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Fullname: William McOustra
aka: Willie McOustra
Born: Jan 1881
Died: 18 Mar 1957
Birthplace: Larbert
Signed: 21 Sep 1899 (from Ashfield)
Left: 1 Feb 1902 (to Man City)
Position: Inside forward
Debut: Queen’s Park 0-2 Celtic, League, 8 Sep 1900
Internationals: none
Biog
Willie McOustra was a lightning quick forward who was signed by Celtic from Ashfield in September 1899.
He was signed on the same day Celtic played in a friendly against ‘The Kaffirs‘, a touring side of black South African players in what is now seen as an historically pivotal tour.
It was reported that: “McOustra is the best capture the club has made for some time”, and he was described in the sporting press as “a class man, a hard worker, a dashy, speedy player”.
His competitive senior debut came in a 2-0 league victory at Queen’s Park on 8th September 1900.
Manager Willie Maley was an admirer, and once said of him, despite the defeat (3-2 loss to Hearts in Inter-city league match), that:
“McOustra, however, was the Celtic star, some of his touches being of the most scientific order, and only lacking in a little shooting. His touches and dash were delightful and Bell was never better supported.”
His biggest asset was unquestionably his blistering pace and he was always prepared to work hard for his team. However, his speed was also a problem in that it led to a tendency to over-run the ball, something that all great fast players to this day can suffer from (e.g. Didier Agathe is another example).
The inside forward was surprisingly sold to Manchester City in Feb 1902 after a dip in form. He was sold with Jimmy Drummond for “…enormous prices“.
He had made 30 league & Scottish Cup appearances for the Bhoys and netted 9 goals, a fair return. However, Celtic sadly did not win any major silverware during his match time.
He spent several years at Man City before moving on to Blackpool, Stenhousemuir and Alloa.
Willie McOustra later served on the Western Front in the First World War. He had enlisted as a private in the Scots Guards. He arrived on the Western Front in March 1915, and was to be involved in the Battle of Festubert in May 1915 fighting just a few hundred yards from where tragically Josie Maley, the son of his old Man City manager (Tom Maley), received a mortal wound dying a few hours later.
Willie McOustra was medically discharged from the army in September 1917.
He returned to Glasgow and later helped out as an assistant to fellow ex-Celtic player Jerry Reynolds as an odd job man back at Celtic Park.
He passed away in 1957.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1899-1902 | 23 | 7 | – | – | 30 |
| Goals | 6 | 3 | – | – | 9 |
Honours with Celtic
none
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Willie McOustra in the Fred Karno team. It was taken in Exeter in March 1909. Willie is sitting front row, first on left with moustache.
Obituary
![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/80bd2f344dc38c92ba2d3aecb8aa04ea "[Untitled]")
Articles
(from http://celticgraves.com/topic/10047727/1/?x=50#new)
Willie McOustra was born in January 1881 at Larbert, Stirlingshire, the son of James and Jane McOustra. His father and grandfather were both iron moulders to trade and the skill was passed on to Willie who after leaving school joined them working in the local foundries. Willie played his early football in the juniors with local sides Heather Rangers, Ashfield and Stenhousemuir. His preferred position was as a forward on the flanks and he could play on either wing. At a shade over 5 foot 8 inches, Willie was tall and using his long stride he could run like the wind. He was some times too fast, both for his supporting forwards and his own ball control.
The Celtic secretary Willie Maley gave eighteen-year-old Willie his big chance to escape the foundries in an exhibition game against a visiting “Kaffir” team at Parkhead. The Bantu team was touring Europe under the auspices of the Orange Free State Football Association. The South Africans arrived at Celtic Park on 21 September 1899 from Dundee with something of a reputation and were described in the prose of the time as “dusky, a fine lot of men, clever footballers and possessing great stamina.” During the evening trial, the technically superior Celtic toyed with the Bantu visitors, going on to win 2-0. Young McOustra’s terrific turn of speed and ability to play on either wing impressed Maley and Willie was taken onto the Celtic Books immediately after the game. His blistering runs down both wings suited perfectly Celtic’s adventurous, attacking style of play and he was described in the sporting press as “ a class man, a hard worker, a dashy, speedy player.”
His first run out for Bhoys proper was against lowly Linthouse on 14 October 1899 in the Glasgow FA Cup. The cup competition was run by the Glasgow Football Association and was because of the calibre of the Glasgow and Lanarkshire teams eligible to compete, second only to the Scottish FA Cup itself.
At this time, such was the power and influence of the Glasgow FA, its cup games even took priority over Scottish League matches. Young Willie impressed, with sports reporters commenting “the Celts latest recruit put in a promising display and could be a good understudy for Sandy McMahon.” To be mentioned in the same sentence as the Celtic and Scotland colossus was praise indeed. Celtic as expected ran out easy winners by 5 goals to 1. He was then sent home, loaned to Stenhousemuir.
