Andy Mitchell
@andymitchellmedia.bsky.social
Scottish football historian. Edinburgh. www.scottishsporthistory.com
1901 census, in Willesden
November 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM
1901 census, in Willesden
It took a lot of searching, but I finally got Jem Smith on the 1911 and 1921 censuses! The address, 48 Torbay Road in Willesden, matches a court report from 1908.
November 4, 2025 at 7:20 PM
It took a lot of searching, but I finally got Jem Smith on the 1911 and 1921 censuses! The address, 48 Torbay Road in Willesden, matches a court report from 1908.
50 years ago today, 19 Oct 1975, a world record football score for a top division match without any contrived skulduggery: Lochend Thistle (Edinburgh) 0 Dundee Strikers 47 in the Scottish Women's League. Quite the run of results for Lochend that season! But they kept going and did win a match later.
October 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
50 years ago today, 19 Oct 1975, a world record football score for a top division match without any contrived skulduggery: Lochend Thistle (Edinburgh) 0 Dundee Strikers 47 in the Scottish Women's League. Quite the run of results for Lochend that season! But they kept going and did win a match later.
A fascinating hour this evening listening to @malikalnasir.bsky.social on his new book "Searching for my Slave Roots" which I look forward to reading - not least finding out more about footballer Andrew Watson. Well done to @portybooks.bsky.social for putting on the event.
October 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A fascinating hour this evening listening to @malikalnasir.bsky.social on his new book "Searching for my Slave Roots" which I look forward to reading - not least finding out more about footballer Andrew Watson. Well done to @portybooks.bsky.social for putting on the event.
50 years ago, 28 Sept 1975, an astonishing result in the Scottish Women's League Cup: Lochend Thistle 0 Edinburgh Dynamos 42. Cuttings from the Evening News, with a photo of Dynamos earlier in the year.
September 28, 2025 at 7:08 AM
50 years ago, 28 Sept 1975, an astonishing result in the Scottish Women's League Cup: Lochend Thistle 0 Edinburgh Dynamos 42. Cuttings from the Evening News, with a photo of Dynamos earlier in the year.
More in the British Newspaper Archive, small snippets from a tragic tale.
September 23, 2025 at 6:32 PM
More in the British Newspaper Archive, small snippets from a tragic tale.
A spot of local trouble for John Gilkes in 1911
September 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
A spot of local trouble for John Gilkes in 1911
#OTD 18 September 1965 - Brazilian striker Francisco Filho played for Dunfermline Athletic against Morton, his sole game in the Scottish League. Alongside him was Alex Ferguson and four decades later they were reunited at Manchester United, when Filho was appointed youth coach and SAF's assistant.
September 18, 2025 at 8:52 AM
#OTD 18 September 1965 - Brazilian striker Francisco Filho played for Dunfermline Athletic against Morton, his sole game in the Scottish League. Alongside him was Alex Ferguson and four decades later they were reunited at Manchester United, when Filho was appointed youth coach and SAF's assistant.
Still not as early as the Oxford Magazine, 2 February 1887 which used 'socker' - as did several others around that time (inc the Oxford Review in Nov 1888). More here: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
August 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Still not as early as the Oxford Magazine, 2 February 1887 which used 'socker' - as did several others around that time (inc the Oxford Review in Nov 1888). More here: www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
Jenkins scored a lot of goals for Dunblane Rovers, with seven in one game and multiple hat tricks.
August 16, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Jenkins scored a lot of goals for Dunblane Rovers, with seven in one game and multiple hat tricks.
And by magic, here is the Dunblane Rovers player register for 1929/30 with his full details!
August 16, 2025 at 10:08 AM
And by magic, here is the Dunblane Rovers player register for 1929/30 with his full details!
Referee stops game after player is racially abused, spectator is ejected. It happened last night, it also happened as far back as 1968 when ref Jim Finney took action on behalf of Scunthorpe's Scottish winger Peter Foley. If only others had been so proactive.
August 16, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Referee stops game after player is racially abused, spectator is ejected. It happened last night, it also happened as far back as 1968 when ref Jim Finney took action on behalf of Scunthorpe's Scottish winger Peter Foley. If only others had been so proactive.
If you think the sport is bad, try the News page. Currently this is the @heraldscotland.bsky.social *lead* story. A restaurant menu change, FFS.
August 7, 2025 at 11:18 AM
If you think the sport is bad, try the News page. Currently this is the @heraldscotland.bsky.social *lead* story. A restaurant menu change, FFS.
And there is one more memorial to Pat Cavanagh, his grave at Mount Vernon Cemetery. Sadly he died aged just 51 in 1906, leaving behind a prosperous business and a legacy of street works around the city that survive to this day.
August 6, 2025 at 8:28 AM
And there is one more memorial to Pat Cavanagh, his grave at Mount Vernon Cemetery. Sadly he died aged just 51 in 1906, leaving behind a prosperous business and a legacy of street works around the city that survive to this day.
