Towie, Thomas

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Fullname: Thomas Towie
aka: Tom Towie
Born: 21 November 1868
Died: 22 December 1944
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Signed: 1892 (loan from Renton FC)
Left: April 1893
Position: Outside-Right
Debut:
Partick Thistle 1-2 Celtic, Glasgow Cup, 29 Oct 1892
Internationals
: none


Biog

Tom Towie isn’t as well known as others, but despite only a brief period at Celtic he helped to make his mark. According to reports, he was hankering to play for Celtic, but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for, and in many ways he is one player who can best argue to have had one of the most unfortunate times at Celtic. By trade he was a riveter from the Dumbarton area.

He’d made his name with Dumbarton Union and Preston North End, the latter of whom were one of the big guns of the day down south. Tom Towie in the season prior to arriving at Celtic had scored 9 goals in 22 league games with Preston North End who finished runners-up in the English league, and so clearly illustrated his value for any side.

In 1892, Celtic obtained a loan for outside-right Tom Towie from his Dunbartonshire side Renton. Renton always seemed to be at loggerheads with the SFA, and when the Celts were loaned Towie it was to be for the curious situation for cup games only. Renton’s dispute with the SFA at the time allowed the Bhoys to take advantage of the situation to loan in the gifted wide-man.

Due to what is possibly a unique situation in Celtic’s history (if not all football), with Tom Towie being ‘league-tied’ instead of the usual ‘cup-tied’ situation, it meant that Tom Towie sadly was to miss out on being permitted to be part of the wonderful Celtic side to win the club’s inaugural league title. Possibly, the league-tied element was due to contract issues after having signed for Woolwich Arsenal, he & a colleague backed out and returned back to Scotland. It created a lot of issues, which led to his loan to Celtic.

Tom Towie’s efforts helped the Celts to the Scottish Cup final where Celtic were eventually defeated in a controversially replayed final by Queen’s Park. In the original final match on 25th February 1893, Tom Towie scored the goal on 70mins that won Celtic the game 1-0, but the match was re-labelled as a friendly due to frost (pathetic). Lost him a chance to win a major medal and be the heralded Scottish Cup title winner for Celtic.

He’d scored two goals v Third Lanark in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, but was overshadowed by Sandy McMahon who scored a hat-trick in the same game in a 5-1 victory. Third Lanark played Sexton of the interestingly named London Casuals in goals for them.

He ended up playing in all of Celtic’s Scottish Cup and Glasgow Cup matches between September 1892 and March 1893, with the interesting trivia note that none of the games were played outside of Glasgow.

He played in five of the six Glasgow Cup games in the run to the final. The third round was against Partick Thistle against whom he scored the winning goal (“Towie scored their second goal with a slanting shot“). Despite a 2-1 win for the Celts, the game ended up being voided due to an “inelligible player” (Mick Mulvey). The match was replayed with the second game finishing 1-1, with the third and final game ended with a resounding 8-0 win for the Bhoys. Celtic made the Glasgow Cup final but lost to Rangers 3-1.

To add to his woes, he did go on to play in friendlies with Celtic, including a match v visiting Notts County and had to be taken off the field injured for some time, in which the visitors ended up scoring during the interim period. The game ended 1-1:

“The game had to be stopped owing to an accident to Towie, who had to be conveyed off the field, and there were cries to put the offender off the field. The game, however, was proceeded with, the Celtic playing with ten men…. Oswald [of Notts County] scored and equalised, solely owing to a mistake by Dunbar. Immediately after this, Towie reappeared and took his place.”

Celtic did go on to win the Glasgow Charity Cup final in May that season, but Tom Towie wasn’t part of the Celtic side for the final. He did play in the preceding round, in the first match v Dumbarton which was a no score draw. He didn’t get to play in the replay (3-1 victory to Celtic).

He was thus an unfortunate man. He had played in two cup finals for Celtic, both lost, and wasn’t permitted to play with the first team to win a league title medal. Then he missed out being part of the Glasgow Charity Cup side in the final, so again lost out on a deserved medal. The one final he did play in for Celtic which Celtic did win, Tom Towie scored the winner (the original Scottish Cup final) but the match was annulled, then replayed & lost! Add in the debacle in the friendly match v Notts County and the voided match v Partick Thistle in the Glasgow Cup (in which he scored the winner), then he possibly could look back and think that his time at Celtic was cursed against him.

