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When I recently digitised the 1928 Hearts booklet Tales from Tynecastle (now available for download on my Sporting Anthology page), I was intrigued by some of the adverts.
Two of them featured former players George Sinclair and Paddy Crossan, which adds an extra dimension to the interest of the booklet. Much could be, and has been, written about the relationship between football and alcohol, but it is fascinating how many players went into the pub trade, perhaps using a testimonial pay-off to set themselves up.
Two of them featured former players George Sinclair and Paddy Crossan, which adds an extra dimension to the interest of the booklet. Much could be, and has been, written about the relationship between football and alcohol, but it is fascinating how many players went into the pub trade, perhaps using a testimonial pay-off to set themselves up.
Paddy's Bar felt obliged to advertise that it offered 'sitting accommodation' for 'connoisseurs of the finest wines, beers and spirits' which is probably a reflection of how basic some pubs could be in the 1920s. It remained an institution in Rose Street long after the player died in 1933, in fact until recent living memory, but has since changed identity a few times and is now the Black Rose.
Sinclair made a surprising choice of location for a Hearts player, as Montrose Terrace is at the top of Easter Road, but promised his customers 'prompt attention, excellent quality and civility' with Dryburgh's Starbright Ale always in the best of condition. It was obviously a good business as he kept it until his death in 1959. The bar retained his name to about the end of the century but now it is a rather douce coffee and deli bar called Just the Ticket.
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