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Thornton Shield


Stanza

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Can any users enlighten me with any information about the Thornton Shield?

It seems to have been competed for by Junior clubs in the Lothians between the 1920s and 1950s. On their websites several of these clubs mention winning it, and on the Newtongrange website there's a picture of it with the 1951-1952 team. It looks to have been a handsome trophy.

Why was it given this name?

Was there an original sponsor/provider?

When was it last played for?

Is there a list of winners?

Where is it now?

Is there any connection with the "Thornton Sports Cup" which seems to have been competed for in the 1980s?

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"East Junior Football" by John Aitken also gives a list of winners between 1923-24 and 1958-59 inclusive. Looking at the list of winners it was probably a cup for clubs across what later became the East of Scotland district? Most cups were named after the person who donated them, the town they lived in or whose club donated the trophy, or the town's patron saint. Given that Thornton is in Fife the guess would be this was donated by someone called 'Mr Thornton'.

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Saw your post on a Pars messagboard.

The 1935-36 final resulted in a 1-0 with for Dalkeith Thistle over Bo'ness Cadora at Easter Road.

Cadora later merged with senior club Bo'ness FC after the war to form the current Bo'ness United. Thistle retained the Thornton Shield the following year with a win over Armadale Thistle, also at Easter Road.

The Thornton Shield was first played for in season 1922-23 where Dalkeith met Newtrongrange Star where, after two drawn matches, the Shield was withheld, "The Final and Replay were held in September 1923. After 30 minutes of extra time in the replay, which was ordered to be played to a finish, both sides refused to play any further extra-time against the wishes of the match officials. The ESJFA severely censured both teams and withheld the trophy in its first season of competition."

The last final was 1958-59 when West Calder United defeated Penicuik Athletic 3-1 at Albyn Park, Broxburn.

I'm not entirely sure of the origins of the trophy, or whether it still exists.

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Having been in the WCU committee rooms both at old Burngrange Park and the new Hermand Park I don’t ever recall seeing anything resembling this in there, doesn’t mean they don’t have it, but I think it unlikely.

I would suspect the trophy was handed back to the Region but that the competition was then suspended indefinitely and the trophy then either passed onto a Juvenile/Youth/Amateur FA to use, or lost. Would be good to know it’s fate.

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Gordon Thornton Sports was "the" Sports Shop in Edinburgh over many decades. I remember it being at 72 Hanover Street, between George Street and Queen Street. Probably closed in the early / mid 1980s.

They donated the Shield to the Juniors.

Picture of the shop here:

http://canmore.org.uk/collection/466259

Interesting, cheers.

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Thanks for all your help, folk, I really appreciate it.

This started off as an attempt to help someone on the Dunfermline forum (not P&B) whose grandfather had played in a winning Thornton Shield team (Dalkeith Thistle 1935) and nobody really knew what it was all about. I've sort of taken it on as a personal challenge!

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  • 5 years later...

Thorntree Shield winners (1924=1923-24)

Newtongrange Star 1924, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955

Portobello Thistle 1925

Linlithgow Rose 1926, 1954

Musselburgh Bruntonians 1927

Tranent 1931, 1949

Wallyfield Bluebell 1934

Thorntree United 1935

Dalkeith Thistle 1936, 1937

Stoneyburn 1938

Dunbar United 1939

Haddington United 1940, 1941, 1947

Armadale Thistle 1942, 1948

Polkemmet 1943

Bathgate Thistle 1944, 1945

Fauldhouse United 1946

Grange Rovers 1950

Bonnyrigg Rose 1956

Pumpherston 1957

West Calder United 1958, 1959

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