He later moved to Derby County and Rossendale, but is believed to have returned to Renton from 1895-97. Renton were already in trouble because of the continuing loss of its best players to better paying clubs. In 1897 Renton went bankrupt and were expelled from the Scottish League. Wits would argue that it carried on Tom Towie’s poor luck streak in the senior game.

From records, he lived a long life, passing away in 1944.


Notes
1) Thomas Towie. 1891 Census, 25 High Street, Dumbarton. Age – 23, Born – Ireland. Occupation – Rivetter. Joined PNE from Dumbarton Union (looking about 23!) in August 1891 (arrived in Preston on Wednesday, 26/08/91, night); https://twitter.com/andyboyd1967/status/1407384702768529413?s=20

2) Thomas Towie (parents match 1891 census) Born – Dublin, 21 November 1868 (family search) Died – 22 December 1944, Dumbarton, age 76 (Scotland’s People) https://twitter.com/andyboyd1967/status/1407384702768529413?s=20

3) Have asked PNE twitter folk if any pics, but so far no luck. If any pics are available of him, it will be via PNE or Renton.


Playing Career

APPEARANCES LEAGUE SCOTTISH CUP LEAGUE CUP EUROPE TOTAL
1892-93 0 5 5
Goals: 0 2 2

Honours with Celtic

none


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From an article on John Madden

Source: https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/leisure-parks-events/museums-and-galleries/collections/people-and-personalities/people-and-personalities-dumbarton/individuals-dumbarton/john-madden/

In his book ‘The Romance of the Sheffield Wednesday’, Richard Sparling described Madden as being “spirited” back to Celtic by a Catholic Priest after only having been in Sheffield for two days. Sparling also involved Madden in a tale of the dangers facing English scouts engaged in recruiting talent in Scotland during in the last decades of the 1800s.

These dangers were apparently most acute in small towns and villages where the arrival of strangers was immediately noticed. In September 1891, at a time Madden was a Celtic player, he met up at Partick railway station with a Mr Dickinson of Sheffield Wednesday and a Mr Wilson rather vaguely described as being an agent. The party went to Sinclair’s public house in Dumbarton where Madden left the other two, later returning with two local players Spiers and Towie.

According to Sparling, situated near the railway station, Sinclair’s, later to become The County Restaurant, was apparently known to every footballer in Scotland. Just as Towie was about to succumb to a bit of smooth talking on Mr Dickinson’s part and sign for Wednesday, the pub door flew open and in marched some Dumbarton club officials and a number of local heavies.

Cowardice, like discretion has often been judged the better part of valour. Mr Wilson, agent, probably having seen it all before, made off with due haste. Madden and Mr Dickinson, backs to wall, were left to face the ‘music’, which was swelling by the minute as a crowd of some two hundred was now assembled outside in Church Street. After a few fists were flung and a few blows landed, Mr Dickinson, mouth and nose bleeding with a pair of ‘keekers’ starting to swell, ran for the station with mob in pursuit. By good fortune he arrived just as a train was about to leave for Glasgow.

Apparently there is nothing new in football and, as a terrified Mr Dickinson collapsed into the train, he found Mr Wilson, agent, sitting spick and span, apparently having come out of the whole episode smelling of roses.

After a short spell with Preston North End, Tom Towie returned to Scotland where he found himself on loan to Celtic from Renton. He appeared to have scored the only goal of the Scottish Cup final of 1893. However, prior to kick-off, Ibrox was declared unplayable due to frost and Celtic and Queen’s Park agreed to play a ‘friendly ‘. When the final was played for ‘real’, Queen’s were the winners by two goals to one.


Lancashire Evening Post

May 19, 1892
The following returned professionals have applied for and received “Whitewash” in Scotland: –
Thomas Towie (Dumbarton) – Preston North End.
John Clarkin (Neilston) – Bootle.
John Finlayson (Neilston) – Bootle.
W. Nisbet (Slamannan) – Sheffield United.
John McPherson (Heart of Midlothian) – Nottingham Forest.
W. Dewar (Glasgow Wanderers) – Ardwick.
J. Cramb (Dunblane) – Gateshead (amateur).
G. Rennie (Edinburgh) – Nelson.
M. Moonie (Harp) – Bootle.
J. Jack (Leith) – Middlesbrough Ironopolis.
W. Low (Cambuslang) – Stockton.
J. Brown (Edinburgh) – Irwell S.
Hugh Clifford (Carfin Shamrock) – Stoke.
(Source: Lancashire Evening Post: May 19, 1892)


Scottish Referee, 21 April 1893. Report for Everton game.


Football News, Saturday 5 November 1892.

