SEASON 1890/91 STATISTICS
Games: -
Number of games played: - 90.
Number of winning games: - 77 – (86% of games).
Number of games drawn: - 13 – (14% of games).
Most wins by a team: - 13 (72%) – Dumbarton and Rangers.
Fewest wins by a team: - 3 (17%) – Cowlairs.
Most draws by a team: - 4 (22%) – Cambuslang and Cowlairs.
Fewest draws by a team: - 1 (6%) -
St.Mirren and Vale of Leven.
Most losses by a team: - 12 (67%) - St.Mirren and Vale of Leven.
Fewest losses by a team: - 2 (11%) – Dumbarton and Rangers.
Goals: -
Total number of goals scored: - 409 – (4.5 goals per game).
Most goals scored by a team: - 61 – (3.4 goals per game) - Dumbarton.
Fewest goals scored by a team: - 24 – (1.3 goals per game) - Cowlairs.
Most goals conceded by a team: - 47 – (2.6 goals per game) – Vale of Leven.
Fewest goals conceded by a team: - 21 – (1.2 goals per game) – Celtic & Dumbarton.
Individual records: -
Biggest winning game: - Celtic 9 Vale of Leven 1.
Biggest winning margin: - 8 (Celtic 9 Vale of Leven 1).
Most goals in a game: - 12 (Cowlairs 7 Abercorn 5).
Most individual goals: - 21 (J. Bell, Dumbarton).
ABERCORN
Final Position :- 7th.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 6-0 against Vale of Leven (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 5-1 against Celtic (Home) and against Dumbarton (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- J. R. Buchanan.
Player Appearances
|
Allison |
1 |
Bisland |
7 |
Bonnar, J. |
17 |
|
Bowie, J. |
15 |
Buchanan, J.R. |
15 |
Cree |
4 |
|
Cunningham |
1 |
Cuthbertson, A. |
16 |
Cuthbertson, D. |
15 |
|
Duff, A |
1 |
Dunlop |
1 |
Eaglesham |
3 |
|
Fleming, J. |
17 |
Johnstone, J |
13 |
Laurence |
1 |
|
McInnes |
1 |
McIntyre |
1 |
McLaren, P. |
11 |
|
Murdoch |
2 |
Nicol, T. |
16 |
Raeside, H. |
8 |
|
Reid, J |
18 |
Smith |
1 |
Wallace, A. |
11 |
|
Wilson |
2 |
|
|
|
|
Goalscorers
|
Buchanan, J. R. |
6 |
Bowie, J |
2 |
Allison |
1 |
|
Nicol, T |
6 |
Cree |
2 |
Reid, J |
1 |
|
Raeside, H |
4 |
McLaren, P |
2 |
Untraced |
8 |
|
Bonnar, J |
2 |
Wallace, A |
2 |
|
|
Summary
Abercorn could not have got off to a worse start to their league career; they lost all of their first 7 games. Their eighth game was a home match against Paisley rivals St.Mirren and it would be fair to say no one gave them a chance yet incredibly they won easily by 5-1. This was followed by holding Rangers to a 1-1 draw, losing 5-7 to Cowlairs and a 6-0 hammering of Vale of Leven. Nothing of any real note followed this and for much of the season only the points deduction suffered by Cowlairs kept them off the bottom. Somehow, towards the end of the season, they managed to do enough to avoid re-election.
CAMBUSLANG
Final Position :- 4th.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 8-2 against Vale of Leven (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 5-0 against Dumbarton (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- J. Low.
