Random 1960S Musings

[Jaggernaut]

Recently I stumbled on a Clydebank site that showed lots of old photos and programmes of the Bankies since they started out as E.S. Clydebank. I sent a congratulatory message to the site's owner, and told him that I remembered a game between the Bankies (I thought it was ES, but it was Clydebank) and a Thistle "A" team at Kilbowie. He kindly sent me the Evening Times report on the game; it was in 1966 and the Jags won 4-2.

 

There were only two players in the team that day who really ever played in the first team: John Flannigan (great wee winger) and George Cumming. Anybody remember the latter? A fascinating character, as I'm pretty sure he remained amateur throughout his entire career at Firhill (Offical Handbook says he played 55 times for the first team). I can distinctly remember that in those days the Scottish Amateur International team often consisted entirely of Queens Park players except for George Cumming, of Partick Thistle.

 

Yon wonderful player stats site (http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/partick/partick.htm) gives his total appearances as 34, and St Mirren as his subsequent team, so there's some disagreement between the two sources.

 

Just thought I'd bring it up, as I've never seen him mentioned since those long-gone days, yet he got many caps at his level.

 

Thank you for reading.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Jaggernaut

[crazy davie]

It's stories like that that are the building blocks of a club's history. Superb.

[jaggy]

Recently I stumbled on a Clydebank site that showed lots of old photos and programmes of the Bankies since they started out as E.S. Clydebank. I sent a congratulatory message to the site's owner, and told him that I remembered a game between the Bankies (I thought it was ES, but it was Clydebank) and a Thistle "A" team at Kilbowie. He kindly sent me the Evening Times report on the game; it was in 1966 and the Jags won 4-2.

 

There were only two players in the team that day who really ever played in the first team: John Flannigan (great wee winger) and George Cumming. Anybody remember the latter? A fascinating character, as I'm pretty sure he remained amateur throughout his entire career at Firhill (Offical Handbook says he played 55 times for the first team). I can distinctly remember that in those days the Scottish Amateur International team often consisted entirely of Queens Park players except for George Cumming, of Partick Thistle.

 

Yon wonderful player stats site (http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/partick/partick.htm) gives his total appearances as 34, and St Mirren as his subsequent team, so there's some disagreement between the two sources.

 

Just thought I'd bring it up, as I've never seen him mentioned since those long-gone days, yet he got many caps at his level.

 

Thank you for reading.

Did George Cumming not go on to be a Grade 1 ref?

[Lindau]

I remember George Cumming. Usually played with the number 4 jersey on his back. Good hard player. Must admit I thought he played a lot more than 55 first team games. Wee Johnny Flanagan was a great wee player, very skillful and bagged a lot of goals

Edited March 8, 2011 by Lindau

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I remember George Cumming. Usually played with the number 4 jersey on his back. Good hard player. Must admit I thought he played a lot more than 55 first team games. Wee Johnny Flanagan was a great wee player, very skillful and bagged a lot of goals

The only reason I mind of George Cumming is because of the more illustrious George Cummings, a guy my father rated highly.

Always liked wee Flanagan. Didn't realise he scored a goal for every four games. A good return when you take into account he was playing for a team on the slide.

[Blackpool Jags]

I remember Cumming fondly - a terrific Jags player with bags of energy and guts.

 

Sorry to be hyper-pedantic, Jaggernaut, but wasn't Johnny Flanagan an out-and-out centre forward? That's how I remember him. He wore the number nine (or ten), which meant something in those days. As usual, I stand to be corrected (which I often am ). I remember being down in the mouth after hearing that we'd sold Flanagan to Clyde.

Edited March 8, 2011 by Blackpool Jags

[Jaggernaut]

I remember Cumming fondly - a terrific Jags player with bags of energy and guts.

 

Sorry to be hyper-pedantic, Jaggernaut, but wasn't Johnny Flanagan an out-and-out centre forward? That's how I remember him. He wore the number nine (or ten), which meant something in those days. As usual, I stand to be corrected (which I often am ). I remember being down in the mouth after hearing that we'd sold Flanagan to Clyde.

You've got me scratching my head now, but I always imagine him playing either on the right wing or as an inside right. I'll need to check in some old programmes. But my memory these days is like two monkeys fighting over a banana, so you may well be right.

 

For those who might be wondering, here's Flanagan (apologies for the earlier spelling mistake) in action, wearing a short-lived strip that I'd love to see resurrected as our away outfit.

http://ptfc.fotopic.net/p5814655.html

[uberteeb]

I always assumed you to be younger than that Jaggernaut

[Jaggernaut]

I always assumed you to be younger than that Jaggernaut

I do come across as an excitable juvenile at times, not especially befitting.

[Blackpool Jags]

You've got me scratching my head now, but I always imagine him playing either on the right wing or as an inside right. I'll need to check in some old programmes. But my memory these days is like two monkeys fighting over a banana, so you may well be right.

 

For those who might be wondering, here's Flanagan (apologies for the earlier spelling mistake) in action, wearing a short-lived strip that I'd love to see resurrected as our away outfit.http://ptfc.fotopic.net/p5814655.html

 

I think I only saw us in that kit once; against Hearts at home (IIRC), c.1967? I'd love to see that and/or the Centenary colours - our traditional attire - as our change kit(s). No to anything else.