Brought back to Parkhead in the New Year, Willie turnout at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock on Tuesday 2 January 1900 in a testimonial game for Killie veteran James (Bummer) Campbell. Bummer’s claim to fame was that he once scored eight goals in a Scottish Qualifying Cup game against Saltcoats Victoria when Kilmarnock went on to win 13-2. The organisers of the benefit couldn’t have picked a worse day for the game. It was even by Scottish standards truly awful and as soon as the game kicked off, both teams and the few spectators who braved the elements just wanted it over. The Celtic side containing a reasonable sprinkling of first team stars went down 6-0. Its difficult to imagine what young Willie McOustra, so desperate to impress thought of the drubbing. The weather was was so bad when the sports writers commented that neither McOustra nor Dorans did well, they added “they are young and it was a terrible day.”
On 6 January, Willie got another chance to pull on the green and white and turned out for was described as an “emergency” game against Paisley Accies at Parkhead. The Celtic old Bhoy Tom Maley was refereeing the match and both would figure large in each other’s lives in the not too distant future. Although the weather had improved to something more like a normal January day in Glasgow, the game was not well attended, despite another good array of stars in the line up. The Celtic ran out 8-1 winners as would be expected, and Willie got a mention in by the sports writers saying that “ McOustra combined to good effect with Peter Somers.” He also got a goal and his name on the score sheet alongside the likes of McMahon and King. Young Peter Somers from Strathavon was also trying to make his mark at Parkhead, he would in time make a very definite mark, but not just quiet yet.
Willie McOustra was starting to find his feet among his teammates and as his confidence increased so did his performances. Just reward for his hard work and application came when Willie Maley warned him that he was in the side that would meet Third Lanark on 3 February. It would be the Celtic’s opening game of the Inter City League competition. This was a very definite step up in responsibility and Willie and his family would have been delighted that he had managed to break into the Celtic team for a game that actually mattered.
The Inter City League was in fact the newly configured and retitled Glasgow League. As was generally the case over this early period of Scottish football development, the Celtic Club was the driving force behind the creation of the Glasgow League having first pushed the concept in 1895. The idea was to help fill up vacant dates on the fixture list towards the end of the Scottish League competition. The Celtic was a business and every opportunity had to be taken to play football and generate revenue. The Glasgow League ran at the tail end of the normal Scottish League, which finished in January, and alongside the Scottish Cup ties. It had originally comprised only four Glasgow clubs; Celtic, Rangers, Queen’s Park and Third Lanark, later Clyde and Partick Thistle were brought in. The two were dropped for the start of 1900-01 season in favour of the two Edinburgh sides Hibernian and Hearts and the competition then became known as the Inter-City League. The competition never really caught on and crowds were generally disappointing, however, it did generate some reasonable funds and it gave club secretaries or managers the change to try out fringe players and to nurse injured ones back to full fitness.
As was usual for February, it had been raining in Glasgow for a week, but then the weather turned bitterly cold and a hard frost set in. On the day of the game the playing surface at Parkhead was found to be badly rutted, holed, frozen solid and positively dangerous. When Willie Maley tried to find out why the pitch was in such a state, he discovered that the groundsman had been off work ill all week and the pitch had not been rolled after the previous game. Embarrassed Celtic management and match officials agreed that ground was unfit for a competitive game and the match would be played as a friendly. The Celtic board had only recently spent a colossal amount of money improving Celtic Park, but all the expense and effort proved was worthless when it came to a drookit few days, a frost and a dose of the flu. The Celtic were three goals up at half time, but Third Lanark came back in the second half and scored two. As the players tip-toed around the frozen park trying desperately to avoid injury, the game ended in a 3-2 victory for Celtic and the park more like a ploughed field. Willie McOustra must have been totally deflated and cursing his luck, still, maybe next time.
The weather got worse over the following week, snow, sleet, hail then another hard frost. By Saturday, football parks up and down the country were like ice rinks and most games were called off. The following weekend was the semi-finals of the all-important Scottish Cup and that called for an experienced eleven. Celtic were the cup holders and would be facing their great Glasgow rivals Rangers at their home ground at Ibrox. Willie McOustra was stood down for the game and rejoined the squad players cheering from the touchlines. On 24 February, over 30,000 watched the Bhoys draw 2-2 with Rangers and the replay was set for 10 March at Parkhead. It was the 3 March therefore before Willie was selected again for the Celtic, this time at Parkhead against Hibernian in an Inter City League game. For the visit of Hibs, the Celtic had three star players, Orr, Marshall and John Campbell away on international duty with Scotland. The Scots would play Ireland at Clifftonville’s bizarrely named Solitude ground in Belfast the same day. The Hibernian also contributed two of their finest to the Scotland team that would beat the Irish 2-0.