Player Appearances
|
Brown, R. N. |
17 |
Buchanan, James |
14 |
Buchanan, John |
5 |
|
Cockburn |
2 |
Collins, J |
16 |
Cuthbert, |
2 |
|
Guy, R |
4 |
Gourlay, H |
17 |
Gourlay, J |
1 |
|
Jackson, A |
13 |
Jamieson, J |
14 |
Low, J |
16 |
|
McFarlane, G |
1 |
Maxwell, A |
15 |
Muir, D |
2 |
|
Park |
1 |
Plenderleith |
3 |
Ramsey, J |
7 |
|
Robertson |
1 |
Ross, S |
17 |
Russell, J |
16 |
|
Scoular, A |
1 |
Smith, W |
12 |
Thomson |
1 |
Goalscorers
|
Brown, R. N. |
7 |
Low, J |
4 |
Cockburn |
1 |
|
Plenderleith |
7 |
Buchanan, James |
3 |
Gourlay, J |
1 |
|
Maxwell |
6 |
Russell, J |
2 |
Muir, D |
1 |
|
Gourlay, H |
4 |
Buchanan, John |
1 |
Untraced |
10 |
Summary
It would not in any way be disrespectful to describe Cambuslang as the surprise team of the season. The opening day annihilation of fancied Vale of Leven by 8-2 raised more than a few eyebrows and saw them become the first team to top the first ever league campaign. Unfortunately a week later they were brought back down to earth with a thump; hammered 6-2 by Rangers. This was followed by a 5-2 defeat to Celtic but then they rallied and won the next 3 games before falling 5-0 to Dumbarton. They suffered only 3 more defeats after that and held third spot in the league from January 1891 until the last game of the season.
CELTIC
Final Position :- 3rd.
Trophies Won :- Glasgow Cup.
Biggest Win :- 9-1 against Vale of Leven (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 3-1 against Cambuslang (Away) and Vale of Leven (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- None.
Player Appearances
|
Bell, J |
15 |
Boyle, J |
8 |
Campbell, J |
14 |
|
Coleman, J |
1 |
Crossan, B |
4 |
Cunningham, J |
1 |
|
Dolan, F |
2 |
Dolan, M |
3 |
Dowds, P |
17 |
|
Dunbar, M |
12 |
Dunbar, T |
4 |
Gallagher, H |
1 |
|
Gallagher, P |
15 |
Groves, W |
2 |
Kelly, J |
11 |
|
Kyle, J |
1 |
McGhee, J |
9 |
McKeown, M |
14 |
|
McLaren, J |
3 |
McMahon, A |
11 |
Madden, J |
16 |
|
Malley, T |
1 |
Malley, W |
15 |
Reynolds, J |
17 |
Note - In one fixture Celtic played the entire match with only 10 men.
Goalscorers
|
Dowds, P |
17 |
McGhee, J |
3 |
Gallagher, P |
1 |
|
Campbell, J |
5 |
Crossan, B |
2 |
Untraced |
6 |
|
McMahon, A |
5 |
Dunbar, M |
2 |
|
|
|
Madden, J |
5 |
Groves, W |
2 |
|
|
Summary
With the talent of players at their disposal it would be fair to say that Celtic underachieved. The fact that neither of the joint champions were able to defeat Celtic was tempered by the fact they suffered unexpected defeats to Cambuslang, St.Mirren and Vale of Leven. Although they were unbeaten at home, away from home they were inconsistent. Hampered by a 4 point deduction almost from the start due to player registration infringements, they remained in the bottom three from September 1890 until February 1891. A strong performance from March onwards saw them secure third spot in the table. Celtic's problem was inconsistency in both player selection and position; they had the players but did they have a team?
COWLAIRS
Final Position :- 10th.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 7-5 against Abercorn (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 6-1 against Dumbarton (Home).
Capped for Scotland :- None.
