These were two giants of the early Scottish game.
Queen's Park's preeminence is well known. From 1874-1900 they won the Scottish Cup 10 times and were runners up twice. They were also runners up on 2 occasions in the FA Cup. Queen's Park eschewed league football.
Dumbarton, on the other hand, enjoyed some success with the advent of the league. They were joint winners in the inaugural season (1890–91) and won it outright the following year. They won the Scottish Cup in 1883, and finished runners up on 5 further occasions (2 of which were defeats by Queen's Park).
It's quite a genteel looking crowd in the foreground here at Boghead Park. There's a rather precarious looking stand arrangement on the far side of the ground . I love the casual attitude of the umpires.
In the background we can see the monolith which gives Dumbarton FC it's nickname, Sons of the Rock.
Richard Robinson describes the encounter:
Richard Robinson describes the encounter:
The excitement and the rivalry of season 1880-81 and 1881-82 were carried into season 1882-83, as Dumbarton and Queen's Park were pitted against each other once more in a Scottish Cup tie, on this occasion in the sixth round. The tie had to be played at Dumbarton, too, which town, strange to say, the senior club had never visited before. The team was very doubtful what reception awaited it, and its anticipations on this head were doleful and pessimistic in the extreme, and not without reason, when it is remembered the hard battles the clubs had already fought on neutral grounds, and under peculiar circumstances. It is not an exaggeration to say it embarked on that short journey in fear and trembling, not so much as to the result of the game, as to the knowledge that the Dumbarton spectators might not share the feelings of friendly rivalry that really existed between the two clubs, and which confined itself to the field of battle. A fear dwelt in the hearts of the Queen's Park that a hostile reception was to be expected. The saloon carriage which carried the team on that eventful journey contained many timorous souls, prepared to face all eventualities, whether from an aggressive crowd or from a foe worthy of their steel. All these gloomy anticipations were doomed to be agreeably disappointed, as the reception given the Queen's Park team on stepping on to the field of play was decidedly friendly, not to say cordial, and equally so during the game itself. The players on both sides played in a fair yet determined manner, and gave an exhibition worthy of the high position both then held in the world of football. The game was played on 3rd February, 1883. After many attempts and many years of patient labour, Dumbarton attained here the object of their ambition, when they defeated Queen's Park by three goals to one, and won the cup for the first and last time, defeating Vale of Leven in the final by two goals to one, after a drawn game. In this match Queen's Park played three half-backs—Campbell, Watson, and Gow—and Dumbarton two—P. Miller and L. Keir. The new formation had its effect on Harrower, as he seemed at sea looking for his old partner. All the Dumbarton team played as they never played before, and were delighted at their great success. The teams were:—
Queen's Park—A. Rowan; W. Arnott and A. W. Holm; C. Campbell, A. Watson, and J. J. Gow; E. Fraser, W. Anderson, W. Harrower, D. S. Allan, and J. L. Kay.
Dumbarton—J. M'Aulay; M. Paton and J. Hutcheson; P. Miller and L. Keir; R. Brown (1), R. Brown (2), J. Lindsay, J. Miller, F. M'Arthur, and W. M'Kinnon.
History of the Queen's Park Football Club 1867 - 1917 Richard Robinson (1920).
Robinson makes an interesting observation on formations here- Queen's Park played three half-backs- and his note that Harrower... seemed at sea looking for his old partner suggests that it was a centre forward withdrawn to centre half. So Queen's Park's extra man in midfield (a 2-3-5 pyramid), which aided their short passing approach, did not pay off because the centre forward hadn't adapted to working the chances alone?
All 11 of the Queen's Park players in this match were eventually capped by Scotland, as were 8 of the Dumbarton side.
McAulay, the Dumbarton goalkeeper was also capped as an outfield player and had scored international goals!
There were 2 Robert Browns in the Dumbarton XI- one known as Plumber and the other as Sparrow; both went on to win international honours.
