Season 1883/84 started early for some Queen’s Park players who turned out in charity matches for Glasgow select sides against Vale of Leven in Rothesay on Saturday 30 June and Kilmarnock Athletic on Tuesday 10 July. However, the season proper for Queen’s did not get under way until Saturday 18 August 1883. In that opening match, Lugar Boswell were beaten 4-0 at their Rosebank ground at Lugar in Ayrshire.
On Wednesday 1 August, the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup trophy was presented to Queen's Park President Archibald Rowan by the Lord Provost in the Glasgow Council Chambers.
Scottish Athletic Journal reported on 3 August 1883 that Queen's Park had begun playing their usual practice games at Hampden Park and would continue to do so on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, for the following month, to enable the match committee to pick the senior eleven, second eleven and Hampden eleven teams. Due to the club's new ground being still at the early stages of preparation, there was to be no Queen's Park Sports in 1883.
Scottish Athletic Journal reported on 3 August 1883 that Queen's Park had begun playing their usual practice games at Hampden Park and would continue to do so on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, for the following month, to enable the match committee to pick the senior eleven, second eleven and Hampden eleven teams. Due to the club's new ground being still at the early stages of preparation, there was to be no Queen's Park Sports in 1883.
On Saturday 25 August, Queen’s Park were beaten 2-1 by St Mirren in Paisley. The match opened St Mirren's new Westmarch ground. The Queen’s Park side was not at full strength. It appears that certain players had told the Match Committee that they would play only occasionally. The situation was repeated on the following Saturday. Queen’s Park had been scheduled to play Vale of Leven in Alexandria but, as Eadie Fraser was the only forward prepared to travel, Queen’s called the match off at very short notice, much to everyone’s annoyance.
There must have been stern words spoken after the previous weekend's debacle as there was a strong line-up when Queen’s Park got their Scottish Cup campaign under way on Saturday 8 September with an 8-0 win over Partick FC at Inchview Park in Whiteinch. The margin of victory had been unexpected. The goalscorers were David Allan, Willie Anderson (2), John Smith (2), John Gow, Eadie Fraser and debutant Robert "Bob" Christie. On the following Saturday, Queen’s defeated Pollokshields Athletic 4-0 at Pollok Park in Pollokshields, with all four goals coming in the first half. Willie Anderson got the opener and the second came from a scrimmage. The scorers of numbers three and four are not entirely clear but Eadie Fraser and Bob Christie are the likely candidates.
On Saturday 22 September 1883, Queen’s Park were at Boghead Park in Dumbarton taking on the local side. The ground had been improved and was more conducive to good football than had been the case previously. The score was 2-2 at the interval. David Allan or Harry Miller put Queen’s ahead in 15 minutes, Dumbarton’s James Miller equalised, Queen’s Miller made it 2-1, and William MacKinnon levelled the scores just before the break. What happened in the second half is less clear. In the 46thminute, Joe Lindsay scored for the home side. According to the Glasgow Herald, Glasgow News, North British Daily Mail and The Scotsman, the goal was allowed and Dumbarton won 3-2. The Evening Times, however, said that the goal was disallowed and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Five days later, Queen’s Park made the short trip to Cathkin Park for a Scottish Cup second round tie with the 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers. It was a lovely day and the game attracted a large crowd of around 3,000. Queen’s won the match 4-2 after a hard battle. The Volunteers scored first through D McIntyre or Pearson. Bill Harrower and Eadie Fraser then put Queen’s Park into the lead but William Tait equalised from a breakaway before the interval. Within a couple of minutes of the start of the second half, Queen’s went 3-2 ahead through Bill Harrower from a scrimmage. A fine John Smith goal then made the final score 4-2 for the visitors.
Queen’s Park had once again entered the English FA Cup but, on this occasion, they did not subsequently withdraw. They decided to proceed with the ties. Their first opponents were Crewe Alexandra, who were captained by A N Hornby, the Lancashire cricket captain. A crowd of 2,000 at Crewe on Saturday 6 October 1883 saw Queen’s stroll to a 10-0 victory. According to the Glasgow Herald, the scorers were Bob Christie (2), Eadie Fraser (3), Willie Anderson (2), Bill Harrower and John Smith (2). The Glasgow News on the other hand opted for Smith (4), Christie (2), Anderson, Allan, Harrower and Fraser. The ease of Queen’s victory was underlined in the Cheshire Observer which stated, “The Crewe organisation was totally unable to bring out the best points of the celebrated Caledonian players.” The Queen’s Park team was - P McCallum; W Arnott and H Stewart; J J Gow and C Campbell; E Fraser, W Anderson, D Allan, R M Christie, J Smith and W Harrower.
