Scottish Football Reminiscences and SketchesBone, David Drummond
History
Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches
Bone, David Drummond
Football
Mr. Watson did a great deal for football in the Glasgow district a dozen
years ago, both with his ready purse and personal ability in the game.
It was in a great measure owing to his interest and energy that the
young Parkgrove Club obtained proper ground, and was fairly put on its
way rejoicing. The Parkgrove had a lot of very fine young fellows in its
ranks, and for several years made a capital record in numerous matches
under the captaincy of Mr. Watson. In this International he played as
right-side back in company with Mr. Andrew M'Intyre, and, as an
indication of how he and his companion behaved, it is necessary to say
that only one goal was got against them. Mr. Watson was a rare
"header-out," and was famed for his fine tackling and neat kicking. He
had one fault, however, and this consisted in kicking over his own lines
occasionally when hard pressed by a dashing forward. In the previous
year he was the Scottish captain against England, in London, and led his
team to victory by 6 goals to 1.
~Peter Miller (Dumbarton).~
When Mr. Miller played in this match, the Dumbarton Club was a power in
the land, and not easily beaten. He was left half-back, and had as his
companion Mr. Charles Campbell, who captained the victorious eleven. Mr.
Miller was remarkable for his magnificent tackling at close quarters,
and possessed weight, which told against England in the contest. Again
and again I saw him shake off both Mr. Cursham and Mr. Parry, two of the
Southrons' ablest forwards, and once Mr. Mosforth and he had an amusing
bit of play near the Scotch goal, in which the Sheffielder came off
best. Mr. Miller was, altogether, a very fine back, and when he retired
a few years ago the Dumbarton Club had considerable difficulty in
getting a good man properly trained to supply his place. Next season
(1883) he was also chosen to play against England and Wales.
~E. Fraser (Queen's Park).~
Lost to his club and the thousands of delighted spectators who witnessed
his brilliant ability as a right-wing forward, but not forgotten by the
members of the old Q.P., Fraser, "though dead, yet speaketh." I question
very much if any forward of that time among the mediaeval class of
players, so to speak, exercised such a potent influence over the
spectators, and no style of play was more followed by the younger
dribblers than that of Fraser. A son of the manse, he was a highly
cultured young fellow, and loved football so devotedly that no amount of
hard training was ever shirked by him when under probation for the first
eleven. Dribbling beautifully up the side of the field, he had the knack
of "middling" the ball at the proper time, and for six years no man ever
assisted at the scoring of more goals. He was also included in the
following season's eleven against England, and in 1880 did duty for
Scotland in the Welsh match. Poor Fraser died in Australia, a few years
ago, shortly after arriving there.
~William Anderson (Queen's Park).~
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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