A Photographic History Of Scottish Football

[Eednud]

Story about Alexander Rhind who played for Scotland in the first official Scotland v England game 150 years ago today.
 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-63781834

This photo of one of his sons who played for Inverness Caley and possibly Aberdeen is from the article.

 

 

F0365D16-23EF-46B7-9D9B-122908DDC2D9.webp

Edited November 30, 2022 by Eednud

[HibeeJibee]

That week provides a nice microcosm of Scottish football almost 100yrs ago.

Kickoffs were 3:15pm... even under natural light in late January and early February.

Michael Whelahan the Hibs founder died.

Court cases were ongoing for somebody from Falkirk trying to bride a Stenhousemuir player and the Ayr Utd manager & secretary falsely accusing the SFA treasurer of bribing a referee.

Scotland agreed in principle to tour New Zealand (but it never happened as they went to USA & Canada instead).

There was a solitary Third Division game where Clackmannan drew with Helensburgh. Back then the Scottish League had 56 clubs... Celtic led the First Division, Clyde the Second and Forfar the Third level. Nithsdale were battling for promotion to the top tier whilst that middle division also included Arthurlie, King's Park, Bo'ness, St Bernards, Armadale, Bathgate and Broxburn amongst its members. In the bottom rung could be found mighty Vale of Leven, Dykehead, Royal Albert, Mid Annandale, Leith, Lochgelly, Beith, Solway Star, Galston, Peebles and Johnstone.

There was a solitary Highland League game where Inverness Citadel beat Forres, and a solitary East of Scotland League game where Coldstream won at Selkirk.

Farce reigned in the Midland Junior League after a telephone call cancelled Panmure v Kirkcaldy... even though Mrs McIntosh had meant Kirkcaldy A v Panmure A when she rang.

It was a bad day on the roads:






All the Scottish Cup replays were rapid 3 or 4 days later on weekday afternoons. That didn't stop 9,000 turning up at Easter Road and 25,000 at Tynecastle amid strong attendances:





Easter Road again? Broxburn sold-out home advantage to Hibs in return for members being admitted free and Hibs paying for all of Broxburn's supporter buses.

(On that topic: Nairn and Breadalbane had already sold-out home advantage in their initial ties, to St Johnstone and Falkirk. Dundee v Inverness Caledonian had gone midweek to avoid clashing with Dundee Utd v Hearts).

Even an apparently unattractive Monday afternoon league game at Coatbridge between Albion Rovers and Armadale drew 1,000 to see stuffy 0-1 away win.

Forfarshire had as many clubs in R2 draw as Glasgow. Hearts beat Dundee Utd at 3rd time of asking - back at Tynecastle the following Monday afternoon before 20,000. Of course in those days there were not only cup replays but they were unlimited replays,


Football cartoons were popular:

Edited November 30, 2022 by HibeeJibee

[buchan30]

All the Scottish Cup replays were rapid 3 or 4 days later on weekday afternoons. That didn't stop 9,000 turning up at Easter Road and 25,000 at Tynecastle amid strong attendances:





Easter Road again? Broxburn sold-out home advantage to Hibs in return for members being admitted free and Hibs paying for all of Broxburn's supporter buses.

(On that topic: Nairn and Breadalbane had already sold-out home advantage in their initial ties, to St Johnstone and Falkirk. Dundee v Inverness Caledonian had gone midweek to avoid clashing with Dundee Utd v Hearts).

Even an apparently unattractive Monday afternoon league game at Coatbridge between Albion Rovers and Armadale drew 1,000 to see stuffy 0-1 away win.

Forfarshire had as many clubs in R2 draw as Glasgow. Hearts beat Dundee Utd at 3rd time of asking - back at Tynecastle the following Monday afternoon before 20,000. Of course in those days there were not only cup replays but they were unlimited replays,

It is strange to think of replays being played during the day, on weekdays. Especially considering that it was started as a sport for people who worked a half day on a Saturday and probably worked 9-5 during the week. I remember my dad telling me about bunking off school to go to a midweek, during the day replay between Raith and possibly Morton.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

@HibeeJibeeare you perhaps referring to the Robert Orr / Robert Russell bribery affair from 1935?

[tamthebam]

The newspaper article was in the Dumbarton exhibition because the Sons drew with Buckie in the Cup, had to travel up to Buckie for the Wednesday replay and as the players were part timers they did a double shift on the Friday to make up their wages. 

This is the excuse given for Dumbarton's record loss to Albion Rovers on the Saturday after the original Buckie game.

[tamthebam]

2 minutes ago, buchan30 said:

 

It is strange to think of replays being played during the day, on weekdays. Especially considering that it was started as a sport for people who worked a half day on a Saturday and probably worked 9-5 during the week. I remember my dad telling me about bunking off school to go to a midweek, during the day replay between Raith and possibly Morton.

 

In Edinburgh Wednesday was a half day. When I was young some shops shut at Wednesday lunch time, including the Post Office - that was the early to mid 1980s.