Robert Christie
An unchanged Queen’s Park eleven travelled to Alexandria on the following Saturday to take on old rivals Vale of Leven. It was a fine match on a heavy pitch. Queen’s took the lead in ten minutes “after a most determined and magnificent bit of play”. Davie Allan made it two with a shot that slipped through the goalkeeper’s hands. A determined Vale side then scored twice on either side of the break to make the score 2-2. Play was end to end in an exciting second half but there were no further goals.
Saturday 20 October was Scottish Cup third round day, with Queen’s Park drawn away to Cowlairs. John Smith headed Queen’s into the lead in 30 minutes and Willie Anderson made it two before half-time. Bill Harrower scored a third from a Fraser cross in 50 minutes, and Davie Allan made it 4-0 with a snap shot in 75 minutes. The final scorer in Queen’s 5-0 victory is unclear, with reports varying as to whether it was Eadie Fraser or John Smith.
Queen’s Park were at the Wellington Road ground in Perry Barr near Birmingham on Thursday 25 October taking on Aston Villa. A crowd of between 5,000 and 6,000 turned out on a miserably wet day. Despite the very slippery conditions, the contest was fast and exciting. Queen’s Park scored the only goal of the game with 20 minutes to go when Bob Christie finished off a brilliant forward move.
On Saturday 27 October 1883, Queen’s Park played their first match at their new temporary home – Titwood Park. Northern were their opponents. A portion of the Clydesdale club’s cricket ground had been staked off for football and a “commodious” grandstand erected. The pitch was said to have been “quite level”. A crowd of around 1,500 saw Queen’s beat the Springburn men 3-1. Queen’s Park’s took the lead in 20 minutes through Willie Anderson. Lumsden then equalised but Bob Christie or Bill Harrower put Queen's back ahead. The scorer of the third goal is not known. On the same afternoon, a Queen’s Park eleven beat Alloa Athletic 5-1 in Alloa.
Titwood today (a stone's throw from the original ground)
A week later, Queen’s Park played their second match at Titwood Park, with Dumbarton the visitors. The attendance of over 5,000 was described by the Glasgow Herald as “the first big crowd of the season”. With the wind at their backs, Queen’s dominated the first half but had only one goal to show for it. That goal, which came seven minutes before half-time, was described in these terms by the North British Daily Mail – “… after a terrible melee in front, Christie succeeded in forcing the ball between the posts, three of the Queen’s Park men and two of the defenders falling under the posts after it.” With the benefit of the wind, Dumbarton responded strongly in the second half and scored three unanswered goals through McKinnon, Colvin and Lindsay.
On Saturday 10 November, Queen’s Park were in Scottish Cup fourth round action against Partick Thistle at Muirpark in Partick. The Evening Times reported that “The field was in a most deplorable state”, after heavy rain and snow on the previous day. Queen's Park wanted the game postponed, rather than play in a sea of mud, but Thistle would not agree as many spectators had already gathered at the ground. Queen’s led 3-0 at half-time through goals from Smith, Scobie and either Christie or Scobie. A further goal in 80 minutes (scorer unknown) completed a 4-0 victory. On the same day, the Queen’s Park second eleven played Strathmore at Rollo’s Pier in Dundee. Queen’s arrived two men short, borrowed goalkeeper P Ovenstone of Our Boys, and decided to play with ten men. Queen’s won 1-0.
On the following Saturday, Queen’s Park played Hibernian at Easter Road. The North British Daily Mail reported that Queen’s “… had a most cordial reception from the followers of the Association style of play.” Despite the weather being wet and disagreeable, some 3,000 spectators turned out for the game. The ground was in very poor condition and play was restricted to two halves of 30 minutes. Queen’s won 5-1. According to the Glasgow Herald, the scorers were Watt (2), Leckie, Gow and unknown. The Scotsman, however, opted for Scobie (2), Watt, Gow and Harrower, with Brogan getting a late consultation for Hibs. The Glasgow News offered a third alternative - Watt, Scobie, Gow, Fraser and Harrower.
A week later, on Saturday 24 November 1883, Queen’s Park and Rangers had their first meeting of the season before a crowd of around 5,000 at Kinning Park. Queen’s were on top from the start and went into a four goal first half lead through Bob Christie (2), Willie Anderson and Bill Harrower but Alex Hamilton pulled two goals back before the break. With the advantage of the wind. Queen’s dominated the second half but had only one more goal to show for their efforts. John Smith was the scorer near the end. Smith was a medical doctor and was required to exercise his professional skills when Rangers’ goalkeeper George Gillespie dislocated a finger joint. The good doctor “with a vigorous pull” snapped the bone back into place.