[hebridean jag]

Wierd one regarding his position (Flannigan was my first hero). In the years before we got relegated he pretty much carried the team going forward but I also recollect him as a right sided winger

[stuthejag]

George Cumming represented the Scottish Amateur team 6 times.

 

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Ireland (A - Newtonards), 2-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Wales (A - Llanely), 1-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Spain (A - Palma de Mallorca), 3-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Austria (A - Luis Sitjar Stadium), 1-2

1967-68 Represents Scotland Amateurs v England (A - White City, London), 0-0

1967-68 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Ireland (h - Greenock), 0-2

 

 

In April 1968 he was also named in the British Olympic Squad, not sure if he played but.

 

Also his 2 brothers Frank & David were also on the Firhill books as one point.

[Lindau]

 

 

Also his 2 brothers Frank & David were also on the Firhill books as one point.

 

 

Their sister Isa was a bit of a girl...so I am told!!

[Jaggernaut]

George Cumming represented the Scottish Amateur team 6 times.

 

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Ireland (A - Newtonards), 2-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Wales (A - Llanely), 1-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Spain (A - Palma de Mallorca), 3-1

1966-67 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Austria (A - Luis Sitjar Stadium), 1-2

1967-68 Represents Scotland Amateurs v England (A - White City, London), 0-0

1967-68 Represents Scotland Amateurs v Ireland (h - Greenock), 0-2

 

 

In April 1968 he was also named in the British Olympic Squad, not sure if he played but.

 

Also his 2 brothers Frank & David were also on the Firhill books as one point.

Thanks for that!!

 

 

Hmm, interesting that there was a British Olympic squad back then........

[stuthejag]

Thanks for that!!

 

 

Hmm, interesting that there was a British Olympic squad back then........

 

Former Scotland & Thistle back David Holt played in the 1960 Olympics while still a Queen's Park player.

[Hot Shot]

I remember Cumming fondly

 

 

Auld enough to be shooting blanks, but no auld enough to have lost your memory?

[Jaggernaut]

Remember a while back some of us were posting about George Cumming, who played for Thistle in the 1960s?

 

Well, I stumbled on this interesting article:

http://www.hamiltonadvertiser.co.uk/hamilton-lanarkshire-sport/2010/07/15/hamilton-ref-george-cumming-has-reached-the-top-of-world-football-51525-26854791/

[canman]

Johnny Flanigan as I remember played on the right wing. When we were relegated he went to Clyde. They were relegated the following season.

[Jaggernaut]

Johnny Flanigan as I remember played on the right wing. When we were relegated he went to Clyde. They were relegated the following season.

There was some correspondence about JF quite recently. An excellent wee player for us. Here he is against the tarts, wearing my avatar:

http://ptfc.fotopic.net/p5814655.html

 

 

Edit: "Can't find the server."

 

So, have all those great old photos that everybody submitted......gone.....?

Edited May 5, 2011 by Jaggernaut

[OorWull]

There was some correspondence about JF quite recently. An excellent wee player for us. Here he is against the tarts, wearing my avatar:

http://ptfc.fotopic.net/p5814655.html

 

 

Edit: "Can't find the server."

 

So, have all those great old photos that everybody submitted......gone.....?

 

From the Fotopic Site:-

 

Dear Fotopic Users

 

Fotopic and its parent company Snappy Designs Ltd are no longer trading.

Discussions are in progress with a new team to rescue part of its service and the images.

 

The important points to note:

 

1.The images that have been uploaded to the Fotopic servers are safe.

Our aim is to find a migration path to a new service with similar or better functionality

than Fotopic and a method for users to export their existing images.

2.We cannot give you a date for this just yet – please subscribe to our newsletter to be updated.

3.Please understand that we cannot answer specific queries at this time, but will be able to

give more information once we are live with a new service.

Thank you for your understanding.

[stuthejag]

Johnny Flanigan as I remember played on the right wing. When we were relegated he went to Clyde. They were relegated the following season.

 

There is a couple of articles on John Flanagan here.

 

Meet John Flanagan 1967

 

John Flanagan 1969 Profile

[Jaggernaut]

From the Fotopic Site:-

 

Dear Fotopic Users

 

Fotopic and its parent company Snappy Designs Ltd are no longer trading.

Discussions are in progress with a new team to rescue part of its service and the images.

 

The important points to note:

 

1.The images that have been uploaded to the Fotopic servers are safe.

Our aim is to find a migration path to a new service with similar or better functionality

than Fotopic and a method for users to export their existing images.

2.We cannot give you a date for this just yet – please subscribe to our newsletter to be updated.

3.Please understand that we cannot answer specific queries at this time, but will be able to

give more information once we are live with a new service.

Thank you for your understanding.

Thanks for the (slightly) reassuring update.

[Blackpool Jags]

Thanks for the (slightly) reassuring update.

 

Half a point each to us: you said he was a winger and I said he was a striker. Inside-right means we were both half right. After we lost Tommy Gibb to Newcastle, I'd say JF was our top player. Just my opinion, though.

[Blackpool Jags]

I should add that Davie McP and Arthur Duncan were well up the list too.

[Duncan]

Half a point each to us: you said he was a winger and I said he was a striker. Inside-right means we were both half right. After we lost Tommy Gibb to Newcastle, I'd say JF was our top player. Just my opinion, though.

 

From my reading of the Official History statistics Johnny who was one of my boyhood idols played in every forward position apart from outside left during his years at Firhill.

Edited May 6, 2011 by Duncan