Just 5000 spectators turned out at Parkhead to watch the clash of the two top “Irish” teams in Scotland. The stadium was like a building site with the cycle track being fitted with terracing for the up coming international matches, but the pitch was looking great. The groundsman, recovered from the flu and was back attending to the pitch, but it would cut up badly and by the middle of the second half, sports commentators couldn’t identify players they were so covered in mud. The Hibernians started off brightly and applied some early pressure on the Celtic defence. It was a ding-dong first fifteen or twenty minutes, but the Bhoys began to take control of the game and began peppering shots in at the Hibs goal, forcing Wattie in goalie to work very hard.
After a rare Hibernian foray into the Celtic half, the Bhoys broke quickly and in the melee in the Hibernian’s box a loose ball ricocheted off Willie McOustra and into the net. McOustra and Johnny Hodge on the Celtic wing began to combine to great effect and Hodge scored a second goal. The Hibs did get the ball in the net just before half time but the attempt was ruled offside. The second half was pretty evenly balanced but it was Celtic who took their chances when they presented themselves. Willie came fully into the game and was the main tormentor of the Hibs defence. He got his just reward when he scored his second goal. Hibs got one back to make it 3-1 and almost on the final whistle Jack Bell made it 4-1 to the Celtic. The score line flattered the Celtic, but they deserved the win. It was undoubtedly Willie McOustra’s best game so far. He had been fully involved, particularly in the second half and had contributed two goals.
He would have been very pleased with his performance, especially after he read the match reports in the newspapers. “This young player had a future before him. He got along splendidly with Hodge and is not easily dispossessed. Do not be surprised if you find him partnering McMahon.”
By the time Celtic met Rangers in the semi-final replay on 10 March, Rangers had already won the league championship for the second year in a row. However, the top prize of the Scottish Cup was still up for grabs and if the Celtic could best the league champions, not only would it deprive their greatest rivals of a league and cup double, but the Scottish Cup would remain with the Celtic in Glasgow’s east-end. Over 33,000 turned out at Parkhead to watch the clash of the Glasgow giants.
Willie McOustra had not a snowballs chance in hell of making the semi final team. Some consolation was to be had in front row seats for the squad to watch what was most certainly as far as the supporters were concerned, the game of the season. Its difficult to tell from neutral observers if Rangers just never turned up or if the Celtic totally out played them. It was of little consequence to the Celtic faithful who reviled in a comprehensive 4-0 trashing of their greatest rivals and passage into the cup final. Sandy McMahon got two goals, Jack Bell and Johnny Hodge got one each. Celtic would meet the amateur gentlemen of Queen’s Park in the cup final on 14 April.
March 17 saw the Celtic at Cathkin Park for an Inter City League game against Third Lanark, the old 3rd Lanark Volunteers and known as the “Warriors.” Willie McOustra would have been very disappointed when he studied the team sheet to see that he’d not made the team. Beautiful weather saw a very impressive 16,000 crowd turn out for the game and they were well rewarded for their efforts. Both teams contributed to an excellent game of football team that played out to an exciting 4-4 draw. After the result, Celtic were lying in second position in the league equal on points with Hibernian. With both Scots Irish teams sitting on top of the league, the Irish in Scotland would have had a very happy St Patrick’s day indeed.
A week later, 24 March, Celtic played Queen’s Park at Hamden in what was a full dress rehearsal for the Scottish Cup final. Willie Maley put out the full strength Celtic team determined to make a dent in the amateur’s confidence, so Willie McOustra had another week standing on the side lines, spectating when he was desperate to be playing. The unpredictable Scottish weather played a part as usual. A week previous the crowd were in shirt sleeves, on the day the bitterly cold, driving wind could cut a man in half. The game ended in a score of 3-1 to Celtic but what should have been a confidence sapping score for the amateurs was mitigated by the fact the score flattered the Celtic.
Willie got another big opportunity to perform against quality opposition when he was included in the team to play Rangers in the Inter City league on 31 March. Although in was in a lesser competition, games against Rangers always mattered to both sets of supporters. The game at Ibrox was played in front of around 15,000 spectators. The Rangers got off to a flyer, scoring in the first minute and for the next half hour only Dan McArthur’s heroics and some desperate defending stood between the Celtic and an ignominious defeat. It was backs to the wall stuff as the Celts desperately tried to hold back a Rangers tidal wave.
Just before half-time Jack Bell picked up a loose ball well inside his own half, broke away clear and headed for the Rangers goal. Jack was no slouch and both Rangers and Celtic players were left trailing in his wake. Only Willie McOustra was catching up and as Jack approached Rangers box he fired a shot past the advancing goalie. The ball passed the goalie but was obviously also going miss the goal, passing to the outside of the post. Willie McOustra continued his run as Jack let loose and flew after the shot, he caught the ball just as it was about to pass the post, and turned it into the net from a tight angle. It was a remarkable display of speed and anticipation. The sides went in level at 1-1 but Rangers had every right to feel aggrieved. The second half was more even as both sides took turns to press with neither completely dominating. Half way through the half, the ball struck a Rangers player on his arm inside their box and a penalty was awarded to Celtic. Jack Bell stepped up to score and put the Bhoys into an ill deserved lead. Despite severe Rangers pressure they were unable to equalise and the Celtic went on to win 2-1. It was a fairly dull game as Old Firm games go and it was Willie McOustra’s pace that was the talk of the press corps the next day.
