Appeal for information about second Russell Cup discovered in Balloch

dailyrecord.co.uk:

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