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Post by Keith on Jan 6, 2021 11:16:37 GMT
Hello I am trying to get to the truth behind a family story that my grandfather, John Boyle, played for Albion Rovers along side Jock Stein.
As with most family stories, I have no idea what truth or embellishment there is behind this but if you have any information that may provide any clarity on the subject it would be great to hear.
My Grandfather was John Boyle, born 4 Aug. 1912 in Sykeside, Coatbridge. Many thanks Keith
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Post by Rovergrant on Jan 6, 2021 14:32:53 GMT
One for Nanook, methinks......
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Post by Nanook on Jan 6, 2021 21:11:33 GMT
Jock Stein played for Rovers 1942-50.
I can find a reference to Stein playing on Saturday 05 December 1942, he is described as Stein of Blantyre Vics and 'now a signed Rover', so this might have been Stein's debut. No Boyle listed in team. I checked the remainder of the matches for the 1942-43 season that I could find, there were no Boyles listed. At the start of 1943-44 season, there is a listing of the Rovers squad with a headline saying 'No off-season Acquisitions'. I decided to stop there.
In 1942, your grandad would have been 30. Do you have any further information about your Grandad? Position he played, previous teams, any other clues?
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Post by Keith on Jan 7, 2021 8:11:49 GMT
Hi Nanook Thanks for having a look and updating me. I have no further information about my grandads football career, if indeed he had one. I know he was born in Coatbridge and was an avid football supporter of his local team. I am working from family stories and trying to sort out truth from myth that develops over the years.
As you point out my grandad would have been 30 years old when Mr Stein arrived but is there a chance that he played for the Rovers before this time. I don't know what age players would have been signed by clubs in these times but he would have been 16 years old in 1928. I would like to be able to report back to the family if there are records to show he did play for ARFC or if the story can be put to bed for good. Again I thank you for your time. Keith
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Post by rab on Jan 7, 2021 18:31:39 GMT
There are six team photos in 'Boys From the 'Brig' (a history book of the club) from 1928-38 and there isn't a Boyle in any of them. Neither is there one listed in the team line ups in the book in any of the years up to 1945. Also no mention of him in any of the match programmes I have from 1931 onwards. This doesn't prove definitively that he didn't ever play for Rovers, as 'trialist' was often a feature of line ups; a number of players are likely to have played a handful of games (or just one game) for Rovers, especially during the war years. But overall, it does sound like this may be no more than a family story.
Unless it was John Bell (who was signed from QoS in 1937)? There are plenty of mentions of him!
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Post by Nanook on Jan 7, 2021 20:33:18 GMT
Just to add to what Rab says, in the match that Stein made his debut the goalkeeper was listed as Junior.
Trialists have a variety of names - Junior, Trialist (some times A. Trialist, B. Trialist and so on, I have a vague memory of 4 Trialists in one Rovers match, A through to D), my own particular favourite though was A. N. Other.
There might have been other Trialist descriptions but those are the ones I remember.
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Post by Keith on Jan 8, 2021 7:54:26 GMT
Many thanks for all you efforts gents. I guess we will never know for definite. At least we have a little more clarity for the family story. Best wishes Keith
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