However, if you are feeling flush, you can buy a recycled Stuart's Granolithic sign on eBay.
August 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
However, if you are feeling flush, you can buy a recycled Stuart's Granolithic sign on eBay.
Other granolithic concrete contractors were also active in Edinburgh. Brass signs for Stuart's Granolithic used to adorn Waverley Station but disappeared in refurbishment work. Another recent loss was outside the National Portrait Gallery.
August 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Other granolithic concrete contractors were also active in Edinburgh. Brass signs for Stuart's Granolithic used to adorn Waverley Station but disappeared in refurbishment work. Another recent loss was outside the National Portrait Gallery.
Edinburgh Council's Street Design Guidance acknowledges the historic importance of granolithic concrete, and states 'There should be a presumption in favour of retaining and repairing areas of historic paving'. More here: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/do...
August 6, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Edinburgh Council's Street Design Guidance acknowledges the historic importance of granolithic concrete, and states 'There should be a presumption in favour of retaining and repairing areas of historic paving'. More here: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/do...
However, another sign a couple of streets away in Palmerston Road has been cut in half, probably due to the laying of a modern interloper such as an internet cable. Tellingly, however, the Cavanagh half is in better condition than its modern cement replacement.
August 6, 2025 at 8:17 AM
However, another sign a couple of streets away in Palmerston Road has been cut in half, probably due to the laying of a modern interloper such as an internet cable. Tellingly, however, the Cavanagh half is in better condition than its modern cement replacement.
There is another example of his work just south of the Meadows in Hatton Place, a quiet suburban street, at its junction with Tantallon Place. His brass sign is set proudly in the concrete, which Cavanagh's men laid in the 1890s and is still in good condition.
August 6, 2025 at 8:16 AM
There is another example of his work just south of the Meadows in Hatton Place, a quiet suburban street, at its junction with Tantallon Place. His brass sign is set proudly in the concrete, which Cavanagh's men laid in the 1890s and is still in good condition.
Warriston Close was reopened in 1902 after being formed in granolithic concrete by Cavanagh, and his work was praised by the Council's Streets and Building Committee who said it had been 'very satisfactorily carried out'. Cavanagh's plate is one flight up, between the central handrails.
August 6, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Warriston Close was reopened in 1902 after being formed in granolithic concrete by Cavanagh, and his work was praised by the Council's Streets and Building Committee who said it had been 'very satisfactorily carried out'. Cavanagh's plate is one flight up, between the central handrails.
Cavanagh clearly took a pride in his civic work, as at street corners he liked to embed his nameplate in the concrete pavements, a permanent reminder of his expertise. I tracked down one impressive plate embedded in Warriston Close, the steep steps which rise from Cockburn Street to the High Street.
August 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Cavanagh clearly took a pride in his civic work, as at street corners he liked to embed his nameplate in the concrete pavements, a permanent reminder of his expertise. I tracked down one impressive plate embedded in Warriston Close, the steep steps which rise from Cockburn Street to the High Street.
After he hung up his boots, Cavanagh he went into the construction business and became a leading contractor for Edinburgh Council when they undertook street improvements towards the end of the nineteenth century.
August 6, 2025 at 8:11 AM
After he hung up his boots, Cavanagh he went into the construction business and became a leading contractor for Edinburgh Council when they undertook street improvements towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Cavanagh soon became an integral part of Hibernian team. A natural leader, he was elected captain in 1879 and inspired Hibs to their earliest triumphs, winning three Edinburgh FA Cups, the Edinburgh FA Shield twice and the Rosebery Cup by the time he retired in 1884. Here he is, in the centre.
August 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Cavanagh soon became an integral part of Hibernian team. A natural leader, he was elected captain in 1879 and inspired Hibs to their earliest triumphs, winning three Edinburgh FA Cups, the Edinburgh FA Shield twice and the Rosebery Cup by the time he retired in 1884. Here he is, in the centre.
Today is the 150th birthday of Hibernian Football Club, founded in Edinburgh on 6 August 1875. To mark the occasion I've been on the trail of Pat Cavanagh, one of the founders. Here's a thread about a man who literally left his mark on the city's streets.
August 6, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Today is the 150th birthday of Hibernian Football Club, founded in Edinburgh on 6 August 1875. To mark the occasion I've been on the trail of Pat Cavanagh, one of the founders. Here's a thread about a man who literally left his mark on the city's streets.
Great to see this memorial bench to John White at Musselburgh Athletic's ground. It was restored by club supporters as a tribute to the Spurs and Scotland great. More on the story here: www.facebook.com/the1934club/...
July 28, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Great to see this memorial bench to John White at Musselburgh Athletic's ground. It was restored by club supporters as a tribute to the Spurs and Scotland great. More on the story here: www.facebook.com/the1934club/...