The first mention of a Second Eleven occurs in the minutes of the annual
general meeting, 5th April, 1872, when Mr. Gardner (captain), in the absence
of Mr. D. Wotherspoon, the secretary, gave a report of the club's history
for the past year. As captain, he mentioned that only three outside matches
had been played—against Granville, won by one goal and two touches to nil;
Wanderers, in London; and the third against Southern Football Club, "the
first match the Second Eleven had played, and resulted in our favour by two
goals to nothing. The match was looked forward to somewhat anxiously, but
the honour of the club was well maintained." No date is given, but the game
must have been played towards the end of 1871. At this same meeting, Mr. Rae
moved "That this club elect a Second Eleven captain, who, in conjunction
with the captain of the First Eleven, shall have full power to arrange
Second Eleven matches," and on the motion of the same gentleman, Mr. William
M'Kinnon was appointed first captain of the Second Eleven. He soon rose to
fame, and ultimately became the leading centre forward of his day and
generation. The second match played by the junior team was against East
Kilbride, 13th April, 1872, which was also won by 1-0, and a return with the
same club that season ended in a draw, 0-0. At the annual general meeting on
1st April, 1873, the Second Eleven captain was made a member of committee,
and a vice-captain appointed for the first time, who also was to sit on
committee. Thomas Lawrie was then appointed to the former office, and James
J. Thomson to the latter, making six officebearers and seven
directors—thirteen in all. The captain, in his report to the annual general
meeting, 6th April, 1874, was no longer in a position to slate that the club
had not lost a goal, as the Second Eleven, out of ten matches played, had
lost one of them, scoring, however, fifty-five goals to one. At this meeting
Charles Campbell became a member of committee by being elected vice-captain,
and J. B. Weir a director. Fairly launched on its career, the Second Eleven
proved a valuable acquisition to the club, and the services of the best
players in this team were frequently called upon to fill vacancies in the
First Eleven, ultimately to be given permanent positions with the seniors.
On 7th July, 1885, on the recommendation of Mr. Davis, it was agreed that
the Second Eleven be known in future as the Queen's Park Strollers.
The
club was so delighted at the Strollers winning the Glasgow Second Eleven
Cup—the first trophy the Strollers had ever won—in season 1892-93 that it
was decided to present badges to all the players who had taken part in the
preliminary rounds, as well as in the final, and Mr. Sam Wylie, who was for
a long period guide, philosopher, and friend to the team, was the recipient
of a similar badge, and was given the custody of the cup until the following
season— a compliment he highly appreciated. That season the senior team had
captured the Scottish Cup for the tenth time, and in honour of the occasion
Mr. M'Tavish, the indefatigable match secretary of the First Eleven, was the
recipient of a Scottish Cup badge.
The first indication of a Third Eleven
occurs in the minutes of a committee meeting of the club, 31st August, 1875,
when the match committee was recommended to get up a Third Eleven, if
practicable. It does not appear to have been practicable, as nothing was
done until 25th July, 1878, when Mr. W. C. Mitchell suggested that a Third
Eleven, to be called the "Hampden Eleven," be constituted, with the view of
keeping together those who were unsuccessful in gaining places in the Second
Eleven. The committee highly approved of the suggestion, and the matter was
left with Mr. Mitchell to make the necessary arrangements. Strange to
relate, that meeting adjourned without awarding the usual vote of thanks to
the chairman, Mr. J. Taylor.
The Queen's Park Juniors, who played in the
late 'seventies on the same pitch on the Recreation Ground that the Queen's
Park had just vacated, while having no direct affiliation with the club at
any time, yet gave of their best from time to time to maintain the playing
strength of the club. On the application of Mr. Rae, president of the
Queen's Park Juniors, 4th May, 1875, they were given free entrance to
Hampden Park on match days, Mr. Rae promising "to impose such conditions as
would ensure the concession being properly carried out." Members of other
clubs, such as Crosshill and Kerland, glided into the ranks of the Queen's
Park, obtaining places in either the First or Second Elevens, and were
amongst those who had to be considered when the Hampden Eleven was
established. Most of these clubs had their quarters on the cricket pitch of
the South Side Recreation Ground, and many great players learned the
rudiments of the game in this prolific school of football.