Here is an Ardath card of Aberdeen Shop Assistants

The back of the card says "Formed 1919 and plays in the Wednesday Juniors League". There was a similar League in Edinburgh.

[Dundee Hibernian]

1 hour ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

@HibeeJibeeare you perhaps referring to the Robert Orr / Robert Russell bribery affair from 1935?

In the mid 1920s, a Bainsford bookie tried to bribe Stenhousemuir keeper John Shortt. 

The Warriors were a great team at that time, so much so that they felt able to play with a man Shortt every week.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

11 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

In the mid 1920s, a Bainsford bookie tried to bribe Stenhousemuir keeper John Shortt. 

The Warriors were a great team at that time, so much so that they felt able to play with a man Shortt every week.

I'm doing some work with the FFHT just now, and came across the FFC board minute the other day where we signed the unbelievable striker Evelyn Morrison from Stenny.

71 top flight goals in 58 league appearances for us. He signed for £1000 and the brass got together (over a few brandies no doubt) in the Plough Hotel in Stenny to make the deal.

[Dundee Hibernian]

24 minutes ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

I'm doing some work with the FFHT just now, and came across the FFC board minute the other day where we signed the unbelievable striker Evelyn Morrison from Stenny.

71 top flight goals in 58 league appearances for us. He signed for £1000 and the brass got together (over a few brandies no doubt) in the Plough Hotel in Stenny to make the deal.

You'll have to enlighten me re the FFHT. 

Morrison was born in South Africa, but lived in Scotland from childhood. He was picked up as a senior player by the Warriors at a relatively late age (26), played a year at Ochilview, then a year at Brockville, before being sold to Sunderland.

His fee was said to have covered the £7,600 cost of Falkirk's new stand, opened the season he signed for the Bairns.

Not a great success at Roker Park, he returned to play at Partick Thistle. Unusually, he traveled south each match day to play for Sunderland, training separately from his team mates. Perhaps this partly explains his lack of game time and goals in England.

He eventually became a technical teacher in Lanarkshire.

[HibeeJibee]

3 hours ago, buchan30 said:

It is strange to think of replays being played during the day, on weekdays. Especially considering that it was started as a sport for people who worked a half day on a Saturday and probably worked 9-5 during the week. I remember my dad telling me about bunking off school to go to a midweek, during the day replay between Raith and possibly Morton.

 

It was an early example of financial factors impacting on the cup.

Sometime in the early 1900s the SFL clubs agreed amongst themselves to do their utmost to hold replays or rearrangements in midweek to avoid displacing league games.

Non-league opponents would frequently be offered incentives to do the same but didn't always accept.

 

3 hours ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

@HibeeJibeeare you perhaps referring to the Robert Orr / Robert Russell bribery affair from 1935?

Nope just press reports that week in 1926:

* Donald Douglas of 121 Mongolhead Road, Falkirk, pled not guilty then was committed to trial over having attempted to bribe Stenhousemuir goalkeeper Joseph Shortt with £50 if he would cause his team to lose their league game versus Broxburn United

* James Hay secretary and manager of Ayr Utd got suspended sine die from involvement in Scottish football, for falsely claiming Thomas Steen also of Ayr Utd the SFA treasurer had tried to bribe a referee - he had refused to apologise, and stood by his claim

 

2 hours ago, tamthebam said:

In Edinburgh Wednesday was a half day. When I was young some shops shut at Wednesday lunch time, including the Post Office - that was the early to mid 1980s.

Here is an Ardath card of Aberdeen Shop Assistants. The back of the card says "Formed 1919 and plays in the Wednesday Juniors League". There was a similar League in Edinburgh.

There was a craze before WWI for establishing specific midweek leagues to cater to half-day holidays.

I'll look them up.

EDIT:

Inter-City Midweek League (sfha.org.uk)

Scottish Inter-City Midweek League
was established by Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee and it commenced on Tuesday 15th October 1912, with member clubs due to play each other home-&-away. It was abandoned after Wednesday 6th November with 4 of its 10 rounds of matches completed, due to poor crowds. Rangers were leading by 1pt from Dundee at the time.

Glasgow & District Midweek League
was established by Clyde, Third Lanark, Partick, Morton, St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Falkirk plus it also commenced on Tuesday 15th October 1912, with members due to play each other 3 home+3 away. It was completed come April - albeit Falkirk dropped out after 2 games and St Mirren-Partick plus Clyde-Morton were not played. Third Lanark were champions, but the tournament didn't return next season.


Lord Provost's Rent Relief Fund (sfha.org.uk)
Glasgow Dental Cup (sfha.org.uk)

Glasgow Rent Relief Cup
Edinburgh Rent Relief Cup
were both contested in 1921-22, with the 6x Glasgow clubs and 4x Edinburgh clubs contesting. There was 1 tie every Wednesday over a period of weeks. Rangers and Hearts (held-over by 18 months) won.

Glasgow Dental Cup
was contested in 1928-29, again 6x Glasgow clubs again 1 tie every Wednesday. Partick won the cup.