Saturday 7 April saw the Celtic squad at Parkhead for the Scotland versus England international. The game was massive; if Scotland could beat their auld enemy they would win the Home Championship competition held between the home nations of the British Isles. The backbone of the Scotland team comprised of five Rangers and two Celtic players (Bell and Campbell), while the line was led by the legendary Robert Smyth McColl of Queen’s Park. That is not a name that means much to the average Scottish football supporter today, but millions of Scots weans have cause to thank him for he and his brother founded the famous sweetie shops that still bear his name, R.S. McColl (confectioners and newsagents). Scotland turned out in Lord Rosebery’s horse racing colours of pink and primrose. What the players thought of such a outfit has never been recorded, but something inspired the Scots to one of their greatest ever victories, thrashing the English by 4-0. R.S. McColl cemented his name in the annals of Scottish football by scoring a hat-trick.
The Blue Ribband and highlight of the Scottish Football Association was the Scottish Cup final. For that reason it was played towards the end of the football season, this year on 14 April. For the final the Celtic directors would of course field their strongest, most experienced side and went for the same side, less Davidson in defence, that had beaten Rangers 4-0 in the semi-final. The forward line was Hodge, Campbell, Divers, McMahon and Bell. The final was played at the newly renovated Ibrox Park and the legendary R.S. McColl still flush from his Scotland triumph, would lead the gentlemen of Queen’s Park. Celtic were the firm favourites to retain the Scottish Cup after their demolition of Rangers. In the event Celtic did win the cup but managed to give their supporters an almighty fright in the process. By half time the Celtic were 3-1 up and cruising. Sloppy defending allowed the amateurs two score twice early in the second half to level the score at 3-3. Although the score was now tied with time running out, it was always felt that the Celtic had another level available to them and when they increased the tempo scored the winner late on. Celtic won the cup by 4-3, however, the score line is probably slightly flattering to Queen’s Park.
With the Scottish Cup won, Willie McOustra got another crack in the team in the return game against Rangers in the Inter City League on a Glasgow holiday Monday, 16 April. The return game at Celtic Park saw the Celts put out a strong side for the last Old Firm head to head of the season. A good gate of 11,000 spectators turned up to watch on what was a sunny but blustery day. From the kick off the visitors had the wind and the sun in their favour and went ahead after just eight minutes. Shorty afterwards they could have went further ahead but an easy scoring opportunity was squandered. At half time the Rangers went in the better side and one goal to the good. The second half was only a few minutes old when the crossbars at both ends were rattled. After that last close call, the Celtic took control of the game and fired in two goals, first Russell and then Hodge. Johnny Hodge forced home another shortly after but the goal was disallowed. As the Celtic exerted their dominance the game an increasingly frustrated Rangers resorting to rough play to which the Celtic joined in. Towards the end Rangers got a penalty kick but much to the relief of the Celtic support Dan McArthur saved it. The game finished in a Celtic victory by margin of 2-1.
The Celtic had three games left to play in the Inter City League, the first was against Hearts in Edinburgh on 21 April where Willie experienced his first defeat in the senior Celtic team going down by 3-2. It was particularly bitter since the Bhoys were up by 2-1 at one stage. Despite the surprise defeat, some small consolation for Willie was to be named the Celtic man of the match “McOustra, however, was the Celtic star, some of his touches being of the most scientific order, and only lacking in a little shooting. His touches and dash were delightful and Bell was never better supported.” On 5 May, Celtic meet Third Lanark at Parkhead, Willie McOustra despite his showing at Hearts was not in the side. It proved to be a lack luster game despite the fact that it could have decided the destination of the Inter City League title with a win for either side. In the event the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Just two days later, Willie was again missing from the team that would face Hearts at Parkhead in the final game of the competition. This time it was a case of Celtic rolling over Hearts, particularly in the first half and then taking their foot off the pedal when the match result was secure. The Celts ran out easy winners by 5-2. Celtic had won the competition, one point ahead of Third Lanark with Rangers three point behind in third place. It was a very minor triumph for the Celtic and was scant consolation for losing the Scottish league. The end of the season came too quickly for Willie, still he could contend himself with the progress he had made and could only hope he’d done enough to be recalled for the new season.
After sweating over the eight weeks or so of the close season, Willie was delighted to be among the players retained by Celtic for the coming season. He was equally delighted by his wages as a professional player with the Celtic. At around three pounds, ten shillings a week in season and two pounds a week in the close season, they were about three times what he would earn sweating twelve hours a day in an iron foundry. When the new season Celtic squad was published, the sports reporters commented, “McOustra is the best capture the club has made for some time.” It was a time of massive transition at Celtic, an old order was slowly being cut loose and a new policy of home grown talent being introduced. The changeover period would mean massive disruption and constant change in the football team as Willie Maley searched for the right blend to take Celtic forward into the new century.
