|
The
1910's was the last decade of the first Grosvenor Park era and also
saw the local game affected by the Great War. The club won seven
trophies:--- the CAS 1914-15, 1918-19 and 1919-20, the Gold Cup
1913-14 and 1919-20, the City Cup 1912-13 and the Belfast Charities
Cup 1915-16. However, the two major trophies eluded them --- the
nearest Distillery got was runner-up in the League Championship
1911-12, 1912-13 and 1919-20 and it's reputation as a great Irish
Cup side disappeared with only three semi-final appearances during
the entire decade.
My
team of the decade was relatively easy to select with the exception
of the right-wing position. This berth was a problem position throughout
the decade (50 different players had been used) and as there was
no outstanding no.7, I have decided to include an outstandingly
versatile player in this position:-
1
ERNEST STOREY
was a Welshman who had played for Bradford City. He made his Distillery
debut on 7th September 1912 and helped win the City Cup that season.
He joined Swansea Town for a season, 1913-14 then returned to the
Whites to play for three more seasons. He made a total of 114 appearances.
2
SAM ' SUREFOOT ' BURNISON returned
to Distillery from Bradford City in 1911-12 and was the regular
right-back for most of the decade until 1918-19, taking part in
four trophy wins and scoring a vital penalty in the 1913-14 Gold
Cup Final replay. He returned to his home town of Lurgan in November
to play for Glenavon after a total of 13 seasons playing for the
Whites. He got the last two of his 8 Ireland caps as a Distillery
player and played twice for the Irish League during this period.
3
JOE KIRKPATRICK was
the regular left-back who with Sam Burnison formed a solid full-back
partnership for most of the decade. He had joined from Mountpottinger
in 1910-11 and won 5 medals with the Whites. He made 254 appearances
and scored one priceless goal against Cliftonville on 3-4-1915.
4
MAXWELL REID
was the second of the Reid brothers to play for Distillery. He joined
from Forth River and made his debut on 6th December 1913. He spent
8 seasons at the club and was involved in five trophy wins. In August
1921 he was transferred to New Brighton. He made 164 appearances
for Distillery, scoring four goals.
5
GEORGE KAY
joined Distillery from Bolton Wanderers at the start of 1911-12
and played regularly that season until injury put him out of action
for quite a while. He returned to the team at the start of 1913-14,
helping to win the Gold Cup and also the CAS the following season.
He joined the army and was shell-shocked during World War One. On
recovery he joined West Ham in July 1919 and later became manager
of Liverpool. He made 91 appearances for Distillery scoring 14 goals
and played twice for the Irish League.
6
TOMMY ' HOOKEY ' MILNE
was a Scot who played during the 1912-13 season, helping to win
the City Cup as well as the Gold Cup in 1913-14 when he filled in
as emergency centre-forward and scored the opening goal. In 1914-15
he scored the only goal of the CAS Final and then missed the 1915-16
CAS Final through injury, which was to restrict his appearances
during hie remaining time at the club. He moved to Queens Island
in August 1920 after a total of 140 appearances and 21 goals for
the Whites.
7
ROBERT McCRACKEN played
for 7 seasons in 7 different positions. He was an extremely versatile
player though in his later career he was best known as a half-back.
He played 31 games for Distillery as a right-winger. At the start
of World War One he joined the Royal Irish Artillery and after the
war he returned to the Whites for a season, 1919-20 before being
controversially signed by Crystal Palace. He made 149 appearances
for the Whites, scoring 5 goals and playing 4 times for the Irish
League.
8
JOE McCLARENCE was
a dentist by trade who joined Distillery from Newcastle United in
1911-12. He helped win the City Cup in 1912-13 and after a few games
in 1913-14 he returned to England. He made 73 appearances scoring
29 goals and is the only player in Distillery history to be sent
off in a competitive match and then brought back on at half-time.
9
JACK
CONNOR came
fron Sunderland and helped the Whites win the CAS in 1914-15 and
the Belfast Charities Cup in 1915-16. After three and a half prolific
seasons he moved to Glentoran in February 1918. He made 112 appearances
for the Whites and scored 86 goals (including 29 in each of seasons
1914-15 and 1915-16 and 5 hat-tricks). He scored 5 goals in a game
against Bohemians on 10-4-1915. He returned from Glentoran to play
a couple of games at the end of 1918-19.
10
DAVY REID
was the first of the Reid brothers to play for Distillery when he
made his debut on 11th October 1913, scoring the winner in a 3-2
defeat of Cliftonville. He played in all forward positions and helped
win the Gold Cup 1913-14, the CAS 1914-15, the Belfast Charities
Cup 1915-16 and scored the winner in the CAS Final of 1918-19. He
also won medals in the Gold Cup and CAS Finals in 1919-20. He was
signed by Everton at the start of 1920-21 and played twice for the
Irish League.
11
JIMMY FERRIS
joined Distillery in January 1914, helped win the CAS that year
and in 1915-16 his goal won the Belfast Charities Cup. He joined
Belfast Celtic at the end of 1916-17 where he became a legend and
also had a spell at Chelsea. He made 75 appearances and scored 13
goals for the Whites.
Reserves:---
Jack
Cowell
--- the former Sunderland player scored vital goals in the 1912-13
City Cup success.
John Reid --- the third Reid brother scored 2 goals in the 1919-20
CAS Final.
Jack
Watson from Vale of Leven scored a vital goal in the 1919-20
Gold Cup Final.
Leo Donnelly was a stallwart half-back who spent 9 seasons at the
club.
Billy
Steele joined from Glentoran in 1917-18 and was regular keeper
for 4 seasons.
Johnny ' Nipper ' Campbell --- the little striker signed from Dunmurry
in 1910-11 played for 4 seasons before moving on to Glenavon and
Linfield.
|
