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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
Pictures
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Links
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