Willie was brought back to Parkhead at the beginning of August 1900 for the start of the 1900-01 season. He was knocking on the door of the first team, but missed the first four games of the season. Then, finally on 8 September he got his first Scottish league start. The Celtic were away to Queen’s Park and although the Bhoys ran out 2-0 winners, it was the amateurs that took most of the plaudits for their plucky display. Willie never shone and his debut never got a mention in the sports press. He was dropped for the next game against Hearts and the Celts won 2-0. Willie must have wondered if he’d blown his chance. He had however done enough as far as Willie Maley was concerned and Willie McOustra was back in the side for the next game against Third Lanark in which he scored a goal. The following week he was again included for the game against Hibernian and he scored again. Willie was in the Celtic first team, and would go on a run of eleven games, taking him up to the last game of the league season when he was left out versus St Mirren in January 1901.
On New Year’s Day 1901 Celtic meet Rangers at Ibrox in the penultimate Scottish League game of the season. Although Rangers had effectively already won the league, as always it was important to the Celtic fans that they beat the Rangers whenever they met. For once, the game was played on a perfect day for football and after a fascinating first half the sides went in 0-0. Rangers got off to a better start when the match resumed and quickly went 2-0 up. The “Duke” McMahon got one back for the Bhoys but despite constant pressure Celts were unable to get another. The final score 2-1 to Rangers. Despite there being little to play for, it was according to the sports commentators one of the best Old Firm games seen for a considerable time. Willie McOustra was in the side but was never really in the game. The next day 2 January, Celtic played Hearts at Parkhead in front of 5000 spectators in an Inter City League game. Willie McOustra was in the side again and the Bhoys went on to win by 3-2, but the Celtic’s attention was elsewhere. Four regulars McArthur, Battles, Divers and McMahon had been rested, saved for the next game on the card.
The team was chopped and changed almost weekly, but McOustra’s ability to play on both wings was a major asset for Willie Maley and as he was switched from wing to wing. This flexibility was a major factor in Willie’s constant appearance on the team sheet as the various cup competitions that filled the remainder of the football season. As was often the case with young footballing talent Willie’s initial promise failed to fully materialise. There was flashes of brilliance but they were sporadic and his form inconsistent, not helped it must be said by playing in an unsettled team. At the end of the Scottish league season, Willie’s chances of establishing himself long term in the Celtic team were halved when Celtic signed a certain James Quinn. The second generation Glasgow Irish boy from the Catholic enclave of Croy would make his awesome reputation as a centre forward, but he began his Celtic career as a left winger. When Willie McOustra was left out for the St Mirren game on 19 January, Jimmy Quinn made his Celtic League debut.
Celtic would meet Rangers in the first round of that season’s Scottish Cup on 12 January 1901. Such was the importance of safely negotiating this first round tie, on the Saturday after the Hearts game, Willie McOustra with the Celtic squad was taken to Rothesay for a full week of special training, rest and treatment. This was another first for the Celtic as no other club had taken their entire squad away for such a programme aimed specifically at preparing the players for a specific match. The expense of such a period at the Lorne Hotel (£100) raised some eyebrows and adverse comment.
Over 30,000 turned up to watch the game played at Parkhead but it was apparently one of the poorest on record between the two teams and quite unworthy of the occasion. The major difference in the teams was Celtic’s ability to adapt to and cope with the heavy condition of the pitch.
The Rangers was missing a star player and another was injured early in the game, but their lighter forwards could not cope with the heavy going. The Celtic meanwhile adapted better and quicker and it was reckoned that their week at Rothesay brought up veterans like McMahon, Campbell and Russell strong as sea-horses, while it gave vigour to the likes of young McOustra. Even Dan McArthur’s wrists were all the better for a week at the Lorne Hotel apparently. Such was the magical powers of the Isle of Bute it cast a spell over young Jimmy Quinn who signed papers for the Celtic over that weekend. In the event the Celtic won the game by 1-0, Willie McOustra had a very good game and was awarded the goal, but it may have gone in off Drummond of Rangers. The Monday after the Rangers game the Scottish Referee sports paper published a headline “Cap Em.” It was a message to the Scotland team selectors as to who the sports writer thought should be capped for Scotland in the up coming international match with Ireland, Dickie, Battles, Russell, McMahon and McOustra. Willie McOustra must have felt he had arrived in the big time. Willie would play in every round of the Scottish Cup as Celtic marched all the way to the final. Willie added another two goals en-route and the Celtic fans were confident of retaining the Scottish Cup for a third year in a row.
