For the first twenty years the Queen's Park held a dominating position in
Scottish football, and also for that matter in English football, and its
losses never reached double figures, and only once touched the half-dozen.
In season 1886-87, owing to a remarkable disturbance in the team,
thirty-eight players having been played in the First Eleven that season, the
losses amounted to twelve out of thirty-two matches. It was not until
1894-95 that double figures had again to be recorded in the lost column; nor
were the following five years at all satisfactory. Up to the end of
1899-1900, and for the preceding ten years—the club had not been playing in
the highest company, as all the better clubs had joined the Scottish League,
giving the Queen's only casual fixtures— the Queen's Park held a
preponderance in goals and matches won. On joining the League in 1900-01
this at once ceased, as the amateur could not entirely hold his own against
the trained professional, who gave his whole time to the game.
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