TILLICOULTRY GLENALBION F.C.

The newly formed Club staged their first trial game on Friday evening in the Public Park, before a large attendance. Two teams representing "A" and "B" were as follows:- "A" team- Hunter; Looker and Aitken, Foggo, A. Anderson and Carmichael; Anderson, Hinchcliffe, Michie, McLaren, and Connell. "B" team, Bernard; Stalker and Hunter; Wilson, Glass and Crawford, Flockhart, Cunningham, Green, Ferguson, Gillespie, T Baxter, Devonside officiated as referee. "A" team proved victorious in a game which appeared to be one rather one-sided by 8 goals to 1. Nevertheless the "B" team played well. With such a galaxy of talent at their disposal, those in charge have no fear for the incoming season. At the close of the game the players were entertained by the Club.

GLENALBION DOWN

The newly formed Tillicoultry Glenalbion had a stiff opening game, their opponents being Alva Thistle. The Thistle won by the odd goal in five but the new team is not discouraged by this result. It was not expected that it would hit "high spots" right away and no doubt the Albion officials will gradually attend to any weak spots detected.
(Alloa Advertiser 2nd September 1933)
Fixtures
Tillicoultry Glenalbion v. Fishcross Heatherbells
Devonvale v. Clackmannan Rovers
 

I wonder how a name like 'Heatherbells' would go down on a match list for today!

GLENALBION DOWN AGAIN

Tillicoultry Glenalbion met with an un-expected 5-0 reverse at the hands of Fishcross last Saturday. Owing to injuries and other causes, the homesters were not in a position to find their strongest eleven but this is not offered as an excuse. The 'Albion were the first to admit that they had been defeated by the better team. Two of the Fishcross goals were disputed on the grounds of off sides, but the referee held his decision. Although deserving victory the score flattered the winners.

On 18th November 1933, Foggo was sentenced to a 2s. fine and 14 days suspension.
On 4th January 1936, Tillicoultry Albion were knocked out of the Scottish Cup.

In 1947 there was mention of another Tillicoultry team - Tillicoultry Star. Does anyone have any information on this team?

Devonvale Football Team

This is the Devonvale Team which won the County Juvenile League Cup in June 1934. They beat Tulliallan Thistle 4-3 at the 'Recs' Ground in Alloa.

Back row (left to right) — Jimmy Hughes, Bob Borland, Morris Dewar, To, Cook, Alan McFadyen, Bob Crawford (trainer).

Seated — Alex Leishman, Tom Forsyth, Davie Smith, Jackie Gray, Ian McKinnon and Jimmy Drummond.

Alan McFadyen was from Maryhill, Glasgow and used to cycled through to play! Davie Smith went on to play for Plymouth Argyle's when war broke out. He joined the Argyll's and played against other forces teams.

Saturday 26th August 1933

Devonvale played Fishcross (Heatherbells?) They won 4 goals to one. Players from the Fishcross team were on holiday and the officials found it difficult to put a team together.

I am trying to find when this team were established.  Devonvale were definitely formed prior to 1933. Back through another year! Any news for Fishcross?

I found a link to your 'Football History' web page from a Tillicoultry website I was visiting.  The 'B' team in the Tillicoultry Glen Albion trial match lists a 'Gillespie' at outside left.  This may be either my father Bob Gillespie or my uncle Jim Gillespie.  I believe my dad played more often at inside left and my uncle went on to be a very good left winger scoring a record number of goals from that position in a season.  He apparently just missed selection for the Scotland Junior team.

A Google search on 'Tillicoultry Glen Albion' led me to another page on your site which has a photo of the Devonvale team which won the County Juvenile League Cup in 1934.  I've attached a photo I've recently found in my late mother's possessions of a team my dad played for.  I think it may also be a Devonvale team as the strip is similar and my dad worked for Devonvale before and after World War II up until we came to Australia in 1963.  Unfortunately, there is no date on the photo or details of the players.  My dad is front row, far right.  The Devonvale team was revived in 1960-61 and I recall watching a match on the ground where the Sterling Designer Outlet Village now stands.

My dad told told me many stories about Junior Football when I was young. Alva Albion Rangers would have been one of the top teams in the country. Crowds were not measured by number but by how many deep they stood around the touch line.  My dad and uncle played for a Scottish championship winning five-a-side team, memories of which I prompted my uncle for when I visited him in Tillicoultry in 1988.  He died in 1999 aged 88 and my dad passed away in Canberra in 1981 aged 75.  My mother, Mary Gillespie, died this past June aged 90.

I hope you have success finding more stories about county football and please let me know if you post any more information on your website.

Best wishes from 'down-under'.

Jim Gillespie

Thank you for the information. It's nice to know my research is of interest to someone. Perhaps other folk will recognise members of this team and add more information. It is appreciated.

In 1994, there was a photograph in the Alloa Advertiser, of Devonvale, which first appeared in 1963. I have looked through the 1960 paper but found no mention of the team then. Hopefully, by going back through 1963 I might pick up a hint of them.