On 6 April 1901 the Celtic met Hearts of Mid Lothian in the final of the Scottish Cup. The final tie was to be played at Ibrox Park. The Celtic team was again taken to Rothesay for some pre match preparation and relaxation. Willie Maley and the directors were determined to have the players in tip-top condition for what was the biggest game of the season. The Scottish Cup then was the premier Scottish football competition and the retention of the cup would more than compensate for the lack of success in the league. It turned out to be one of those days for the Celtic and their internationalist goalkeeper Dan McArthur in particular.
The Celtic started soundly but after two bad mistakes by Dan was 2-1 down at half time. Willie McOustra had scored the Celtic’s goal when he headed in from a free kick. At the start of the second half Dan continued as he’d left off with another fumble gifting Heart their third goal. This last mistake by the usually very safe goalie sparked the Celtic into action. Willie McOustra on the right, aided and abetted by Jimmy Quinn on the left wing tore the Hearts defence apart. With less than twenty minutes to go, Jimmy Quinn cutting in from the left wing beat half a dozen Hearts men before in the melee around the box poked the ball home. Willie was also involved the melee and was credited with the scrambled goal, but officially it went to Jimmy Quinn. With less than ten minutes to go Celtic were totally dominant but they needed another goal to force a replay. A corner was won on the left and the cross was sent over by Jimmy Quinn to be meet by the head of Sandy McMahon and the Celtic were equal at 3-3.
All the momentum was with the Bhoys and although there was very little time left and a replay was on the cards, Celtic might just snatch the winner. A winner was indeed snatched but to the horror of the Celtic supporters it was at the other end of the park. As the Celtic went for it, Hearts broke away and a long-range shot was fired towards the Celtic goal. For the fourth time it was fumbled by Dan and the Hearts strikers following in the shot, scored, 4-3 to Hearts. The Edinburgh men had broken the hearts of the Celtic supporters, but none more so than Willie McOustra’s who watched his Scottish Cup winners medal disappear.
Willie McOustra had been a regular in the Celtic team over the previous 1900- 01 season. All up Willie had appeared 14 times in the Scottish league (missing 6) and scored 4 goals. He was also a regular in the Celtic first team playing in the Inter City League when that kicked in. He had made a very significant contribution to the Celtic’s run up to the Scottish Cup final and was the Club’s joint leading scorer in that competition (3 goals). He had been a major contributor, performing well on most occasions. It was a very good season for Willie, not only had he cemented his place in the Celtic team, but he had been mentioned by the influential Sports writers as a potential internationalist. His recall to the Celtic team for the 1901-02 season would not have been a surprise.
Fate is fickle and Willie had in fact joined the Club at the worse possible time. Willie was never short of bad luck and when Willie Maley signed Jimmy Quinn he quickly made the left wing position his own, effectively halving Willie McOustra’s value to the Celtic directors. The new 1901-02 season began for Celtic with a home game against Dundee. Willie McOustra was not in the team as Willie Maley’s experimenting went into full flow. The following week Willie was in the side against Morton and scored a goal in Celtic’s 3-2 away win. Willie was out for the next two games, Celtic had brought in an experienced professional, Geordie Livingston from Sunderland and another new permutation was tried out. Willie was back in for the following game, away against Hibernian, but was switched onto the right wing. The same disruptive pattern continued throughout the season with ten different players tried out around the attacking core of McMahon, Livingston and Campbell. The longest run of games Willie managed was three, all wins in mid season. By the penultimate match of the Scottish League competition at the end of December, Willie had played just 7 games and scored 1 goal, a massive set back from the previous season. New arrivals, a drop in form and a nod and a wink from his manager’s brother Tom Maley that promised a large transfer fee for the club, sealed Willie’s fate at Parkhead.
Christmas Day 1901 [Note: Corrected from 1902] found the Celtic in the north of England and about to kick off a friendly against Manchester City at their Hyde Road ground. It was part of a holiday tour of England and the Celts arrived in Manchester from Birmingham where they had played Aston Villa. Willie McOustra scored the Celts only goal in a 2-1 defeat. Manchester City were in deep trouble stuck fast at the bottom of the English First Division and likely to be relegated if their fortunes couldn’t be reversed and quick. The club was already talking to Willie Maley’s brother and Celtic legend Tom Maley about coming south to take over from current manager Sam Ormerod. Tom Maley was still very closely involved with the Celtic and would have been very well aware of the career prospects of all the players at Parkhead. With a view to his own move to City, he may have given the Manchester City directors a nodded towards McOustra when he was discussing players he wanted to be brought to Hyde Park.