Player Appearances
|
Baker |
1 |
Binks, J |
5 |
Bishop, A. B. |
4 |
|
Buist, R. W. |
12 |
Caldow |
1 |
Campbell |
1 |
|
Dempsey |
3 |
Dickson, A |
4 |
Duff, T |
17 |
|
Elliott |
12 |
Fowler |
3 |
Henderson, T |
15 |
|
Hughes |
2 |
Kennedy |
2 |
Lyall |
13 |
|
Lyons |
1 |
McCartney, W. J. |
16 |
McEwan |
7 |
|
McGhee |
4 |
McLeod, W |
16 |
McNair |
1 |
|
McPherson, J. A. |
18 |
Masterton, J |
15 |
Mathieson |
2 |
|
Peacock |
4 |
Shanks, J |
12 |
Sinclair |
3 |
|
Smith |
1 |
Weir |
3 |
|
|
Goalscorers
|
Dempsey |
2 |
McEwan |
2 |
Peacock |
1 |
|
Henderson |
2 |
Shanks, J |
2 |
Weir |
1 |
|
Lyall |
2 |
Dickson |
1 |
Untraced |
11 |
Summary
Cowlairs made a good start to their campaign holding Dumbarton to a draw in the first game then following that up with a win over Vale of Leven. But this good work was all erased when they were hit with a 4 point deduction due to player registration errors. Things only got worse when they were suspended for a month by the SFA for professionalism. From September onwards they were bottom of the league and stayed there for the whole season. Their only highlight was winning the 12-goal thriller 7-5 against Abercorn at Springvale Park.
DUMBARTON
Final Position :- 1st. Joint Champions.
Trophies Won :- Dunbartonshire Cup, League Charity Cup.
Biggest Win :- 6-1 against Cowlairs (Away).
Biggest Defeat :- 4-2 against Rangers (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- None.
Player Appearances
|
Bell, J |
18 |
Boyle, R. H. |
17 |
Galbraith, J |
17 |
|
Hannah, J |
6 |
Henderson, W |
2 |
Hutcheson, A |
5 |
|
Jones |
1 |
Keir, L |
15 |
Kerr |
1 |
|
Lang |
5 |
McDonald, A |
2 |
McLeod, J |
18 |
|
McMillan, T |
12 |
McNaught, J. R. |
16 |
Mair, H |
8 |
|
Miller, A |
15 |
Miller, J |
1 |
Taylor, J.D. |
15 |
|
Thomson, W |
2 |
Watson, D |
17 |
Wilson |
5 |
Goalscorers
|
Bell, J |
21 |
McNaught, J.R. |
2 |
McMillan, T |
1 |
|
Taylor, J. D. |
14 |
Hutcheson, A |
1 |
Miller, J |
1 |
|
Galbraith, J |
6 |
Keir, L |
1 |
Thomson, W |
1 |
|
Mair, H |
3 |
Kerr |
1 |
Wilson |
1 |
|
Boyle, R. H. |
2 |
McLeod, J |
1 |
Untraced |
5 |
Summary
Dumbarton opened their season with a home draw against Cowlairs, three games later they hammered Rangers 5-1 at "fatal" Boghead. That put them top of the league and there they stayed for the entire season. When Dumbarton travelled to Celtic Park in April 1891 they lost 1-0, it was their 15th league fixture and their first defeat. After defeating Heart of Midlothian 4-0 in the next fixture they then fell 4-2 to Rangers at Ibrox Park. With one game to go they were tied at the top with Rangers and that is how it ended. A playoff still could not separate the pair and the championship was declared shared.
HEART of
MIDLOTHIAN
Final Position :- 6th.
Trophies Won :- Scottish Cup, East of Scotland Shield.
Biggest Win :- 8-1 against Vale of Leven (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 4-0 against Dumbarton (Home) and against Third Lanark (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- D. Baird, I. Begbie, J. Hill, J. McPherson.
Player Appearances
|
Adams, J |
18 |
Baird, D |
8 |
Begbie, I |
9 |
|
Crawford |
1 |
Fairbairn, J |
13 |
Fleming, I |
1 |
|
Foyers, A |
1 |
Gibson, W. A. |
3 |
Goodfellow, G |
14 |
|
Grieg, A |
3 |
Hastie |
6 |
Hill, J |
8 |
|
Jamieson |
1 |
Jenkinson, T. J. |
2 |
Lumsden, C |
1 |
|
McKay, H |
2 |
McPherson, J |
8 |
Mason, W |
15 |
|
Roberts |
1 |
Ross, D |
12 |
Russell, D. K. |
13 |
|
Scott, F |
1 |
Scott, G. A. |
17 |
Stirling, J |
11 |
|
Taylor, W |
18 |
Thomson |
1 |
Waterston, J |
9 |
|
Wilson, A |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Goalscorers
|
Russell, D. K. |
7 |
McPherson, J |
3 |
Mason, W |
1 |
|
Scott, G. A. |
7 |
Baird, D |
2 |
Untraced |
1 |
|
Ross, D |
4 |
Begbie, I |
1 |
|
|
|
Taylor, W |
4 |
Hill, J |
1 |
|
|
Summary
Struggled at the start of the season and were bottom after three games. Found themselves in the bottom three during September and October 1890. Bottom again in February 1891 but recovered to get up to 4th in March. The loss of key players, Baird, Begbie, Hill and McPherson due to suspension saw them slip again to finish mid-table. Regardless of their league performance, Heart of Midlothian had the glory of winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.