Queen’s Park had been scheduled to meet Vale of Leven on Monday 1 December 1883 but this was cancelled due to Queen’s having a FA Cup tie with Manchester FC at Titwood. A crowd of around 2,500 saw Queen’s saunter to a 15-0 victory. According to the Glasgow Herald, goals from Willie Anderson (3), Davie Allan (2), Charlie Campbell and John Smith had Queen’s 7-0 ahead at half-time, with second half goals coming from Eadie Fraser (3), Allan (2), Bob Christie, Bill Harrower and unknown (scrimmage). The North British Daily Mail agreed with the first half scorers but listed the second half goals as scored by Allan (2), Fraser (2), Smith (2), Christie and one from a scrimmage. Glasgow News gave the first half scorers as Anderson (4), Harrower (2) and Smith and the second half scorers as Fraser (2), Smith (2), Allan, Christie, Harrower and scrimmage. The extent of the Spiders' domination was summed up by the Manchester Courier in its comment - "... the Scotch goalkeeper never had occasion to handle the ball once, the leather only being at his end twice during the contest."
Queen’s Park had been due to play Notts County at Titwood on Saturday 8 December but Queen’s had to telegraph the English side on the previous day to say that the ground was too hard to play on due to frost. As it happened, there was then a thaw but it came too late to save the match.
On Saturday 15 December, Glasgow met London at the Kennington Oval before a crowd of 3,000. Eight Queen’s Park players were in the Glasgow side that suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat. They were Walter Arnott, Andrew Holm, Charles Campbell, John Gow, Eadie Fraser, William Anderson, John Smith and Robert Christie.
A week later, Cartvale of Busby were the visitors to Titwood for a Scottish Cup fifth round or quarter-final tie. The weather was miserable with heavy rain all afternoon and only 1,000 or so spectators attended. As expected, Queen’s Park won easily by six goals to one. The two first half scorers are not known but the four second half goals came from Bob Christie, Bill Harrower, Charlie Campbell and Eadie Fraser.
On Saturday 29 December, Queen’s Park met Oswestry in the third round of the FA Cup. A crowd upwards of 3,000 in the Shropshire town saw Queen’s go into the interval 2-1 ahead. The second half was very much one-way traffic and the visitors scored five unanswered goals to record a resounding 7-1 victory. Reports varied as to who got the goals. The scorers were Willie Anderson and either Anderson or Bob Christie in the first half, with Foulkes replying for Oswestry. The second half scorers, according to the Glasgow Herald, Glasgow News and the Wrexham Advertiser, were John Smith (2), Anderson, Davie Allan and a Roberts own goal. The Scotsman, on the other hand, opted for Smith, Anderson, Scobie, Allan and Eadie Fraser.
It would appear that not everyone in Scotland was happy with Queen’s Park’s participation in the English FA Cup. The Scottish Athletic Journal reported – “People at home accuse the Queen’s Park of want of patriotism in encouraging the absurd pretensions of the English Association to be a national association having jurisdiction over Scotland.”
Queen’s Park again faced English opposition on New Year’s Day, with a challenge match against London Swifts at Titwood Park. A crowd of over 5,000 saw Queen’s race into a 5-0 interval lead. The scorers were Bill Harrower, Bob Christie, John Smith, Charlie Campbell and a Swifts’ defender with an own goal. Despite Queen’s continuing to dominate, it was Swifts who got the only goal of the second half through Frank Pawson. But for carelessness in front of goal and a great display by ‘keeper Billy Rose, the Londoners could have suffered a much heavier defeat. On that same afternoon, Queen’s Park’s third team, the Hampden Eleven, were in Belfast for what had become an annual fixture with Cliftonville. On this occasion, the Scots were beaten 6-2. Watt and Kerr were the Queen’s scorers. On the following day, the young Hampden side defeated Moyola Park 2-0 in Castledawson in County Londonderry.
Queen’s Park’s following match, on Saturday 5 January 1884, produced something of a shock result, with Pollokshields Athletic triumphing by two goals to one at Titwood Park. The rain in the preceding days had reduced the clayey soil to a swamp. Davie Allan put Queen’s ahead with a low shot but Athletic equalised through Turner before half-time and won the match with a Charles Campbell own goal four minutes from time.
Queen’s Park were not in action on Saturday 12 January but four Queen’s players turned out for Glasgow in a 3-2 win over Scotch Counties at Blackstoun Park in Paisley. This game also served as a trial match for the upcoming international fixture with Ireland in Belfast.
Queen’s Park had been scheduled to play Hibernian in the sixth round or semi-final of the Scottish Cup on Saturday 19 January 1884 but the Edinburgh men agreed to postpone the fixture for two weeks to allow Queen’s to play their FA Cup fourth round tie with Aston Villa on that date. The match with Villa had been anticipated with a great deal of excitement. The North British Daily Mail observed “No football match for a number of years, perhaps, has excited such universal attention.” A big support travelled up from the Midlands. Birmingham’s Daily Post reported - “The Villa team journeyed to Scotland by the morning express on Friday, and in the evening three heavily laden trains, filled with excursionists, left for Glasgow. Altogether 1,000 persons were booked from Birmingham; and at various other places in the district, especially Wolverhampton, the number was considerably increased.” Despite the afternoon being wet, up to 10,000 spectators were in the ground, with considerably more watching from the railway bridge behind the stand and other elevated spots. The first half was fairly evenly balanced but Queen’s were 2-0 ahead at the break through a Charlie Campbell drive from thirty yards and a fine Bill Harrower goal. Queen’s were “magnificent’ in the second half and a John Smith hat trick and a Willie Anderson strike extended the lead to 6-0. Howard Vaughton pulled one back for Villa near the end to sympathetic cheering. The Queen’s Park team was - A Rowan; W Arnott and A H Holm; C Campbell and J J Gow; E Fraser, W Anderson, W Harrower, J Smith, R M Christie and D S Allan.
