Newspaper Help Needed

[Andy]

I daresay some Football Fanatic may be able to give me chapter and verse on this but I'm well out of my depth here.

John McMillan, born Dumbarton abt 1898, a boilermaker married Mary Ann Roxbury McPhail in 1923. Ten months later a daughter was born (so not a shotgun).

16th December 1929 Mary Ann Roxbury McPhail is granted a divorce from John, Professional Footballer and sometimes Boilermaker, c/o Hendry 11 Erin Close, Dublin.

I've Googled till my eyes have Goggled but can't find any references to John McMillan. I'm quite good at the Irish stuff!

You would think, even in the 1920's some sort of paper-trail would exist for a professional footballer who was obviously snapped up by a team in Dublin while, perhaps playing for Clydebank (I think the only Professional Club in the area at that time) ..... I can't find it!

CAN YOU?

[Anniespangles]

If you go onto Fb and search for a group named the Great Dumbarton Story there might be some guys on there that might be able to help you,its a bit of a daft group but in a nice way and there is lots of stuff on Dumbartons past ,so they might be able to help you with your footballer too. Just thinking I think you have to ask if you can join the group but its not a problem they get back to folks real quick.Hope they can help.He may very well have played for Dumbarton as it has a very old well established team too.Dumbarton Library could perhaps shine some light on things also,it has a fab local archive section.

[Currie]

Hello Andy,

Most sporting references only have the surname and they can be difficult to track. It seems he was usually known as Jock McMillan, but also as Jack.

The Irish Times [Dublin], 15 October, 1931: 15.
“Association Football.
Shamrock Rovers New Player.
McMillan Returns to Free State Football.
J. McMillan, the former Shelbourne inside-left, has signed on for Shamrock Rovers after a short spell in England with Thames, the new Third Division club. McMillan found that the climate did not agree with him, and decided to return to Free State football. A neat and clever player, he has represented the Free State League against the Irish League, and fits in well with the Rover’s front line.”

From bits and pieces in the Irish newspapers, it seems that Shamrock Rovers won a medal in 1932 when they beat Dolphin, and that McMillan wasn’t available to the Rovers in 1933, so maybe he retired. Here’s a movie of the match. http://www.britishpathe.com/video/irish-cup-final

In May 1933, there was a “display of football” at Beechmount Park, where Navan United had as visitors Alliance Gas Co, including Jack McMillan, former Shelbourne etc, so maybe he worked there.

He got into trouble with the Law in Dublin in 1930 for breaking a shop window. Probably not too unusual for footballers.

Hope that helps,
Alan

[Lindsay]

From Dundee Courier 6 August 1924:
Vale of Leven have signed John M'Millan, the clever outside left from Blackburn Rovers. M'Millan is a Dumbarton lad, and has played with Sunderland and Blackpool. He played as junior with Duntocher Hibs and Dumbarton Harp Juniors, and has also seen service with Dumbarton.

[Andy]

Thanks for all the information - helps to pad out the sterile Birth, Marriage and dates dates. This site is more useful than Google!!!

Cheers M'Dears,

Andy