Somers and Neill, backs;
Highet, Fraser, Ker, Smith, and Kay, forwards. The final for the Charity
Cup, 12th May, 1880, against Rangers, was also won (two goals to one), and
this trophy added to the Scottish Cup that season. Rowan is again in goal,
with the same three half-backs and backs, the forwards now being W. Holm, J.
T. Richmond, G. Ker, J. Smith, and J. Kay. We now arrive at the decade
1880-1890. In the beginning of this season, 18th September, 1880, Andrew
Holm and J. J. Gow are the novelties in a match against Hibernians at
Hampden Park. "A. M'Callum" (A. Rowan, who occasionally played under this
pseudonym) reappears with Watson and Andrew Holm, backs; Campbell and Gow, a
combination which lasted for years (no wonder Campbell has been styled the "
Evergreen Charlie"); Fraser, W. Holm, Ker, Smith, Kay, and M'Neil, another
irrepressible. Before this season was ended, the great Fraser and Anderson
combination was formed; Dr. Smith and Ker, as a pair, gave place to Smith
and Harrower in 1883, as Ker left for America in 1884, and had not played
much in the previous season. Then came in at back another pair of
invincibles, W. Arnott and A. Holm, varied by Andrew Watson, until the last
named departed South. Ker's last appearance in the team was against Hurlford
at Hampden, 23rd December, 1882, and he played against Blackburn Rovers, 4th
November, 1882. Before these, his attendance was irregular. Then in 1882 the
veterans began to slip away. D. Davidson and J. T. Richmond became
spectators, though the latter played once or twice, notably against the
Swifts in the New-Year's Day game, 1883. Harry M'Neil's last club game was
against Old Carthusians in London, 24th February, 1883. Both Richmond and
M'Neil played against Dumfriesshire, 26th May, 1883, in a charity game
organised by Mr. James Johnstone, a native of Dumfries, and a great
supporter of the Queen's Park. Other telling combinations were formed in
this season, 1882-83— W. Arnott and Andrew Holm, at back, and D. S. Allan
and J. L. Kay, left wing. W. Gray and F. Shaw arrived from Pollok-shields
Athletic. The former made his bow for Queen's Park in the first round of
Charity ties against Dumbarton, 28th April, 1883, and in the final against
Rangers, 19th May, 1883; and Shaw his debut against Arthurlie, 24th March,
1883, but soon departed for Bombay. On the defection of J. L. Kay back to
3rd Lanark towards the end of season 1882-83, a partner was found for D. S.
Allan in the following season on the left wing in R. M. Christie, by which
that side lost none of its assaulting power. Peter M'Callum succeeded A.
Rowan in goal, and the team in this season was one of the best that has ever
represented Queen's Park on the field. The team was: P. M'Callum; W. Arnott
and A. H. Holm; C. Campbell and J. J. Gow; E. Fraser, W. Anderson, Dr.
Smith, W. Harrower, R. M. Christie, and D. S. Allan, and this was the eleven
that made such a reputation in the Scottish and English Cup ties of 1883-84.
Kay only played twice in that season for Queen's Park—against Aston Villa,
25th October, 1883, and against Dumbarton at Titwood, 3rd November, 1883. He
assisted 3rd Lanark, his old club, in the Charily ties that year—an act
which led to much discussion at the time. But W. Sellar, who had played for
Battlefield in the Scottish ties, began an honourable and long career with
Queen's Park in these same Charity ties, partnering D. S. Allan on the left
wing against Rangers, 12th April, 1884, and also played in the final against
3rd Lanark, the first game being drawn—one goal each—but on the replay
Sellar is found in his place with Harrower in the centre, and the Queen's
Park won by eight goals to none, 3rd May, 1884. In this way the team
building progressed. When one good man dropped out, another was found to
take his place, and thus the great name of the club was maintained.