The cup tie with Aston Villa should have taken place on Saturday 12 January but Villa had refused to play on that date. This led to some ill-feeling between the clubs. Also, the Birmingham men had made it clear that they intended to win the match. The result was that – “The Queen’s Park were unrelenting in their determination to drub the Villa to their very uttermost.” (Scottish Athletic Journal)
As Queen’s Park progressed to the next round of the FA Cup, the Football Association in England called a special meeting to address an issue that would have implications for Queen’s in times to come. The purpose of the meeting, reported the Glasgow Herald, was to consider another charge of professionalism involving a Lancashire club – this time Preston North End. The newspaper noted that, in the previous two years, 74 players had been imported in Lancashire, a great proportion of them Scotsmen.
Few games were played in Scotland on the following Saturday due to sleet and snow. However, Walter Arnott and Bill Harrower played in Scotland’s 5-0 defeat of Ireland in Belfast, with the latter scoring twice. Queen's Park had been scheduled to play Edinburgh University at Titwood. Both sides were present at the ground but decided that the game could not go ahead.
The postponed Scottish Cup sixth round (semi-final) tie with Hibernian took place at Easter Road on Saturday 2 February 1884. Queen’s Park fielded the side that beat Aston Villa. The match had created considerable interest and attracted what was described as the largest crowd in Edinburgh for many a day, with around 8,000 spectators in the ground. Queen’s easily overcame their “by far the heaviest of the two” opponents, although Hibs were not helped by weak goalkeeping. The Edinburgh men actually went into the lead through Tommy Lee but Queen’s hit back with five unanswered goals to secure their place in the Scottish Cup Final. Not uncommonly, the newspapers failed to agree on the goal scorers. Certainly, John Smith and Bob Christie both scored twice but it is unclear whether the other goal came from Christie, Smith or Bill Harrower.
The cup ties were coming thick and fast and, on Saturday 9 February, Queen’s Park were south of the border once again for a FA Cup fifth round tie with Old Westminsters at London’s Kennington Oval. Queen’s were very disappointed with the cup draw and may well have scratched from the competition had it not been for the fact that such a move would have been unfair on the clubs beaten in the earlier rounds.
There were over 3,000 spectators present at the Oval on a miserably dull day. Queen’s travelled to London without the unavailable Archie Rowan, John Gow and Eadie Fraser. A hard-fought match on a slippery pitch was settled in the 60th minute when Davie Allan scored the only goal of the game to take Queen’s into the semi-finals. The home side rallied towards the end and Patrick hit the outside of the post. London’s Morning Post said of the match that it could “scarcely be called a defeat for the gallant representatives of the time-honoured school.” It is perhaps not too surprising that Queen’s sagged in the latter stages of the game given that they had only left Glasgow at six o’clock on the Friday evening for what was a very long and uncomfortable train journey to London.
Queen’s Park had two goals disallowed and numerous fouls given against them in the Old Westminsters match by referee Major Marindin. That was not the last that would be heard of the good major.
In the days leading up to the clash with Old Westminsters, Queen’s Park had been dealt a serious blow. Eadie Fraser had received a “lucrative appointment” in Africa and had been told that he must leave on the first fast ship. He had sailed on the Tuesday before Queen’s trip to London. Glasgow’s Evening Times said of Eadie Fraser - “Scotland never had a better forward. His popularity was extraordinary. On the field he never descended to those tricks which tend to bring the game into disrepute.”
A week after the FA Cup tie at the Oval, Walter Arnott, Robert Christie, John Gow and John Smith were back in England representing Glasgow against Sheffield at Bramall Lane. A crowd of 10,000 saw Glasgow win 2-1, with John Smith scoring the first goal of the game.