This might be the reason he could only play in Cup ties & friendlies. (Woolwich Gazette, 16 December 1892)


Notes

Thomas Towie

 

1891

Wednesday, 19 August 1891         Preston Herald

The new players engaged are James Sharp, and Thomas Towie, the Dumbarton Union centre forward. Towie looks about 23 years of age, five feet nine or ten, and appears as though he may top 12 stone, he has a dare devil look about him, which bodes no good for opponents, and as a friend of his said he stops at nothing and cares for nothing, just what we want.

Both Towie and Sharp have arranged to arrive in Preston to-night by midnight mail.

Saturday, 22 August 1891              Preston Chronicle

…two additional players have this week been enrolled – James Sharpe, and Thomas Towie, aged 23, centre forward or inside left from the Dumbarton Union. These two players took part in the practice match with the North End Reserve (Fishwick Ramblers), on Thursday night, at Deepdale, before 3,000 or 4,000, spectators, and which ended in favour of the seniors by six goals to two.

As to the new players it would be premature to give an opinion as they had only arrived in the town at two o’clock the same morning, and could not be expected to exert themselves much, but so far as could be judged Towie has plenty of speed and weight, while Sharpe kicks with judgement, and when opportunity arises will, no doubt, tackle with determination.

Saturday, 29 August 1891              Blackburn Standard

The Preston North End

The new players engaged are James Sharp, the right half-back of the Vale of Leven, and Thomas Towie, the Dumbarton Union centre forward.

Towie looks about 23 years of age, five feet nine or ten, and appears as though he may top 12 stone. At the present moment the centre forward of another crack team is being negotiated with, with every prospect of success, and if it comes off Towie will play inside left ; if it does not come off, the North End have still two or three really good forwards to fall back upon. Both Towie and Sharp arrived in Preston on Wednesday night.

1892

Wednesday, 27 January 1892       Preston Herald

Preston North End v Middlesbrough Ironpolis, FA Cup first round.

“Gallagher passed to Towie, and the latter struck the upright with a fine screw shot which resulted in the ball twisting inside the net.”

The North Enders played a rough game when they discovered that the work cut out for them was not what they thought, the chief offenders being Jimmy Ross, Sanders, and Towie, the latter is about the roughest player I ever saw, he goes about like a mad man – and his language – well it was something fearful – so Toby Wynn informs me, and I can believe it from “Tobias.”

Friday, 6 May 1892                          Lancashire Evening Post

“Whitewashing” Professionals In Scotland

Up to yesterday the following professionals returned to Scotland have applied for and received “whitewash” : –

J Irvine (Irvine) ; T Towie (Dumbarton), from Preston North End ; J Clarkin (Neilston), from Bootle ; J Finlayson (Neilston), from Bootle.

Saturday, 7 May 1892                     Field

Queen’s Park 0 v Preston North End 1

Preston North End : Trainer, R Holmes, N J Ross, Green, Saunders, G Drummond, Gordon, Beckton, J Ross, Gallacher, Towie.

Monday, 9 May 1892                       Glasgow Evening Post

Saturday’s Football

Vale of Leven 1 v Renton 1

Renton … Joe Lindsay, too was absent from the centre, and his place was filled by Towie, a Preston North End player, who has taken advantage of the amnesty.

Thursday, 18 August 1892              Glasgow Evening Post

Football in the Vale of Leven

Alexandria, Mid-day – D McKechnie, who has now finally returned from England, will take McBride’s place at half-back in the Renton team, and Towie, who has also returned from the Preston North End, takes Brady’s place as partner to J McCall.

The Renton team which will meet the Celtic in their opening match on Saturday :-

Lindsay, McQuilkie, A McCall, Devine, Allison, McKechnie, Matheson, Murray, Bell, J McCall, Towie.

Monday, 5 September 1892           Athletic News

Towie is anxious that it should be known that he has no intention of joining the Celtic. Think of that.

Friday, 21 October 1892                 Aberdeen Evening Express

Renton’s difficulties with their team.

The following is the team chosen for Saturday’s league match :- Lindsay, McCall, McGregor, McLeod, Allison, McKechnie, Mathieson, Murray, Bell, McCall, and Wilson.

It is not known, however, if all these will turn up, as matters at present are in a very unsettled state.

