The Thirds team that was in existance at the turn of the 20th century must rank as their greatest ever eleven culminating in League and Cup success. The league win was even more astonishing by virtue of the fact they played all their games away from home while Cathkin was being improved. There is some great info and pics in both Bert and Bob's books but i thought i would try and get any other snippets available on the players who were at Thirds around that time.
W Wardrope Seems to have had a bit of a nomadic football existance as he began his career at Motherwell and then went to Newcastle United where he plied his trade from 1895 until 1900.He holds a record at United which still stands today namely scoring 13 goals in 9 consecutive games (even the great Sir Alan Shearer couldn't match that ). It would appear he then went to Middlesbrough and thence to Thirds and (a League winners medal) thereafter to Fulham, Swindon and finally Hamilton Accies. Quite a bit of travelling involved in those times when some people never ventured further than a mile or two from where they were born and before the motor car had evolved into what it is today fortunately the train would certainly have taken the strain.
Hugh Wilson This guy was certainly a major star of those times and not just at Third Lanark where he won League and Scottish Cup medals (scoring two in the final v Rangers) but also at Sunderland where he was (as at Thirds) the team captain. This was a great Sunderland side of the late 1800s and won the League in 1892, 1893 and 1895.Hugh certainly won one league medal (maybe more) while there and perhaps he was the first or one of the first players to win a League medal with both a Scottish and an English club. He also has the distinction of the being the first Sunderland player ever to be sent off which happened on 14 March 1896 in a match against Stoke City.
My great grandad John/Jack Campbell was in that team as well. Think he played for for 4 years or so with the HiHi.
He started his playing days with Glasgow Benburb, moved onto Aston Villa then went to Celtic before Joining Thirds. Think he scored a few goals for Thirds in his career with them. Is in a few pictures in Bob Lairds book.
Dont know if your aware Bigeye but Bob Laird is in the process of writing a book on Third Lanark Champions of Scotland covering the years 1903-1905 cant wait for it to be released.
As you say a fantastic acheivment for Third Lanark and further evidence (not that any is needed) of how great a team they were.
Should be an interesting read and quite a task to uncover information from so far back, surely Bob's on the internet...if so time he was on here You must be looking forward to it especially with a personal interest. Good result for the Jags yesterday
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