Larkhall Thistle archive of articles, photographs, stories and anything else about the club’s past. The club has a rich and varied history and we will be building it up over the coming months, adding new articles and snippets as we find them.
Come back and check regularly or better still leave a contribution in the comment box at the bottom of any page.
All contributions welcome!
Many years ago – to be precise Wednesday 14 May 1986 – I refereed my one and only Junior match, having turned up as a spectator at your local derby and relegation crunch game against the Gow at Craighead. The scheduled ref didn’t appear and David Court, who then was on the Gow’s books and a fellow student at Trinity College [now minister at New Restalrig, Edinburgh] “volunteered” me to do the game, which I did in a borrowed tracksuit and trainers two sizes too small. The Jag won 2-0 and stayed up, though I seem to recall sending off one from each side!! As I approach the end of my reffing days – now largely as assistant in the East of Scotland League though I did line your junior cup tie at Spartans a couple of years back – I’m collating match reports etc as a bit of an archive for the grand-kids and I wondered if anyone had a report of that game? Many thanks and all best wishes
I don’t think we’ve got a report on the game but I’m sure I’ve seen one, I’ll have a look around for you.
Hi John this game against Spartans was there first ever game in the scottish junior cup and not for the first time the oldest club in junior football met the newest club to enter this level. We had also met Tayport in the 1st. round when they started out in junior football. The game ended in a 1 each draw with Spartans leading with adisputed offside goal we equalised to take Spartans back to Larkhall where we won 1 nil. referee was Mike Taylor who lived within walking distance of Ainslie park and what was unusual about the replay was that he also controlled the replay .The sfa had stopped the old practice of using the same referee for in replays quite a few years earlier. The set up at ainslie park was great but did not have the atmosphere associated with junior football with just the seated stand and a smoking ban throughout the outside area of the whole complex.Hope this helps you
If I remeber right Hugh Alan Shields got sent off for the Jags.
I am looking for help in obtaining a date/result for each of the following;
1973-74 Glasgow Perthshire v Larkhall Thistle Division B
1980-81 Glasgow Perthshire v Larkhall Thistle RJ McLeod Trophy 3rd Round
1980-81 June 10 Glasgow Perthshire v Larkhall Thistle RJ McLeod Trophy 3rd Round Replay
1992-92 April 23 Larkhall Thistle v Glasgow Perthshire League
Thanks in advance for any assistance with the above.
i am looking for help on Peter Milne who played in 1953 i have some photos dont no where to start can some one help
Hi, John I can just remember big Peter he was an old fashioned centre forward bustling strong as an ox who specialisied in the old style shoulder charge on keepers who were fair game for getting fired into the net along with the ball. He had a rocket shot and was good in the air. He came to the Thistle from Newarthill Hearts who were a junior club at this time. Peter wa leading goalscorer at Larkie averaging 50 plus goals a season. Hope this helps
New photos added, thanks to John Milne for supplying them. Gallery button at the top of the page, Team Photos 3
Hi John if you want to email the photos to me I’ll put them up on the site and hopefully somebody will be able to help, ian @ larkhallthistle.co.uk (no spaces)
hope you grt the photos.
Looking for the results from the following Larkhall Thistle Scottish Junior Cup ties if anyone can help;
1907-08
FIFTH ROUND
Larkhall Thistle v Irvine Meadow X1 3-3,
Replay
SIXTH ROUND
Denny Athletic v Larkhall Thistle
1913-14
FIRST ROUND
West Benhar Violet v Larkhall Thistle
Thanks in advance.
Hi Ian I know I am getting old especially the last 4 months but bit before my time. However I think there is some old records which show results from around this era. Will take me time to dig them out.
Can you remember any of these Hugh or were you too young at the time?
My great grandfather won the Scottish cup back in 1908 with the jags. John rodger
My name is brian mcquade I can't find anything about the team I played in the late eighties we won the tom brown league cup at Douglas Park versus pollock can't find any reference to that game
Hi Brian, the website is only 3 years old and only has bits and pieces of the club’s history, most of the reports are from recent games. If you have anything you can contribute about the game or your period at the club or anything else, we would be delighted to put it up on the site.
Hi . Brian I remember the final it was played at Douglas Park I am sure you scored winner against the mighty Pollok. George Dickson (chopper) was the manager.
Can anybody remember the last Lanarkshire cup final played I think it was at coltness juniors and larkhall thistle won 1/0 but looking for scorer and year maybe about 1961 .
Hi Sam will see if we can find out anything but records are a bit sketchy
Thanks for your help Hugh
Hi
My great grandfather Robert Caffrey played in the junior cup final in the one and season he joined your club . I’m led to believe Larkhall beat Ashfield 1-0 after 2 replays. Do you have any pics or the Larkhall team for that day ?
Hi Michael, most of our archives exist in the memory of our veteran committee members and more specifically Hugh but even he would struggle with the team from 1914. There are no photos that I know of but if anybody has one please feel free to email a copy and I’ll put it on the website
Think the game was 1914
Michael, I manage the social media of the club and I am on the committee. I took a photo last night and will post it on twitter. We don’t have the names to associate it though
I’m looking for photos of my grandfather who played for larkhall thistle it would be very much appreciated so I can give them to my mum his daughter thank you
Hi William thanks for your message have you any idea when he played so I can see if we can help you.
Hugh
Thanks for sending me the photo on Social Media. Very much appreciated .All the best for the season and I will be following your results and progress
I am researching my fathers football career from the 1950s. I have taken a left turn on behalf of the son of an ex colleague. John Nelson (+ Jackie McLure) moved from Airdrie to Larkhall Thistle at the end of the 1954 season. I have a black and white team photo, wondering if it could be Larkhall. Team are sporting an Arsenal style top.
I am featuring Bobby Gilchrist on the FB group ‘Cambridge City Fc-The Milton Road Years’. Bobby was born 17/8/32, and began his playing career with Larkhall Thistle and ended
No records indicate his death though I suspect he may have done last year in December at a nursing home in Lanarkshire.
Can anybody confirm this please.
Thanks.