Towie and Devine, who returned from Woolwich without playing a match, are elligible, but have not been chosen. McLeod (half-back) and Wilson (forward), both late of Methlan Park, have desired a place in the team. The former has recently played for the Hampden eleven of Queen’s Park, but great uncertainty prevails regarding Renton’s right wing, Mathieson and Murray. They, along with Towie and Taylor, have both been offered terms for an English club, and three of them met an agent in Glasgow this week. They have meanwhile returned to Renton, and are keeping their intention to themselves.

Monday, 24 October 1892              Athletic News

I am sorry to learn that we are likely to have the Doyle and Brady case played over again, and here, too. Last week I mentioned that three Renton men, McQuilkie, Towie, and Devine, had “signed on” for the Arsenal, but I now learn that the two latter have thought better of their bargain, and have returned home, where they will doubtlessly be received with open arms, I understand however, that both men received a substantial “consideration” on signing, and if such be the case I should strongly advise the Arsenal committee make an example of them (I fancy they mean to do so.) I am not learned in the law, but one who is tells me that they are clearly amenable under the Master and Servants Act. In the county in which I was brought up a servant who had taken what is known as the “fasten penny” was legally bound, and if he took service elsewhere (presumably for a higher wage) he rendered himself liable to imprisonment for breach of contract.

Monday, 24 October 1892              Scottish Referee

Renton are determind to dispense also with the services of Towie, who took a trip to Paisley with the Celts.

Friday, 28 October 1892                 Glasgow Evening Post

Celtic Reserve and Campsie meet at Celtic Park to-morrow for the first time this season.

The Reserve will be strengthened on Saturday by the inclusion of Clifford and Towie, late Renton. This should be a fine game worth seeing.

Celtic team ;- McArthur, Curran, McLaughlin, Connor, Dolan, Clifford, Towie, Montague, Gibb, Flanagan, Glass.

*Celtic Reserves won 6 – 4.

Monday, 31 October 1892              Glasgow Evening Post

The Celtic at Partick

That the cupholders viewed the result of this tie with equanimity was apparent by the eleven they relied upon to do duty for them on this occasion. Appended are their team, from which it may be noted that Doyle, Campbell, and of course, McMahon, were absent – Towie (late Renton) and Mulvey (Carfin) representing the popular left wing men. The Thistle put out the best combination at their command. The result – 2 to 1 in favour of the Celtic – as the saying goes, cannot be taken as a criterion of the play.

Saturday, 5 November 1892          Football News

Towie, late of Preston North End, and Devine, both Renton men, were engaged to Woolwich Arsenal and then slid back to Renton, but the club does not seem to have received the return of the two runaways with the open arms they probably expected. The Renton committee have shown no anxiety to kill the fatted calf. Towie was known to have a hankering after the Celtic team, and, as he is a friend of J Madden’s, the thing has been managed. McMahon being off, the late North Ender took his place on Saturday, and partnered Campbell on the left. McMahon is suffering from an injured leg.

Saturday, 5 November 1892          Evening News and Post

It is stated that Towie, who played for the Celtic in Glasgow on Saturday, has returned the money he received from the Arsenal.

Friday, 16 December 1892             Woolwich Gazette

Amongst the names of those whose suspensions were confirmed on Monday, was that of T Towie, who has caused so much trouble to the Arsenal committee. That gentleman may find that his game of fast and loose has been carried a little too far. In addition to his punishment for paying in the close season, he is likely to suffer a further term of suspension for “deserting,” a term pretty well understood in Woolwich. The English Association has forwarded the Arsenal’s complaint to Scotland, and Towie may look out for squalls.

1893

Monday, 17 April 1893                     Scottish Referee

Towie (late Celtic) has joined the ranks of the Rentonians to the latter’s profit and the former’s loss.

Before the game started Towie asked me “whether I would like to see the Rangers record broken.”

I replied that in my official capacity it was a matter of absolute indifference to me whether or not such event happened.

“Well,” said Towie, “Renton mean to do the trick to-day,” and he winked his left optic knowingly.

His prediction did not come off, for after a very mediocre display Rangers cantered home by 2 goals to 0.

Wednesday, 28 June 1893             Derby Daily Telegraph

Derby County Football Club

…Another capture is Towie, late of the Preston North End club, and who for the past two years has played for the Celtic in all the important cup matches. His position was on the outside right, and he is very fast, and a smart all round player ; in fact a veritable flyer down the line.

Thursday, 3 August 1893                Derby Daily Telegraph

Towie, of Preston North End, was transferred to Derby County, a claim for his services by Woolwich Arsenal not being entertained.

