A Balloch man is appealing for information about a second Russell Cup trophy, discovered by a friend.
The Russell Cup was the most prestigious prize in local schools’ football for more than 70 years, pitting the top teams from the area against each other in front of crowds that could hit more than 5,000 people at Vale of Leven’s Millburn Park.
Previously it was thought that the competition hadn’t taken place between 1935 and 1941, with no record of the winners.
However, when Balloch man Michael Connolly was passed a trophy engraved with the Russell Cup name, and a list of winners, by friend Denis Blackwood he set about attempting to uncover what the prize had been presented for.
The name of Denis’ grandfather, former Celtic player Denis O’Hare, was engraved on the trophy – along with other names and schools from 1932 until 1938.
Attempts to discover why there was a second Russell Cup, and who these men were, have so far proven fruitless, however – with Michael reaching out to the Lennox in the hope of solving the mystery.
He said: “The Russell Cup was quite a famous trophy a few years ago. It was played for by all the school football teams in the Dumbarton area.
“There’s a book on the Russell Cup, but this is a different cup to that one.
“Denis’ grandfather played professional football, including for Celtic. I thought he might’ve been the captain or the man of the match, but his grandfather would’ve been in his 30s by that time.
“So the only thing I can think of is that they gave whoever organised the team that won it, be that a janitor or whoever, a trophy.
“If any Lennox readers could get to the bottom of it and find the trophy a home then it would be absolutely brilliant.”
The Russell Cup was launched by Vale journalist James Russell in 1923 and would run for more than eight decades until 1995.
At its height, the tournament attracted thousands of fans to Alexandria.
Its history is charted in a 2003 book by Bernard Boyle and Ronnie James.
The book covers every final known to have been played, and says: “Renton public were the tournament winners in 1935 and from then up until 1941 there is no record of the tournament having been played.
“There are no names engraved on the cup covering this period, but this is no guarantee that the games didn’t take place.”
With engravings from 1932 until 1938, the second Russell Cup can partially fill in this history. However, the mystery isn’t as easily solved, with Bonhill inscribed as winners for 1932 where records have Jamestown Primary as the victors.
Denis initially thought that the trophy could’ve been for another sport, however, Michael doesn’t believe this to be the case.
He explained: “It was Denis who had the trophy, he gave it to me and thought it was a bowls trophy as his grandfather had played bowls. But nobody knew anything about it when I took it around clubs in the area.
“We’ve been trying to research it for about a year now, but we can’t get to the bottom of it at all.”
After becoming a fixture on the local sporting calendar, crowd trouble started to mar the Russell Cup – as Boyle and James explain in their book.
It reads: “Letters started appearing in the Lennox Herald expressing concern about the behaviour at Russell Cup games, and on Monday, April 25, 1964 during a tie between Renton Public and St Mary’s disturbances broke out on the terracing.
“Both teams had to be kept in the dressing room after the match until it was safe for them to leave.
“Mr McGregor, the headmaster of Renton, and Mr Friel, a teacher at St Mary’s, both expressed their disgust at this behaviour.
“During the game crisp bags filled with ashes and stones were continually thrown on the pitch. On the terracing, fighting was taking place, adults, as well as youngsters, were involved.”
After these incidents, the Vale Juniors committee decided to abandon the tournament.
The book continues: “Mr W Brechin, Vale’s match secretary, said: ‘The committee were prepared to hand over the cup to the schools so they might compete without spectators and he would like to thank those who had assisted, attended and enjoyed the games throughout the years, but now there is no pleasure for spectators or stewards. It’s a shame that such sportsmanship has been spoiled by idiots’.”
The Russell Cup continued in a much smaller form, with the winners of the school football leagues in Vale of Leven, Dumbarton, Helensburgh and Clydebank areas taking part in play-offs to decide the Russell Cup winners.
It was finally awarded in 1995 when Knoxland Primary were victorious.
And after almost three decades Michael admits he would love to see local teams once again taking to the pitch for the silverware.
He added: “Denis suggested we run a bowls tournament for it, but I wouldn’t want to do that if it is the genuine Russell Cup for football.
“I’d love to see what we could do with school teams playing for it again.
“It would be tremendous if we could get it running again.”
More information about the Russell Cup is available via valeofleven.org.uk/contributions/RussellCup.
The 'second' Russell Cup
The following names are on the recently discovered trophy:
1932 - T.McClean - Bonhill
1933 - T.McClean - Bonhill
1934 - J.McCafferty - St Mary’s
1935 - J.Coyle - St Mary’s
1936 - W.Edwards - Levenbank
1937 - J.Coyle - St Mary’s
1938 - D.O’Hare - St Mary’s
Anyone with information about the trophy can get in touch with the Lennox via news@lennoxherald.co.uk or by calling 0141 309 3513.
