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The
1920's was the first traumatic decade in Distillery history, as
the club was forced to vacate Grosvenor Park in 1922 and move across
the city away from it's support base. Lack of financial income led
to a difficult 5 years at York Park and it took a well organised
fund-raising campaign to get the club back to Grosvenor Park in
1927. However, even during this decade of instability, the team
did manage to win five trophies:--- the Irish Cup 1924-25, the Gold
Cup 1924-25 and 1929-30 and the Belfast Charities Cup 1920-21 and
1928-29. They were also runners-up in the League Championship in
1923-24.
1
ARTHUR FITZROY
was signed from Loopvale and made his debut on 1-11-24. He was a
tower of strength in goal and won Irish Cup and Gold Cup medals
in 1924-25. He played every game of 1925-26. He was badly injured
in a game at Larne on 14-1-28, sustaining broken ribs and losing
a kidney which ended his Whites career. Later he bravely returned
to the game with Glentoran. He made 134 appearances and played twice
for the Irish League.
2
SYDNEY REID
joined from amateur team Ophir and made his debut on 13-10-27. He
played in the BCC Final of 1928-29 and helped get the Whites to
the 1929-30 Gold Cup Final, but he missed it as his prowess had
been spotted and he was signed by Derby County in December 1929
for £850. He made 93 appearances for Distillery, played once for
the Irish League and later went on to play for Ireland.
3
HAL BURNISON,
the youngest of the Burnison brothers, played throughout the entire
decade. He had made his debut on 22-2-19 at centre-forward and scored.
By his fourth game he had moved to left-back where he played for
12 seasons. During this time he left the club for two seasons due
a financial dispute and played for Brantwood in 1921-22 and 1922-23.
He returned to the Whites in August 1923 and played in four of the
trophy wins. He made 325 appearances scoring 16 goals and played
four times for the Irish League.
4
JACK GARRETT
made his debut on 24-8-21 straight from BB football and won Irish
Cup and Gold Cup medals in 1924-25. he was a strong-tackling half-back
and he once played at centre-forward and scored. In 1925 he got
a surprise call up for Ireland and he also played twice for the
Irish League. He made 207 appearances and scored 15 goals, before
moving on to Ards, Broadway Utd. and Crusaders.
5
JOHN ' PADDY ' DALRYMPLE
was a Ballymena man who made his debut at centre-forward on 23-10-20
and later that season scored 2 goals in the BCC Final. In 1924-25
he helped win the Irish Cup and the Gold Cup by scoring the opening
goal in the Final. He switched to centre-half from 24-9-27 and was
a great player in both positions. He made 290 appearances scoring
94 goals and played 7 times for the Irish League.
6
JIM H. ANDERSON
was signed from Castlereagh and made his debut on 29-1-21. He scored
the Whites first goal at York Park and won medals in the Irish Cup
and Gold Cup in 1924-25. He once turned out as goalkeeper and played
his last game on 18-5-28. He made 213 appearances scoring 24 goals
and played once for the Irish League.
7
HAMMIE McKENZIE
had previously played for Mountpottinger, Glenavon and Linfield
before being signed as a reserve player. He made his senior debut
on 2-11-18, but by 1920-21 he was the regular right-winger and helped
win the BCC. He scored in the Irish Cup Final 1924-25 and played
in the Gold Cup Final as well. He was 11 seasons at the club and
played once for Ireland. He made 258 appearances scoring 48 goals
and played 5 times for the Irish League.
8
SAM PATTON
was a Comber man who made his debut in the last game of 1923-24.
He had arrived from Dundela having previously played for Comber
Reading Room. After several seasons at inside-right he moved to
half-back in 1926-27. He joined Dundalk in 1928-29 for two seasons
before returning to the Whites in May 1930. He made 139 appearances
and scored 14 goals in this decade.
9
SAM ' BULL' McADAM from
Derry had played for Institute, Derry North End and Pennyburn Rovers
before making his Distillery debut on 28-1-28. A phenomenal goalscorer--
he scored 14 hat-tricks during this part of his career and once
scored 5 goals in a game against Larne on 27-1-30 (part of a sequence
of 17 goals in 6 games). He made 104 appearances and scored 118
goals in this decade. He played once for the Irish League.
10
DAVY BAKER
was a classy player who made his debut at the start of 1921-22.
He played his last game on 15-11-24 then moved on to Crusaders and
Glenavon. He made 88 appearances scoring 29 goals and played twice
for the Irish League.
11
BILLY BLAIR
from Ashville Juniors made his debut on 9-9-22. In 1924-25 he was
moved to inside-left to accommodate Davy McMullan and helped win
the Irish Cup and Gold Cup. By 1927-28 he was back at no.11. He
made 227 appearances and scored 55 goals before moving to Larne
in March 1929. He played twice for the Irish League.
Reserves:---
Harry
Sinnamon
was a consistent performer at inside-right.
Herbie
Harrison was a left-winger who scored the opener in the 1929-30
Gold Cup Final.
Davy McMullan was another left-winger who was signed by Liverpool
and became an international.
Jack
Savage was regular right-back for four seasons.
Patsy
McIlvenny played at centre-half and centre-forward and was transferred
to Cardiff City in May 1924.
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