Fewest players left on the field

[free beer]

I've been adding match reports for clubs' highest victories to my app and discovered that in Kilmarnock's 15-0 defeat of Lanemark in the Ayrshire Cup in 1890, that Lanemark played with only four players for the last 25 minutes. Although that can't happen today because of the seven player rule, does anyone know the fewest number of players that a team, or collectively both teams, has/have been left with on the field in a competitive Scottish match?

[Chapelhall chap]

I know there was an Airdrieonians game against Stranraer at Broadwood in 90s where Stranraer ended with 7 players, and lost heavily. Need to look it up for accuracy.

 

[free beer]

On 20/03/2023 at 22:46, Chapelhall chap said:

I know there was an Airdrieonians game against Stranraer at Broadwood in 90s where Stranraer ended with 7 players, and lost heavily. Need to look it up for accuracy.

I found it in 1994-95 season. Stranraer had four sent off in the Airdrie match on December 3rd. They also had one sent off in their home match, on August 27th, with Ayr who had three sent off.  On March 11th at Stair Park, they were involved in their third four-red-card match of the season. Stranraer and St Mirren each had two sent off in the relegation battle that day. The S.F.A. sent a letter to the club at the end of the season, warning them to clean up their act.

 

[Shandon Par]

Peterhead doing their best to have the game abandoned. Poor ref spent the last half hour with a thousand yard stare waiting for it to end.

 

[ICTChris]

There a was a Hearts v Rangers game in the 90s where Hearts had four players sent off.

[Moomintroll]

54 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

There a was a Hearts v Rangers game in the 90s where Hearts had four players sent off.

Was it Neil Pointon who got a stupid red card that day? Booted the post and lauched a volley of abuse at the linesman when they were already down to 9 men. Was utterly bizzare.

[Skyline Drifter]

16 hours ago, Moomintroll said:

Was it Neil Pointon who got a stupid red card that day? Booted the post and lauched a volley of abuse at the linesman when they were already down to 9 men. Was utterly bizzare.

It was. He was effing and blinding at the linesman for a short while before he called him an "f***ing cheat" at which point he was red carded for calling into question the integrity of a match official. 

[Spyro]

On 10/04/2023 at 09:16, Moomintroll said:

Was it Neil Pointon who got a stupid red card that day? Booted the post and lauched a volley of abuse at the linesman when they were already down to 9 men. Was utterly bizzare.

 

9 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

It was. He was effing and blinding at the linesman for a short while before he called him an "f***ing cheat" at which point he was red carded for calling into question the integrity of a match official. 

Thanks lads, just led me down a rabbit hole on London Hearts! It was all Durie's fault, Bruno didn't like it and all hell broke loose... Left us with a back 4 which included Andy Thorn(!) and a 17 year old Gary Naysmith to sort out Celtic in the League Cup 3 days later AET

Good times!

[lokforever]

Pollok v Largs thistle at newlandsfield in the league Largs had 4 sent off and one carried off so fi ished the game with 6 players.

[HibeeJibee]

Maxwelltown v Dalbeattie Trades in the Dumfries & Galloway Junior Cup R3 was played on Saturday 10th January 1920. Most of the Dalbeattie team were travelling by motor omnibus, which broke down, but 1 player called George McKay had gone up early by train to deliver a parcel to his sister in the infirmary. He walked down to Nunholm Park, but after waiting 45 mins the referee declared he had to call the tie to a start, so it could be awarded for Dalbeattie's non-appearance.

McKay pointed out that he had appeared. He decided to play by himself, and try to keep the score down in the hope his team-mates might soon appear - as such he "pluckily took the field alone to uphold his club's honour". He won the toss, and chose his end, meaning Maxwelltown had to kick-off. As soon as they did he stepped-up and won an offside. Supposedly through some combination of keeping the ball as long as he could and forcing offside he managed to hold out for between 2 and 8 minutes... reports vary... at that point an opponent started from his own half, beat him, and scored. Promptly the referee abandoned the game. Heartbreakingly another 7 of his teammates arrived only 10-15 minutes later, having walked through the snow from their stricken bus. They then played an 11 v 8 friendly which finished Maxwelltown 2-1 Dalbeattie Trades.

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

Maxwelltown v Dalbeattie Trades in the Dumfries & Galloway Junior Cup R3 was played on Saturday 10th January 1920. Most of the Dalbeattie team were travelling by motor omnibus, which broke down, but 1 player called George McKay had gone up early by train to deliver a parcel to his sister in the infirmary. He walked down to Nunholm Park, but after waiting 45 mins the referee declared he had to call the tie to a start, so it could be awarded for Dalbeattie's non-appearance.