On Saturday 23 February 1884, Queen’s Park had been scheduled to play Vale of Leven in the Scottish Cup Final at Cathkin Park. However, the Dunbartonshire side declined to play on that date due to not being able to field their best team. The mother of Vale defender John Forbes had died on the Wednesday before the game. Two other first team players were ill, as were three members of the second eleven. Vale of Leven asked the SFA to postpone the match but their request was refused by the SFA’s Business Committee. Vale then advised Queen’s Park that they would not be turning up for the game but did not give Queen’s any reason for their decision. Glasgow News reported, "The Queen's Park were never officially approached by the Vale of Leven, and no effort was made by the country club to mutually arrange for a postponement." At a special meeting two days later, the Queen's Park members agreed unanimously that the club should claim the match and the cup. Then, on the following Saturday, the SFA Committee held a meeting at the Association’s offices in Carlton Place to consider the matter and agreed by seven votes to six to award the Cup to Queen’s Park due to Vale of Leven having failed to meet them on the day set apart by the Association for playing off the final tie. Tom Lawrie of Queen's Park, who was President of the SFA, took part in the vote, as did the Vale of Leven representative on the Committee. Mr Lawrie pointed out that Queen's Park had been without three key players for their English Cup tie in Nottingham that day but had not asked the Football Association for a postponement.
With the Scottish Cup Final having been cancelled, Queen’s Park arranged to play 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers at Cathkin Park. Two extra stands had been put up for the Cup Final and many of the 4,000 or so spectators availed themselves of the seats. Before the game began, the Queen’s Park players went on to the pitch and claimed the Scottish Cup, which the referee awarded them pending confirmation by the SFA. Queen’s won the game 4-0 with goals from Davie Allan (2) and William Watt (2). The Queen's Park team that faced the Volunteers was - A Rowan; W Arnott and A H Holm; C Campbell and J J Gow; R M Christie, D S Allan, J Smith, W Harrower, W Anderson and W W Watt. It is highly likely that this would have been the cup final side.
On the same day as the 3rdLRV match, Queen’s Park’s second eleven (not yet known as the Strollers) were in Merseyside – an area where Association football was very much in its infancy. Queen’s opponents were Bootle. A good crowd on an unfavourable day saw Queen’s Park win 9-1.
A week later, on Saturday 1 March 1884, Queen’s Park faced the cup-holders Blackburn Olympic in the semi-final of the FA Cup. Queen's travelled south without the unavailable Archie Rowan, Andrew Holm and Charles Campbell. The match was played at Trent Bridge in Nottingham and a huge crowd of around 16,000 was present. The Blackburn Standard complained that “The arrangements for receiving so large a crowd were totally inadequate.” The game had to be stopped on several occasions due to encroachments by spectators, resulting in the teams being on the field for two hours rather than the usual 90 minutes. Queen’s Park won the match by the unexpectedly high margin of four goals to nil. John Smith scored the only goal of the opening half after the Olympic goalkeeper had been charged over in a scrimmage. Olympic tried to respond as the second half got under way but brilliant defence by Johnny Holm and John Gow held them at bay. Five minutes into the half, John Smith scored his and Queen’s Park’s second goal; in 65 minutes William Watt made it three with a fine piece of play; and with five minutes to play Smith broke away to seal his hat trick. At the end of the match, Blackburn Olympic protested about the result on account of spectators interfering with play. The Queen’s Park team that reached the club’s first FA Cup Final was P McCallum; W Arnott and J W Holm; J Macdonald and J J Gow; W Anderson, W W Watt, J Smith, W Harrower, R M Christie and D S Allan.
Blackburn Olympic’s protest was heard at a FA committee meeting in London. It was not sustained. Notts County also protested after their semi-final defeat to Blackburn Rovers. They objected to Inglis of Rangers playing for Rovers as he lived and worked in Scotland. This protest was also rejected.
On Saturday 8 March, a trial match for the following week’s Scotland v England encounter took place at Abercorn’s Blackstoun Park in Paisley, with the Probables facing the Improbables. Six Queen’s Park players were involved.
Scotland’s meeting with the Auld Enemy at Cathkin Park ended in a 1-0 win for the home side. William Anderson, Walter Arnott, Charles Campbell, Robert Christie and John Smith played in the Scots side, with the latter scoring the only goal of the game.
On the morning of the England match, a conference involving the secretaries of the leading Association clubs in the UK took place in Glasgow’s Bath Hotel. The principal purpose of the meeting was to arrange the main fixtures for the new season but it was also agreed that professionalism should be suppressed by the united efforts of the national associations.
On Saturday 22 March, Queen’s Park took on Pilgrims in Govan. This was seen as a good practice game for the upcoming FA Cup Final. Queen’s won 9-1.
