Jimmy "Tinny" (and John) Oswald

James "Jimmy" Oswald was born in 1868 in Greenock, the son of a tinsmith, presumably hence "tinny". But the family soon on the move, to Glasgow, to The Gorbals and it was there that he learned the game. Having played for Govanhill and Kelburne at the age of twenty in 1888 he would join Third Lanark. Indeed he was in its team that took the 1889 Scottish Cup Final, the "Snow Final", defeating Celtic 3-0 in the disputed first game and 1-2 in the replay with in both matches a 3rd's goal scored by inside-right Oswald. But that was John, Jimmy's elder brother. James himself was on the left-wing. 

John would immediately after the final be tempted to move south, to Notts County for a season and then Sunderland Albion. And Jimmy would join him at The Magpies at least, remaining for four seasons, converting to centre-forward with a total ninety-five games and fifty-five goals. Moreover, after Wearside John would return to former home-town Morton and so in time after Nottingham would Jimmy for five years but only via two seasons in Edinburgh at St. Bernard's and four at Rangers. And on retirement it would be in Glasgow that he would settle, returning to his former profession as a boiler-maker. But he would do so with three Scottish caps, in 1889 scoring the equaliser in the 2-3 away victory over England, in 1895 captaining against England in defeat and in 1897 in drawing with Wales, an FA Cup losers' medal from 1891, a winning one in the Scottish Cup in 1895 and, but for injury, what would have been a second victory in 1897.  

Jimmy Oswald retired from football in 1902. In 1889 he had married Maggie Ward in Hutchesontown. She had moved with him to Nottingham but the couple seem to have been childless. Margaret would pass away seemingly in Springburn in 1944, Jimmy outliving her by four years, dying in 1948 and but a stone's throw from Cathkin Park. We understand that he is buried in Cathcart Cemetery but believe that the grave itself is unmarked and for the moment remains unlocatable.

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