Edited November 30, 2022 by HibeeJibee

[Ranaldo Bairn]

16 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

You'll have to enlighten me re the FFHT. 

Morrison was born in South Africa, but lived in Scotland from childhood. He was picked up as a senior player by the Warriors at a relatively late age (26), played a year at Ochilview, then a year at Brockville, before being sold to Sunderland.

His fee was said to have covered the £7,600 cost of Falkirk's new stand, opened the season he signed for the Bairns.

Not a great success at Roker Park, he returned to play at Partick Thistle. Unusually, he traveled south each match day to play for Sunderland, training separately from his team mates. Perhaps this partly explains his lack of game time and goals in England.

He eventually became a technical teacher in Lanarkshire.

https://falkirkfootballheritagetrust.wordpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR2k8GFeM3iL1QicfV0VULGGJ2oASB9PvoryYUP7OeJ0FS_QjUCOk2lhVj0

 

[Dundee Hibernian]

Following on from the correction of Mr Shortt's first name (Joe), and in an attempt to work some repetitive humour, Joe Shortt had kept goal for Albion Rovers when they reached the Scottish Cup Final in 1920, losing the Kilmarnock, below.

Kilmarnock had Mattha Shortt at centre half, meaning for the first and so far only occasion, a Scottish Cup Final took place with both sides playing a player Shortt.

[Arch Stanton]

With all of the posts regarding the 1925/26 Scottish Cup, it's important to remember who won it that season.

[Sergeant Wilson]

12 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

It was an early example of financial factors impacting on the cup.

Sometime in the early 1900s the SFL clubs agreed amongst themselves to do their utmost to hold replays or rearrangements in midweek to avoid displacing league games.

Non-league opponents would frequently be offered incentives to do the same but didn't always accept.

 

Nope just press reports that week in 1926:

* Donald Douglas of 121 Mongolhead Road, Falkirk, pled not guilty then was committed to trial over having attempted to bribe Stenhousemuir goalkeeper Joseph Shortt with £50 if he would cause his team to lose their league game versus Broxburn United

* James Hay secretary and manager of Ayr Utd got suspended sine die from involvement in Scottish football, for falsely claiming Thomas Steen also of Ayr Utd the SFA treasurer had tried to bribe a referee - he had refused to apologise, and stood by his claim

 

There was a craze before WWI for establishing specific midweek leagues to cater to half-day holidays.

I'll look them up.

EDIT:

Inter-City Midweek League (sfha.org.uk)

Scottish Inter-City Midweek League
was established by Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee and it commenced on Tuesday 15th October 1912, with member clubs due to play each other home-&-away. It was abandoned after Wednesday 6th November with 4 of its 10 rounds of matches completed, due to poor crowds. Rangers were leading by 1pt from Dundee at the time.

Glasgow & District Midweek League
was established by Clyde, Third Lanark, Partick, Morton, St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Falkirk plus it also commenced on Tuesday 15th October 1912, with members due to play each other 3 home+3 away. It was completed come April - albeit Falkirk dropped out after 2 games and St Mirren-Partick plus Clyde-Morton were not played. Third Lanark were champions, but the tournament didn't return next season.


Lord Provost's Rent Relief Fund (sfha.org.uk)
Glasgow Dental Cup (sfha.org.uk)

Glasgow Rent Relief Cup
Edinburgh Rent Relief Cup
were both contested in 1921-22, with the 6x Glasgow clubs and 4x Edinburgh clubs contesting. There was 1 tie every Wednesday over a period of weeks. Rangers and Hearts (held-over by 18 months) won.

Glasgow Dental Cup
was contested in 1928-29, again 6x Glasgow clubs again 1 tie every Wednesday. Partick won the cup.

Is Mongolhead Road still there?

Eta, still there as Mungalhead Road. PC gone mad!

Edited December 1, 2022 by Sergeant Wilson

[Arch Stanton]

John Cochrane was the St. Mirren manager when they won the Scottish Cup in 1926. He then went on to manage Sunderland to win the English FA Cup 11 years later,  becoming the first to manage cup winning sides on both sides of the border.

 

[Boghead ranter]

4 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Is Mongolhead Road still there?

Eta, still there as Mungalhead Road. PC gone mad!

I wonder why they changed it?

[Big Chief Toffee Teeth]

Steve Archibald moves from Clyde to Aberdeen, featuring Craig Brown with hair.

[Dundee Hibernian]

1 hour ago, Boghead ranter said:

I wonder why they changed it?

It was never changed, always Mungalhead Road, named after Mungal Farm or the Mungal Burn nearby.

54 minutes ago, Big Chief Toffee Teeth said:

Steve Archibald moves from Clyde to Aberdeen, featuring Craig Brown with hair.

Which one is Craig Brown?

[Jacksgranda]

1 hour ago, Boghead ranter said:

I wonder why they changed it?

And when...

[Sergeant Wilson]

57 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

It was never changed, always Mungalhead Road, named after Mungal Farm or the Mungal Burn nearby.

It said Mongolhead in the report. I thought it might have been a similar naming style to Saracen's or The Turk's Head.