1894

Wednesday, 3 January 1894          Derby Daily Telegraph

The committee of Derby County have dispensed with the services of Towie and Little, a very satisfactory arrangement being arrived at between the players and the committee. Towie went back to Scotland last Saturday. The committee have not been satisfied of late with the play of the en, who very seldom appeared up to the mark. Towie has been a very expensive man to the club. However, it is gratifying to know they parted with their old club in a friendly way.

Saturday, 6 January 1894               Football News

What’s this? Reading in a contemporary I find the following ; “Towie returned to his native heath on Friday last, and Little followed him across the Border on Monday. Thus the Scotch contingent in Derby is lessend by two. When the old North Ender was with woolwich Arsenal he wanted to play with Derby County ; before his first season was half over, he was not averse to leaving them. I am told he will play with Dumbarton, but it is also said that he is likely to turn out for Newark.”

Saturday, 8 September 1894         Wellington Journal

Ironbridge 0 v Cannock 3

Cannock : Goalkeeper, Towie.

“Towie (late of Preston North End) saved splendidly.”

“Towie and the van played exceedingly well for the winners.”

*should be Towe.

1895

Monday, 2 September 1895           Scottish Referee

Renton 4 v Leith Athletic 0

Towie, centre for Renton

Monday, 23 September 1895         Greenock Telegraph

Renton 2 v Port-Glasgow Athletic 2

Towie, outside left for Renton

Monday, 21 October 1895              Glasgow Evening Post

Renton 3 v Kilmarnock 0

Towie, centre for Renton

Monday, 11 November 1895          Greenock Telegraph

Morton 2 v Renton 1

Towie, outside left for Renton

1944

22 December 1944                          26 Strowans Road, Dumbarton

Thomas Towie          76                    Ship Rivetter (Journeyman, retired)

Married to                                          Fanny King

Father                                                 Peter Towie, Insurance Agent (deceased)

Mother                                                Helen Towie, ms Donnelly (deceased)

Cause of Death                                Cerebral Haemorrhage

Registered by                                   William Towie, son, 58 West Bridgend, Dumbarton

 

Peter Towie

Born                                                    Glasgow, 24 October 1829

Father                                                 Thomas Towie

Mother                                                Agnes / Nancy Murray

Parents Married                                Edinburgh, 16 October 1820

Brother                                               James Towie

Born                                                    Edinburgh, 11 March 1825

Died                                                    Cardross, 1867

Brother                                               Thomas Towie

Born                                                    Edinburgh, 9 March 1827

Died

Spouse                                              Helen / Ellen Donnelly

Born                                                    Ireland

Died                                                    Dumbarton, 1 June 1901

Married                                               Bonhill, 13 August 1853

Married                                               Dumbarton,1 September 1853

Son                                                     Peter Towie

Born                                                    England, 1863

Died

Son                                                     William Towie

Born                                                    Greenock, 1866

Died                                                    Possilpark, 1928

Son                                                     Thomas Towie

Born                                                    Dublin, 21 November 1868

Died                                                    Dumbarton, 22 December 1944

Spouse                                              Fanny / Frances King

Born

Died                                                    Tradeston, 1949

Married                                               1892

Daughter                                            Helen / Ellen Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1893

Died                                                    Dumbarton, 1924

Daughter                                            Annie Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1895

Died

Son                                                     Thomas Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1896

Died                                                    Eastwood, 1967

Son                                                     Peter Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1899

Died                                                    Dumbarton, 1992

Daughter                                            Mary Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1903

Died                                                    Dumbarton, 1987

Son                                                     William Towie

Born                                                    Dumbarton, 1908

Died                                                    Govan, 1955 ?

Bridget Frances Towie                    Born & Died              Dumbarton 1898      ?

Frances 1915 – 1989 ?

1891 Census                                    25 High Street, Dumbarton

Peter Towie               60        Assurance Agent                              Glasgow

Ellen Towie                54        Housewife                                         Ireland

Peter Towie               28        Rivetter                                              England

William Towie            25        Rivetter                                              Greenock

Thomas Towie          23        Rivetter                                              Ireland

James Cafferty         25        Marine Engineer                               Dumbarton

1901 Census                                    Dumbarton

Thomas Towie          33

Frances Towie          27

Helen Towie              8

Annie Towie              6

Thomas Towie          4

Peter Towie               1

1911 Census                                     Dumbarton

Thomas Towie          41

Fanny Towie             37

Ellen Towie                18

Annie Towie              16

Thomas Towie          14

Peter Towie               11

Mary Towie                7

William Towie            3

*Thomas Towie                                 Born Cardross, 1861           Died Cardross, 1880