The first week in December 1895, saw a football match play out between Blantyre and Hamilton Harp. Reporters in the Hamilton Herald were quite descriptive about this match, and rather than focusing on the skill of the players, it was other observations in the report that made this worthy of retelling here, as opposed to the countless other matches of the era.
This was a win for Blantyre with reporters opening their report, “Ach bhoys, doight the tears from yer eyes, the result is Blantyre 3, Hamilton Harp 1”
Hamilton Harp’s star player of 1895 was a chap named Rafferty who reporters said was worth £40 if sold. (about £8,000 today, though this was in times before superstar player fees)
Another Harp player Gaffney raced up to kick the leather ball at one point close to the standing spectators on the sidelines. Gaffney accidentally banged against an old man in the crowd sending him flying down to the ground on his back, sprawling. In good grace and showing some respect, Gaffney gave up his chase for the ball and outstretched his arm to the auld man lying on the snowy, icy ground to help him up. The auld man being an avid Harp supporter got up and was heard to say, “Never mind me bhoy, I’m fine. It was well meant. Now, go get that ball”.
The reporters continued making observations off the pitch, watching one group of Blantyre children playing on the sidelines, copying their football heroes at halftime. As the young lads enjoyed playing, pretending they were the football heroes, reporters noticed they were playing in mud and many were barefoot or with laceless shoes. One eager child booted the air as if scoring an imaginary goal and his shoe came flying off! Reporters watched on as the child hopped in the winter mud trying to retrieve his footwear!
Pinnel of Blantyre was the tallest and heaviest goalkeeper in the whole of the shire! Pinnel was a giant of a man, and reporters wondered how it was possible for any ball to get past him.
Another observation reporters made was the amount of chit chat between players ON the pitch whilst the game was going on. Cries of “Good Tammy! Well played.”, “Bang her on tae John”, “Take him!”, “Holy Sailor, watch, beside you!”. Coaching conversation, not from trainers but on the pitch from the players midst match….and such cries usually should have been coming from spectators!
I have to admit, there wasn’t much coverage of the game itself, but I loved this level of reporting. Capturing the events that day and being able to look back on them 129 years later in such detail. AI imagines that day in 1895 with this scene exclusively for Blantyre Project.