RANGERS
Final Position :- 1st. Joint Champions.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 8-2 against St.Mirren (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 5-1 against Dumbarton (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- None.
Player Appearances
|
Gow, D |
16 |
Henderson |
13 |
Hislop, D |
18 |
|
Hodge, W |
10 |
Kerr, N |
18 |
McCreadie, A |
15 |
|
McCreadie, H |
13 |
McIntyre, J |
9 |
McKenzie, A. B. |
4 |
|
McPherson, J |
18 |
Marshall, R |
15 |
Mitchell, D |
18 |
|
Muir, J |
9 |
Reid, D |
15 |
White, J |
2 |
|
Wilson, W |
1 |
Wylie, T. G. |
4 |
|
|
Goalscorers
|
McPherson, J |
11 |
Henderson |
6 |
White, J |
1 |
|
Hislop |
9 |
McKenzie, A. B. |
3 |
Wylie, T. G. |
1 |
|
Kerr, N |
9 |
McCreadie, A |
2 |
Untraced |
7 |
|
McCreadie, H |
8 |
Gow, D |
1 |
|
|
Summary
Rangers proved to be the surprise team as they put together a level of consistency that nobody expected. Early exists from the various cup competitions did not detract from their pursuit of Dumbarton. They went top after 2 games but Dumbarton showed no mercy at Boghead and Rangers suffered a heavy defeat by 5-1. In the following match they hammered St.Mirren 8-2 at Ibrox Park and from then on chased Dumbarton all the way. They went on a 13 game unbeaten run that included gaining revenge over Dumbarton and put them firmly in the driving seat. In their penultimate league game they lost to Celtic at Ibrox Park by 2-1 and thus ultimately shared the championship with Dumbarton.
St.MIRREN
Final Position :- 8th =.
Trophies Won :- Renfrewshire Cup, Paisley Charity Cup.
Biggest Win :- 5-2 against Cowlairs (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 8-2 against Rangers (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- A. C. Brown
Player Appearances
|
Adam |
2 |
Alexander |
3 |
Brown, A. C. |
11 |
|
Cameron, J |
13 |
Deans |
5 |
Dunbar, T. |
2 |
|
Dunlop, E |
1 |
Dunlop, J |
18 |
Douglas |
12 |
|
Easton |
1 |
Foran, J |
1 |
Harper |
1 |
|
Hunter, R |
7 |
Jones |
5 |
McAuley, J |
16 |
|
McBain, A |
14 |
McBain, E |
17 |
McBain, W |
4 |
|
McCartney, J |
16 |
McFarlane, J |
8 |
McPhee |
2 |
|
Morrison, J. L. |
17 |
Paterson |
2 |
Prentice |
1 |
|
Sloan |
1 |
Smith |
2 |
Tomlinson |
2 |
|
Wylie, A |
14 |
|
|
|
|
Goalscorers
|
Dunlop, J |
9 |
Dunbar, T |
1 |
McCartney, J |
1 |
|
Douglas |
6 |
Easton |
1 |
McPhee |
1 |
|
Morrison |
5 |
Jones |
1 |
Untraced |
4 |
|
McAuley, J |
4 |
McBain, E |
1 |
|
|
|
Wylie, A |
4 |
McBain, W |
1 |
|
|
Summary
St.Mirren made a good start and spent most of September and October 1890 in the top three. A run of 8 games without a win saw them steadily slip down the table and by late February 1891 they were firmly in the bottom 3. As a bottom 3 finisher they faced re-election.