The first
record of the Victoria Football Club is found in a minute dated 22nd
December, 1884. "The members of the club having recently been allowed the
use of Hampden Park for training purposes, it was agreed, after due
consideration, to grant free passes of admission to Hampden Park south
stand, during the remainder of the season, to its members. It was considered
that this would be the means of drawing them to our club, and ultimately
strengthen the playing element." The Victoria Football Club were given the
use of Myrtle Park, 2nd August, 1887, which had just been acquired as a
practice field, after second Hampden was opened, with certain privileges,
and access on match days. On these conditions it remained for three seasons,
and was then affiliated to the club, 7th October, 1889, as a Fourth Eleven,
',' in view of the large number of promising players who had offered their
services to the club." Both the Hampden Eleven and the Victoria Eleven had
to be temporarily dropped after the war opened, because of the number of
Queen's Park players who flocked to defend their country on another field of
battle, where honour and glory have fallen to them, and many, alas ! have
made the supreme sacrifice, and all have their names inscribed on the club
Roll of Honour. The Victoria Eleven was revived December, 1918, and the
Hampden Eleven a few months later.
The Royal Park was another feeder of
the Queen's Park, though in a small way. It came on the scene in August,
1890, with an application for the use of Myrtle Park, which was granted,
provided none of the Queen's Park teams required the field. The youngsters
were given special tickets admitting them to Hampden Park ground and stands,
on the occasions of matches played there. This club was never affiliated.
They took the place of the Victoria Eleven, which had recently been
incorporated with the Queen's Park. The privileges granted to the Royal Park
were extended from year to year by the club until August, 1895, when for
sufficient reasons their occupancy of Myrtle Park ceased, and its use was
granted to the Kelburn Football Club, another Junior club playing in the
vicinity. The latter occupied Myrtle Park until second Hampden was vacated
and new Hampden established.
In August, 1908, the match committee
thoroughly considered the question of fixtures for the three Junior teams of
the club, and reported, the committee recommended that the Hampden Eleven,
which had been a member of the Scottish Junior Association, accept the
invitation of the newly-formed Scottish Junior League to join that body, and
play first-class Junior football. That connection only lasted one year, as
the committee thought it injudicious to rejoin. Owing to the number of
matches to be played by the Strollers, and scarcity of Saturday dates
therefor, the Strollers could not well overtake their engagements. The match
committee suggested the disbandment of the Victoria Eleven, as such, and
that this section should now be raised over the Hampden Eleven, and play as
Seniors, which was, in August, 1908, unanimously agreed to. The Strollers
now played in the Scottish Combination, and the Scottish Second Eleven
Association; but in June, 1909, the committee decided the Strollers should
take part in the competitions of the Glasgow Reserve Eleven Football
Association, the Scottish Second Eleven Football Association, and the
Scottish Reserve League; the Victoria Eleven play in the Scottish
Combination; and the Hampden Eleven in the Scottish Amateur Football League.
The affairs of the Scottish Combination were wound up at the end of season
1910-11, and the Queen's Park decided to throw in the lot of the Victoria
Eleven with the newly-formed Scottish Football Union, and they were duly
admitted members. Owing to the want of another football pitch, the Junior
elevens of the club experienced great difficulty in arranging and fulfilling
their fixtures after new Hampden was completed. The ground committee went
fully into the matter of procuring temporary ground for the purposes of the
club. A suitable one was secured immediately to the south of the east stand.
Seven acres had to be acquired, though only two acres would have sufficed,
at a moderate rent from year to year, as no lease was obtainable. The ground
was at once put into order, and was ready for play before the beginning of
October, 1908. This ground has since been found very useful lor practice,
and for playing the fixtures of the Junior teams. The extra acreage has been
let for sheep-grazing. |