The FA Cup Final match with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 29 March 1884 was possibly the most controversial and disappointing match in Queen’s Park’s long history. The game was seen as one of the most important ever played and there was a crowd of somewhere between 10,000 and 14,000 at the Kennington Oval – the highest attendance ever for a football match in London. Three special trains left Glasgow on the Friday evening carrying fans to the match. Queen’s, who went into the match without Archie Rowan and Andrew Holm, dominated the early stages and had two goals disallowed, as well as hitting the bar twice. However, it was Blackburn Rovers who made the breakthrough in 25 minutes through either James Brown, Jimmy Douglas or Joe Sowerbutts (reports varied). Five minutes later, Jimmy Forrest made it 2-0 for Rovers from a scrimmage. Christie pulled a goal back in 38 minutes and Rovers’ keeper Arthur did well to keep his goal intact to the interval. Rovers then had the better of the second half and they in turn had two goals disallowed. The Lancashire side appeared to have a higher level of fitness. There was no further scoring and the Spiders suffered a 2-1 defeat. The Queen’s Park team on that fateful day was – G Gillespie; J Macdonald and W Arnott; J J Gow and C Campbell (captain); W W Watt, W Anderson, D S Allan, R M Christie, J Smith and W Harrower. There was no public presentation of the trophy to Blackburn Rovers at the ground on account of the death of the Duke of Albany (the youngest son of Queen Victoria). Major Francis Marindin had insisted on this before agreeing to referee the match.
It was a despondent and irritated Queen’s Park party that made the return journey from London. There was disappointment that some of the more important players in the team had failed to produce their usual form and anger at the performance of the referee, Major Marindin (the President of the Football Association). Queen’s Park felt that they were constantly penalised and were unhappy at having the two goals ruled offside. In his book “History of the Queen’s Park Football Club 1867-1917”, Richard Robinson wrote of Major Marindin visiting Queen’s Park’s hotel on the day after the match. He told the players that they had the ball a foot through the Rovers’ posts but, as they did not claim, he did not award a goal. Also, he said that Rovers’ first goal was clearly offside but no claim had been made. Walter Arnott insisted that he had appealed loudly but no notice had been taken. After a full account of what he had said appeared in The Sportsman, Major Marindin responded - “The passage is an inaccurate and incomplete version of a private conversation.” However, four members of the Queen’s Park side had heard the Major make the remarks and he made no attempt to explain what the accurate and complete version had been.
On the same day as the FA Cup Final, Scotland beat Wales 4-1 before a crowd of 5,000 at Cathkin Park. Johnny Kay, who had not been selected for the Queen’s Park team in London, scored two of the goals. The decision not to include Kay in the FA Cup Final side had proved very controversial, as did the did the choice of John Macdonald at right back rather than Johnny Holm. A trial match had been held to decide who should partner Walter Arnott at full back and the Match Committee had opted for Macdonald. Johnny Kay was not on good terms with Charles Campbell and that may have been a factor in his omission.
Queen’s had scarcely enough time to lick their wounds before they were off south again on Thursday 3 April to play Notts County at the Castle Cricket Ground in a testimonial match for County player Arthur Cursham who was going abroad. Queen’s won the match 3-0 with goals from Anderson, Smith and Lindsay. A crowd of around 6,000 attended. Johnny Kay was included in the Spiders line-up and the Lindsay who scored the third goal may have been Joe Lindsay of Dumbarton. On the same afternoon, a Queen’s Park “scratch” side lost 4-2 at Moffat. The strength of the Queen’s team is not known.
On Saturday 5 April, Queen's Park's third team, the Hampden Eleven, were in Ireland and beat Londonderry 6-0.
The time had now come for the annual Glasgow Merchants’ Charity Cup competition and there was the usual cufuffle about who would participate. Eventually, following a ballot, it was decided that 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers and Vale of Leven would play off for the right to join Dumbarton, Queen’s Park and Rangers in the four-team competition. All games were to be played at Cathkin Park. Queen’s Park were drawn against Rangers in the semi-final and the match took place on Saturday 12 April. Queen’s were without John Gow who, according to the Evening Times, had “married a wife and cannot come.” A crowd of around 8,000 saw Rangers take the lead through Corbett almost straight from the kick-off. Davie Allan equalised from a scrimmage and then Queen’s got the winner a few minutes before half-time. The Glasgow Herald described the goal in these terms – “… a warm tussle was waged in front of the Rangers’ posts and another goal for the Queen’s Park was the result.”
While Queen's Park were facing Rangers at Cathkin Park, three Spiders' players were members of the Glasgow side that went down 2-1 to Edinburgh at the Powderhall Grounds. Those players were McCallum (either Archie or Peter), George Ker and Johnny Kay. For some unknown reason, Ker and Kay played under the pseudonyms "Watt" and "Kinghorn".
On Saturday 19 April, an understrength Queen’s Park side travelled through to Edinburgh to play Heart of Midlothian. A crowd of some 5,000 saw the capital side take the lead against the run of play through Nick Ross. In 30 minutes, Queen’s Park’s captain for the day Bob Christie suffered a recurrence of an old injury and Queen’s had to play with ten men for the remainder of the match. Bob Waugh doubled the Hearts’ lead just before the break. William "Bill" Sellar, previously better known as a Battlefield player, pulled a goal back in 75 minutes. Queen’s then made strenuous efforts to equalise but to no avail.
