Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I am looking into the family history of my husband and it turns out his granddad (John Wilson) was a professional footballer. I’m looking to obtain his football stats and a photo, but not quite sure how to go about it, wondered if any bears could help or knew of him through family members.What I know so far from family is that, he was born in Portadown Northern Ireland 1905, He moved to Scotland as a young boy to live with family. He married Elizabeth Rhymer, whose family were high ranking Orange Lodge members. He lived in Shettleston and drank in The Drum.He was known as ‘Tank’ Wilson, to the community. One of the family stories is that Manchester United scouts went to his house and his wife sent them to The Drum where he was drinking, they asked him did he want a drink and he said ‘a pint of heavy and a whisky chaser’ the scouts bought him the drinks and left but he was not signed due to a MU drinking policy.His football career ended when a team mate accidentally broke his leg in a bad tackle, after this he went to work on the docks. He died in the 1970’s after having several heart attacks.My husband remembers people telling him what a good player he was, when he was a young boy. I would love to frame his granddads’ stats and a photo for him. Thanx. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluejon 47 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Good luck with your search. Maybe something to interest the football historians among us Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooblue 105 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 This would have been a job for the late great Bob Crampsey. Don't know if there's anyone left with his breadth of knowledge of Scottish football history. Good luck with your search, hope someone comes up with something for you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwhiteandblue 3,330 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Who did he play for? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Who did he play for?Three of the teams the family believe he played for are Stranraer, Vale of Leven, and Arbroath, but there is no certainty that this is correct. Not knowing the age he started playing football is making the search more difficult. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooblue 105 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Have you tried contacting the clubs you think he may have played for? They may not have immediate access to all records but will almost certainly know of an old Statto/historian/lifelong fan they can point you towards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Have you tried contacting the clubs you think he may have played for? They may not have immediate access to all records but will almost certainly know of an old Statto/historian/lifelong fan they can point you towards.Yep, Stranraer said they remember a player named 'Tank Wilson' but they had lost all records in a fire,so couldn't check. The others didn't keep pre-war records. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kplfishtank 4,679 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 what docks did he work in? , my dad was a docker in glasgow Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ger4life_1872 29,941 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Have you tried the guys who do the founding fathers trail , they might be able help u out Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 what docks did he work in? , my dad was a docker in glasgowI believe it to be the Clydebank docks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Have you tried the guys who do the founding fathers trail , they might be able help u outNope, but will do thx Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstamomusa 3,812 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Yep, Stranraer said they remember a player named 'Tank Wilson' but they had lost all records in a fire,so couldn't check. The others didn't keep pre-war records.You could try the archives of the local papers in the towns where you think he played. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 You could try the archives of the local papers in the towns where you think he played.Thx will try this also Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutonblue 1,974 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Nope, but will do thxpm moonlighter , I think that's his user name , I think he is involved in the founders trail Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 What age would footballers in that era have started playing? I ask because the working class started to work at 14. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kplfishtank 4,679 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I believe it to be the Clydebank docksah right my dad was in shieldhall but i will ask him, what age is he ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 ah right my dad was in shieldhall but i will ask him, what age is he ?my husbands grandad died in the 1970's, was married in Anderson 1928 and born in Portadown, Northern Ireland in 1905 . your dad may have heard of him as a young boy thx. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 Does anyone know if the SFA Would have pre -war registration books, if so can they be accessed online? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 22, 2013 Author Share Posted April 22, 2013 A big thank you to The Gallent Pioneers, Cstamomusa and The_Blue-Flash for all the information, Absolutely over the moon with it. Will update the thread tomorrow once I've had chance to go through it all, so that everyone that helped knows the end of the story Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutonblue 1,974 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Did you pm the moonlighter ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christchurch Rangers 1,229 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 They may not have immediate access to all records but will almost certainly know of an old Statto/historian/lifelong fan they can point you towards.you're very politemost people just call them obsessive anorak typesgood luck with it all tho keep us posted Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuggy 1,308 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Mitchell Library? If you known his teams you can focus on their successful years. Sounds like he played in the 1930s? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqualung 126 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/ this site is run by an obsessive stato but only has details of post war players, could be a start though or worth emailing the guy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 Did you pm the moonlighter ?Yep, sent him a wee PM yesterday thx Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetheart 8,458 Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 you're very politemost people just call them obsessive anorak typesgood luck with it all tho keep us postedthx, will do Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.