Larkhall Thistle FC

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www.Larkhallthistlefc.co.uk

Can you help?

I am trying to trace my family tree and i have been told that my father and possibly grandfather played for larkhall thistle.
my father was born in larkhall in 1927 , and my grandfather lived and died in larkhall
both were called james shaw.    my grandfather born in 1909 and died 1978
is there any records of past players held at the football club or elsewhere that i can persue
i would be grateful for any help
all my family of shaws were miners and have all lived in larkhall

thank you
sally

We recently had a email from Eck Taylor who said he had a couple of medals he had which belonged to his great ,great grandfather Alex Taylor.

Before we look at the history of the medals Eck himself was a very successful professional player with nearly 400 games at Dundee United , Hamilton Accies , Walsall

Falkirk , Partick Thistle , Raith Rovers , Ross County and Forfar. He also owned the Pisces fish shop on the corner of King Street and Union Street.

His great , great , grandfather also Alex played in the Jags team that won the double   of the Scottish Junior Cup and the Lanarkshire League in 1913-1914 . The first medal in the photos is Alex’s winning medal from the Scottish Triumph. The second photo is Alex’s winner’s medal from Thistle’s Lanarkshire Central Cup win in 1915-1916.

There is also a picture of young Eck and the 1913/14 winning team.

When we get to some kind of normality we will have Eck up to Gasworks Park for a game so we can see the medals. Naturally Eck wants to retain them in the family but it will be good to see them.

After much soul searching and deliberation by the club committee we have decided to take advantage of the 14th. November deadline to withdraw from the West of Scotland Football League for the remainder of the 20/21 season.

Many challenges as regards continuing were discussed but paramount in everyone’s thinking was the health and safety of our coaching staff, players , committee and their families as coronavirus continues to spread and cause for concern for us all.

Unanimously we agreed that the health risks associated with us continuing to play as the sanctions which would be imposed on us should we be forced to withdraw after the deadline.

The club would like to thank the coaching staff and players for their efforts and commitments both in terms of their work ethic at training and games their voluntary decision to play without any monies.

Like many other clubs we will now set our sight in returning to action in season 21/22.

Many people have taken our club memberships and we thank them most sincerely and these monies will now  towards their season ticket for what we hope will be a normal season 21/22.

This old club has been in existence for over 142 years and this was very much in our thoughts when we arrived at this decision.

We are starting the season with no spectators and no changing facilities .

We must thank the players for volunteering to play with no changing and showering facilities and without any monies.

The fixture list is as follows ;

Saturday 24th.October Easthouses Lily in the Soccer Shop Challenge Cup with the game if necessary going to extra time and if needed penalty kicks.

Saturday 31st, October Royal Albert Away

Saturday   7th November Thorniewood Home

Saturday 14th November Newmains Away

Saturday 21st November  2nd. rd. Soccer Challenge Cup Darvel v Easthouse or                                                    LarkhallThistle

Saturday 28th.November Kilsyth Home

Saturday   5th.December Dalry Away

Saturday  12th. December Lanark Home

Saturday  19th. December Perthshire Away

No game Saturdays 26th. December and 2nd. January 2021.

Defender Johnny Boal joins us for next season . Johnny has previously played with

Rutherglen Glencairn u21 , Wishaw Juniors  Rutherglen Glencairn , Lesmahagow and Shotts . Welcome to the club Johnny.

After much debate and no little arguments peace has broken out and going forward into season 2020/2021 we now be in the pyramid system which means we will change from junior to senior status.

the current West Region premier league will enter at tier 6 along with championship sides Blantyre Vics , Darvel , Cumbernauld and Bonnyton Thistle the remaining 44 West sides were allocated to conferences using the serpentine method plus one of the 3 non junior clubs at tier 7 which meant  two of 16 and one of fifteen which is where we were placed and this will be our opposition when we get started ;

Neilston

Kilsyth

St. Rochs

Petershill

Ardrossan Winton Rovers,

Lanark United’

Glasgow Perthshire,

Larkhall Thistle ,

Wishaw’

East Kilbride Thistle ,

Vale of Leven ,

Yoker ,

Vale of Clyde ,

St. Anthonys

Drumchapel United

As everyone is aware the club were originally planning to have an extraordinary meeting on Monday 23rd. October to discuss the proposed pyramid system and the way forward. However due to the coronavirus situation we had to cancel this meeting.

The club committee intended recommending to the members that we take up our option of lodging our  application for membership of the newly formed West of Scotland league under the auspices of the Lowland League at tier 6 of the Pyramid.

The club were represented at two meetings last week one an extra general meeting of the West Region and the then a meeting with chairmen of all the leagues currently sitting at tier 6 of the pyramid  .

Your committee met on Monday night and not for the first time had a lengthy discussion on this subject and with the detail available from the meetings last week it was an unanimous decision that Larkhall Thistle make a formal application to join the new proposed West of Scotland and this has been duly sent.

Please be assured that this decision was not taken likely but as custodians of this 142 year old club we need to ensure that we act in the best interests of the club to make sure we can look forward to another 142 years.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation the club have taken the decision to postpone the above meeting.

The club itself is in lockdown with training  postponed until we get a clearer indication when or if the season will start up again.