A week later, Queen’s Park and 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers met in the Glasgow Merchants’ Charity Cup Final. Rain before kick-off and increased admission charges affected the size of the crowd and there were only around 5,000 inside Cathkin Park for the match. Almost all of the officers and men of the 3rd LRV regiment were present and gave the home side noisy support. Queen’s had the better of the first half but were weak in front of goal with sharpshooters Bob Christie and John Smith both missing from the side. In the second half, either Johnny Kay, who had fallen out with Queen's Park, J Connelly or John Marshall (reports differed) put the Volunteers ahead from a scrimmage but a fine Bill Harrower goal evened matters up soon afterwards. There was no further scoring.
In the lead-up to the Charity Cup Final, the fathers of Frank Shaw and Bill Sellar had received anonymous letters telling them not to allow their sons to play against 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers as they would be seriously, if not permanently, injured. Shaw had already decided not to play in the game but Sellar's father went to the police. Somewhat naively, the author of the letter had made no effort to disguise his handwriting. The Inspector of Police went into the pavilion before the game and informed the 3rd Lanark team that, if Sellar was in any way injured, the member of the team who did it would be arrested and charged with assault.
Unusual take on the action at Cathkin Park
In the lead-up to the Charity Cup Final, the fathers of Frank Shaw and Bill Sellar had received anonymous letters telling them not to allow their sons to play against 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers as they would be seriously, if not permanently, injured. Shaw had already decided not to play in the game but Sellar's father went to the police. Somewhat naively, the author of the letter had made no effort to disguise his handwriting. The Inspector of Police went into the pavilion before the game and informed the 3rd Lanark team that, if Sellar was in any way injured, the member of the team who did it would be arrested and charged with assault.
After the closeness of the first game, the result of the Charity Cup Final replay at Cathkin on Monday 3 May 1884 came as something of a surprise with Queen’s Park winning 8-0. Poor weather again kept the crowd down to around 4,500. Queen’s got off to a flying start and, according to the Glasgow Herald, Bill Sellar hit a hat trick in the opening 15 minutes. The North British Daily Mail, however, attributed the second of those to Bob Christie. Willie Anderson scored a fourth with a brilliant right foot shot and, just before the break, Sellar scored again to give Queen’s a 5-0 lead. The scorers of the three second half goals are also not entirely clear. Numbers six and seven came from Anderson and Sellar. According to the Glasgow Herald, Christie got the final goal but the Glasgow News and North British Daily Mail opted for Harry Miller. The Volunteers battled hard throughout and were probably worthy of a couple of goals. The Queen’s Park side that won the Charity Cup for the sixth time was – G Gillespie; W Arnott and A Watson; C Campbell and J J Gow; H Miller, W Anderson, W Sellar, W Harrower, D S Allan and R M Christie.
The ceremony of handing over the Scottish Cup to Queen's Park took place in the Athole Arms Hotel on Wednesday 14 May. The presentation of the Charity Cup and badges (medals) took place at the Council Chambers in Ingram Street on Monday 26 May.
The ceremony of handing over the Scottish Cup to Queen's Park took place in the Athole Arms Hotel on Wednesday 14 May. The presentation of the Charity Cup and badges (medals) took place at the Council Chambers in Ingram Street on Monday 26 May.
Back row (from left) - Harry Miller, Archie Rowan, Robert Christie, Walter Arnott, William Sellar, Charles Campbell, John Smith, Andrew Holm, Arthur Geake (Match Secretary) and George Gillespie.
Front row - William Watt, John Macdonald, John Gow, William Anderson, William Harrower, David Allan and
Peter McCallum.
Queen’s Park’s final two matches of the season were both away from home. On Saturday 10 May, Rangers were defeated 4-1 before a crowd of about 3,500 at Kinning Park. Bill Sellar scored the second goal and possibly the third. The other scorers are not known. Although the match took place at Kinning Park, it was played under the auspices of Queen's Park. The gate receipts for the standing areas, amounting to around £60, were retained by Queen's. Rangers earned about £12 from the grandstand receipts. A week and a half later, on Tuesday 27 May, there were 1,500 spectators at Inchview Park to watch Queen's beat Partick FC 2-0. Bill Sellar and Harry Miller were the scorers.
The Queen’s Park Annual General Meeting was held in the Marie Stuart Hall in Crosshill on Tuesday 27 May. The office-bearers and committee members appointed for the following season were: President - Archibald Rowan; Honorary Joint Treasurers - James Morton and D C Brown; Secretary – Stewart Lawrie; Honorary Match Secretary – Thomas T Brock; Committee Members – Messrs C Campbell, Browne, Taylor, Geake, T Lawrie, Gow, Holm, Hosie, R Anderson, Arnott, J Campbell and Allan. At the meeting, the members of the second eleven complained about outsiders being drafted into the first eleven rather than them being given the opportunity to move up.
Two days after the AGM, a match between Queen's Park Ancients and Queen's Park Moderns took place in Langside in aid of the Langside Dorcas Society. The young'uns won 5-1.