THIRD LANARK
Final Position :- 5th.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 4-0 against Heart of Midlothian (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 5-1 against Dumbarton (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- None.
Player Appearances
|
Baxter |
1 |
Burke, J |
10 |
Burns |
8 |
|
Campbell, J |
2 |
Dewar |
1 |
Downie, R |
18 |
|
Faulds |
4 |
Johnstone, A |
17 |
Lapsley, W |
18 |
|
Leiper, J |
1 |
Lochhead, A |
4 |
Love, W |
11 |
|
McColl |
1 |
McFarlane, R |
4 |
McInnes, N |
16 |
|
McIntosh |
1 |
Morrison |
3 |
Munn |
1 |
|
Sawers, A |
5 |
Shaw |
2 |
Scott, R |
18 |
|
Smith, H |
16 |
Thomson, A |
12 |
Thomson, W |
10 |
|
Wills, G |
6 |
Wilson, W |
8 |
|
|
Goalscorers
|
Johnstone, A |
5 |
Wilson, W |
2 |
McFarlane, R |
1 |
|
McInnes, N |
5 |
Burke, J |
1 |
McIntosh |
1 |
|
Thomson, W |
4 |
Faulds |
1 |
Shaw |
1 |
|
Burns |
2 |
Lapsley, W |
1 |
Thomson, A |
1 |
|
Wills, G |
2 |
Love, W |
1 |
Untraced |
10 |
Summary
It is difficult to assess Third Lanark's performance due to lack of games played from the beginning. By the middle of February they had only completed 4 games - half the amount of their league rivals. The lack of games caused by protracted cup replays and bad weather was why they lagged so far behind. Once the dust settled, a mid table finish was probably about right.
VALE of LEVEN
Final Position :- 8th =.
Trophies Won :- None.
Biggest Win :- 5-2 against St.Mirren (Home).
Biggest Defeat :- 9-1 against Celtic (Away).
Capped for Scotland :- G. Rankin, J. Wilson.
Player Appearances
|
Baird |
1 |
Bell |
1 |
Bruce, D |
12 |
|
Bruce, W |
1 |
Buchanan, J |
5 |
Cormick |
4 |
|
Cornoch |
9 |
Cowan, J |
17 |
Darroch, J |
2 |
|
Doherty, J |
9 |
Gallacher, J |
3 |
Graham, A |
1 |
|
Graham, T |
14 |
Graham, W |
4 |
McAdam |
4 |
|
McCallum |
1 |
McGregor, M |
2 |
McIntyre |
1 |
|
McKenzie |
3 |
McLeod, R |
8 |
McMillan |
3 |
|
McNicol, J |
10 |
McVean, M |
4 |
Mills, R |
10 |
|
Murray |
2 |
Paterson, A |
6 |
Rankin, G |
8 |
|
Reid |
1 |
Rice, T |
5 |
Sharp, G |
16 |
|
Sharp, J |
7 |
Smith, W |
8 |
Whitelaw, A |
7 |
|
Wilson, J |
8 |
|
|
|
|
Note - In one fixture Vale of Leven played the entire match with only 10 men.
Goalscorers
|
Bruce, D |
7 |
Gallacher, J |
1 |
Mills, R |
1 |
|
Graham, T |
7 |
McLeod, R |
1 |
Untraced |
6 |
|
Cowan, J |
3 |
McNicol |
1 |
|
|
Summary
Vale of Leven had been declining over the past few years but nobody expected such a dramatic drop in standards that they experienced in the league campaign. Poor performance on the field was exacerbated by off field player disputes and internal disagreements. Hammered 8-2 by Cambuslang in their first match was an indication of how bad things really were. Incredibly they sat 3rd in February 1891, however it was a false position and they slid all the way down to finish second bottom.