In Manchester, the weather was described in the press as “the vilest possible and wretched.” Despite the conditions 5000 souls braved the snow and sleet to watch the game. With Manchester City already expressing an interest in Willie, the Celtic made sure they got a good look, playing him right from the start. The playing conditions were atrocious with the park more akin to an enormous puddle but Celtic went in at half time 1-0. For the second half, if anything the weather got even worse, City scored two quick goals and the referee abandoned the game after fifteen minutes to save the players and himself further punishment. It was disappointing result for the Bhoys, but Manchester City had seen enough of McOustra and liked what they saw. The Celts were back in Glasgow on Saturday 28 December. It was another miserable day and only 3000 fans braved the cold and rain for the Kilmarnock game at Celtic Park. Those who braved the weather saw a terrific display of ball control on a very slippery surface by McOustra. Young Willie topped off his performance by scoring a hat-trick as the Celtic beat Kilmarnock by 4 goal to 2. Willie Maley must have wondered if he should be thinking again about allowing McOustra to leave.
Willie McOustra’s hat-trick just three days earlier and an injury to Jimmy Quinn ensured him a place in the side for the final game of the 1901-02 Scottish League season. It was against Rangers at Parkhead and was crucial that the Celtic win. The Bhoys had thrown away a five point lead at the top of the league and the Rangers game was effectively the title decider. The game was one of the most controversial between the two Glasgow giants to date. Celtic took the lead through McMahon, then Rangers were allowed a hotly disputed goal taking the sides in at half time 1-1 up. Within minutes of the resumption, Sandy McMahon was sent off while protesting another Rangers goal. Celtic were now down by 2-1 and down to ten men. Celtic rearranged their back line and launched a series of all out attacks in a game they had to win. Rangers broke from defense and a fine shot beat the Celtic goalie making the score 3-1 to the visitors.
The Bhoys with nothing to loose, threw caution to the wind and pulled a goal back to make it 3-2. The Celtic laid siege to the Rangers goal, a header by Willie McOustra went just over the bar and a shot Geordie Livingston went narrowly past the post. Johnny Campbell and Willie McOustra launched attack after attack on the Rangers defense while the visitor were highly dangerous when they broke. After one attack, the Celts looked certain to have equalised but the ball was cleared off the line by the defenders. During a period of prolonged Celtic pressure, Rangers broke from defense to score yet another disputed goal. The tie was beyond saving and the Rangers went on to win 4-2. It was their fourth Scottish League title in a row and a very bitter bill for the Celts to swallow. After the game the Celtic protested about the match referee who later failed to put in a report and then failed to co-operate with the SFA inquiry. However, although McMahon escaped censure for the sending off, the result stood. Willie Maley was furious and later commented “we would have been champions but for the vile treatment we received at the hands of the referee on New Year’s Day when the Rangers were practically given the title.”
The Scottish League had been lost again to their great rivals Rangers. Despite the transitory nature of the team, the Celts had still run the Rangers close, but not close enough. Over the course of the season Willie McOustra played 9 times and scored 4 goals. On 11 and 25 January 1902 he played in two Scottish Cup games against Thornlibank and Arbroath, both wins for the Celtic. By the end of January, the negotiations between Celtic and Manchester City were well under way and Willie and Jimmy Drummond were in Manchester talking personal terms with City. On 1 February 1902, Willie was sold with Jimmy Drummond to Manchester City for the sizable fee of £600 the pair. Willie was the star buy and was described in the Manchester press as “ one of the best forwards playing in Scotland. He is a splendid centre, and can shoot with deadly precision.” Tom Maley was working in the background alongside club director John Allison. The pair made their first appearance for the club on 15 February away to Grimsby Town. Willie played a blinder on his debut away to Grimsby, and inspired his new club to their best performance of the season, the score was level at 2-2 when Grimsby scored with the last kick of the game. McOustra got the lion’s share of the credit but it was too little too late. The arrival of the Celtic men came too late to save Manchester City from relegation into the English second division.
By the start of the new 1902-03 season Tom Maley was in place as the new manager and introduced the Celtic style of fast, attacking, passing football to the English team. His brother Willie brought the Celtic down to play a pre season warm up on 2 September. The Celtic lost a man early on and Manchester City went on to win 1-0. Its unclear whether Willie McOustra played but city’s other star man Billy Merideth was on the field. City’s opening game of the new season was at home against Lincoln City and Willie scored two goals in their 3-1 win. Tom Maley’s methods produced instantaneous results; the club went on to win the league championship and was promoted back into the first division. Willie McOustra played a major part in the success playing in every one of the 34 league games and was the toast of Manchester alongside Welshman Billy Meridith and fellow Scots, Sandy Turnball and Tommy Hind.
Over the close season, Willie came home to Larbert from Manchester and on 24 July 1903, the local hero tied the knot. His chosen was a 22 year old local girl Elizabeth Forrester whose family were also Iron Molders. Interestingly, Willie chose to describe himself as an Iron Moulder as opposed to a professional footballer on his marriage certificate. Willie took his bride back to Manchester for the start of the new season. Everything appeared to be on the up for Willie and the Manchester City team and season 1903-04 couldn’t come quick enough.