Results 1883/84
First Team
18/08/1883 Lugar Boswell 0 Queen’s Park 4
25/08/1883 St Mirren 2 Queen’s Park 1
08/09/1883 Partick FC 0 Queen’s Park 8 - Scottish Cup
15/09/1883 Pollokshields Athletic 0 Queen’s Park 4
22/09/1883 Dumbarton 3 Queen’s Park 2
29/09/1883 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers 2 Queen’s Park 4 - Scottish Cup
06/10/1883 Crewe Alexandra 0 Queen’s Park 10 - FA Cup
13/10/1883 Vale of Leven 2 Queen’s Park 2
20/10/1883 Cowlairs 0 Queen’s Park 5 - Scottish Cup
25/10/1883 Aston Villa 0 Queen’s Park 1
27/10/1883 Queen’s Park 3 Northern 1
03/11/1883 Queen’s Park 1 Dumbarton 3
10/11/1883 Partick Thistle 0 Queen’s Park 4 - Scottish Cup
17/11/1883 Hibernian 1 Queen’s Park 5
24/11/1883 Rangers 2 Queen’s Park 5
01/12/1883 Queen’s Park 15 Manchester FC 0 - FA Cup
22/12/1883 Queen’s Park 6 Cartvale 1 - Scottish Cup
29/12/1883 Oswestry 1 Queen’s Park 7 - FA Cup
01/01/1884 Queen’s Park 5 London Swifts 1
05/01/1884 Queen’s Park 1 Pollokshields Athletic 2
19/01/1884 Queen’s Park 6 Aston Villa 1 - FA Cup
02/02/1884 Hibernian 1 Queen’s Park 5 - Scottish Cup
09/02/1884 Old Westminsters 0 Queen’s Park 1 - FA Cup
23/02/1884 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers 0 Queen’s Park 4
01/03/1884 Blackburn Olympic 0 Queen’s Park 4 - FA Cup
22/03/1884 Pilgrims 1 Queen’s Park 9
29/03/1884 Blackburn Rovers 2 Queen’s Park 1 - FA Cup Final
03/04/1884 Notts County 0 Queen’s Park 3
12/04/1884 Queen’s Park 2 Rangers 1 - Glasgow Charity Cup
19/04/1884 Heart of Midlothian 2 Queen’s Park 1
26/04/1884 Queen’s Park 1 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers 1 - Glasgow Charity Cup Final
03/05/1884 Queen’s Park 8 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers 0 - Glasgow Charity Cup Final replay
10/05/1884 Rangers 1 Queen’s Park 4
27/05/1884 Partick FC 0 Queen’s Park 2
Second Team
15/09/1883 Johnstone Rovers 0 Second QP 3
29/09/1883 Wishaw Swifts 1 Second QP 3
06/10/1883 Dunfermline 0 Second QP 6
13/10/1883 Second QP 0 Second Vale of Leven 2
20/10/1883 Irvine Academicals 3 Second QP 8
03/11/1883 Second Dumbarton 7 Second QP 1
10/11/1883 Strathmore (Dundee) 0 Second QP 1
17/11/1883 Paisley Olympic 0 Second QP 1
08/12/1883 Ayr 2 Second QP 1
29/12/1883 Port Glasgow Athletic 1 Second QP 0
23/02/1884 Bootle 1 Second QP 9
05/04/1884 Irvine Academicals 2 Second QP 1
Hampden Eleven
08/09/1883 Vale of Bannock 0 Hampden Eleven 10
22/09/1883 Kilbarchan 5 Hampden Eleven 0
29/09/1883 Drumpellier 3 Hampden Eleven 2
06/10/1883 Dundee Harp 6 Hampden Eleven 2
13/10/1883 Stenhousemuir 1 Hampden Eleven 7
20/10/1883 Tollcross 1 Hampden Eleven 1
27/10/1883 Woodland (Paisley) 2 Hampden Eleven 1
24/11/1883 Hampden Eleven 4 Whitehill 2
15/12/1883 East Stirlingshire 2 Hampden Eleven 2
22/12/1883 Wishaw Swifts 3 Hampden Eleven 0
01/01/1884 Cliftonville (Belfast) 6 Hampden Eleven 2
02/01/1884 Moyola Park 0 Hampden Eleven 2
05/04/1884 Londonderry 0 Hampden Eleven 6
Other Matches
27/10/1883 Alloa Athletic 1 Queen’s Park 5 (not known which QP team)
03/04/1884 Moffat 4 Queen’s Park XI 2
Representative Matches
15/12/1883 London 3 Glasgow 2
12/01/1884 Scotch Counties 2 Glasgow 3
26/01/1884 Ireland 0 Scotland 5
16/02/1884 Sheffield 1 Glasgow 2
15/03/1884 Scotland 1 England 0
29/03/1884 Scotland 4 Wales 1
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