McKay pointed out that he had appeared. He decided to play by himself, and try to keep the score down in the hope his team-mates might soon appear - as such he "pluckily took the field alone to uphold his club's honour". He won the toss, and chose his end, meaning Maxwelltown had to kick-off. As soon as they did he stepped-up and won an offside. Supposedly through some combination of keeping the ball as long as he could and forcing offside he managed to hold out for between 2 and 8 minutes... reports vary... at that point an opponent started from his own half, beat him, and scored. Promptly the referee abandoned the game. Heartbreakingly another 7 of his teammates arrived only 10-15 minutes later, having walked through the snow from their stricken bus. They then played an 11 v 8 friendly which finished Maxwelltown 2-1 Dalbeattie Trades.

Reminds me of the old joke 

Franz Beckenbaur and Gerd Muller are on holiday in Butlins at Ayr. Reading the paper they see Barcelona have pulled out of appearing at Peter McCloy's testimonial at Ibrox. They phone and offer to play instead and Rangers agree. In the tunnel John Greig asks where the rest of the Bayern team are. They explain it's just the two of them. It's too late not to play. The Germans kick off and go 1-0 up in the first minute and hold out until half time.

During the break Muller gets a call, he needs to go home urgently.

They don't see each other until pre-season training. Gerd asks Franz how the second half went. " Finished one each, I got sent off in the last minute".

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Sergeant Wilson

[Black Pennel]

8 hours ago, lokforever said:

Pollok v Largs thistle at newlandsfield in the league Largs had 4 sent off and one carried off so fi ished the game with 6 players.

Have you still got the film from that one ?

It was pretty mental.

[lokforever]

6 hours ago, Black Pennel said:

Have you still got the film from that one ?

It was pretty mental.

Here is the last 5 minutes, the assistant manager was sent off in 44m and Ryan Deas sent off in 85m, the video shows 3 reds and a penalty goal.

 

[Skyline Drifter]

18 hours ago, lokforever said:

Pollok v Largs thistle at newlandsfield in the league Largs had 4 sent off and one carried off so fi ished the game with 6 players.

Did the referee not know the rules then?

EDIT - I've now watched the video and realised that three reds and the carried off injury were all in effect the last action of the game. He should technically have abandoned the game before the final kick off though instead of allowing the restart to happen with 6 on the pitch and blowing the final whilstle a second later.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Skyline Drifter

[Jacksgranda]

3 hours ago, lokforever said:

Here is the last 5 minutes, the assistant manager was sent off in 44m and Ryan Deas sent off in 85m, the video shows 3 reds and a penalty goal.

 

I'm not quite sure what all those orderings off were for.

[lokforever]

Nope, the rules then were you had to have at least 7 on the pitch to start a game there were  no rules then about having at least 7 on the pitch to continue, I think now the game is abandoned if there is less than 7

Edited June 2, 2023 by lokforever

[lokforever]

1 minute ago, Jacksgranda said:

I'm not quite sure what all those orderings off were for.

Keeper for the penalty, the guy putting the keepers Jersey on was for a 2nd yellow for faal to the fans behind the goal, he had been cautioned in the 5th minute for throwing the ball away and the other was for faal to the ref.

[Skyline Drifter]

14 minutes ago, lokforever said:

Nope, the rules then were you had to have at least 7 on the pitch to start a game there were  no rules then about having at least 7 on the pitch to continue, I think now the game is abandoned if there is less than 7

I don't believe that rule has ever been anything different. You've always had to have at least 7 to continue. The infamous "Battle of Bramall Lane" which was abandoned once Sheffield United took off an injured player to drop to 6 men was well before that date (16th March 2002).

Technically he should have abandoned before kicking off at the end there.

EDIT - A wee bit of research (ie Wiki refers to it in the article about the Battle of Bramall Lane) reveals a Uruguayan game in 1977 was also abandoned when they dropped to 6 players on one side so rule is at least that old.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Skyline Drifter

[Jacksgranda]

10 minutes ago, lokforever said:

Keeper for the penalty, the guy putting the keepers Jersey on was for a 2nd yellow for faal to the fans behind the goal, he had been cautioned in the 5th minute for throwing the ball away and the other was for faal to the ref.

I got the first 2, the third one had me baffled.

[Skyline Drifter]

16 minutes ago, lokforever said:

Keeper for the penalty, the guy putting the keepers Jersey on was for a 2nd yellow for faal to the fans behind the goal, he had been cautioned in the 5th minute for throwing the ball away and the other was for faal to the ref.

As an aside, since you've used it twice I assume it's not a typo, what on earth does "faal" mean?