The opening game of the new season saw Manchester City play at Stoke where a 2-1 away win got the season off to the best possible start. On 12 September, Derby County were the visitor to Hyde Road for City’s first home game of the new season in the top division. The gates of the City’s ground had to be shut an hour before kick off with hundreds of people still outside. From the kick off it was a hard physical game even by the standards of the times. It was reported that it was City who played the more vigorous and bustling game rather than their opponents, and it was to this that they owned their first half success. In the parlance of the period that meant City was playing it rough. It was suggested that City were in fact too vigorous and none too scrupulous in their tackling. While tackling an opponent Willie McOustra took a sore blow to this right knee dislocating the joint. The newspaper hacks thought the injury was a punishment that he brought upon himself.
The bad knee injury sustained during the game against Derby County in September 1903 heralded the start of a long decline. It would put Willie out of the team for the whole of the season. Time after time the knee broke down and prolonged periods were spent at John Allison’s hydropathic baths in Hyde Road. Dubbed the “Footballer’s Hospital, the establishment specialised in muscle and limb injuries. He would have been cursing his luck as he watched Tom Maley lead his Manchester City team all the way to victory in the 1904 FA Cup final. In January 1905 Willie was taken to a Manchester specialist to see if anything could be done for the injury to his knee sustained now over two years previous. Surgery was carried out and the knee eventually improved.
The injury ensured that he avoided being embroiled in the Manchester City illegal payments scandal of 1906. Found guilty of overpaying players the FA punished Manchester City by effectively forcing the club to dismantle Tom Maley’s fine team. Seventeen players were suspended and later some were auctioned off cheaply to other clubs. Club secretary Tom Maley and the chairman were banned for life from managing an English football side. The ban would be lifted in 1910. Willie now a seasoned professional at the club became the rock on which the Manchester City reformed its playing squad. The surgery it seems did help somewhat and Willie came back into the team in December 06.
He had turned out on several occasions for the reserves and his knee had held up well. The City fans were hoping that the old injury that had so blighted his career would not reoccur. A much need shot of class and experience would be injected into the team cobbled together after the scandal. But it was not to be, his knee broke down again under the pressure of top flight football. The story of his injury and decline can be seen in his appearances for the club over the six seasons that he spent in Manchester. Between 1901-07 he played, 13, 34, 2, 2,7, 9. The club and Tom Maley were remarkably patent and moved heaven and earth to coax him back to fitness. He was even moved back into the mid-field where the lack of speed was less of an issue. All up, Willie McOustra would play 67 senior games for Manchester City, 47 in the first one and a bit seasons. His last ever appearance was on 16 March 1907 for the Manchester City reserves. To say he was never the same after his knee injury is a massive understatement. In addition to the prolonged absences, it had taken the edge off his terrific speed and by constantly breaking down, Willie was never able to regain full match fitness or remain fit for any length of time. Despite his prolonged absences from the side, he was described by the Manchester sports writers of the time as the finest left half ever to pull on a Manchester City shirt. In October 1907, Manchester City off loaded Willie to Blackpool FC. There he spent a couple of seasons on a very loose, play as you go contract. In July 1909 he was freed to return to junior football in Scotland. Willie was aged just 26 and his professional career was over.
In the spring of 1909, Willie was invited to join the famous Fred Karno’s Army as part of a celebrity football team. Fred Karno was the world famous English theatre impresario whose traveling troupe (army) of comedy performers were very popular over the decades spanning the turn of the twentieth century. Willie or Billy McOustra appears on the advertisement publicising the troupe’s appearing at the Exeter Hippodrome at the end of March 1909. Fred Karo’s celebrity footballers were part of a comedy sketch set before a mythical cup final between the Midnight Wanderers and the Middleton Pie Cans. The team was also used to promote the show as it traveled around the country, playing challenge games against local opposition.
In Exeter, Karno’s team played the recently formed Exeter City FC who played in green and white. Also in the show at the time was Charlie Chaplin and Stanley Arthur Jefferson, better known as Stan Laurel. Both men are known to have played in the Football Team sketch. Also appearing on the bill was “Cambo” the musical monkey whose career in show business did not unfortunately reach the same dizzy heights and Chaplin and Stan Laurel. Its unclear exactly when Willie joined or for how long he remained with the troupe, however his place in the show depended largely on his fame as a footballer and as that diminished so would his value to the show. In 1910 the troupe went on a tour of the US and as far as Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel was concerned the rest is movie history.
After finishing in professional football Willie like most working class players of his day was forced to return to their trade or lack of it, before they got their break in football. In Willie McOustra’s case he went back to the iron foundries. Towards the end of 1910, Willie was working as an iron moulder at Larbert and involved in junior football at Stenhousemuir FC. By the time the war broke out in August 1914, Willie was five years finished with top flight football and was living with Elizabeth and their three kids, Mary, Jane and Elizabeth at 44 Oakbank Terrace, just off the Garscube road in Glasgow’s industrial St Rollox parish. He was employed in one of the many iron works or foundries along Maryhill’s Kippochhill road as an iron moulder. Although he was finished playing football he remained involved in the game and could be found helping out around Parkhead during his free time.