Dr Marshall 81
Match Information
Attendance: 60,119
Referee: W Webb (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
This was the first club game I have seen in Scotland for some years. It was the first occasion, too on which I have witnesses a Scottish Cup semi-final tie. Frankly, I was disappointed. It was a very ordinary sort of game. What thrills there were came in the second half, the first portion being almost drab. The atmosphere was completely different from that associated with a semi-final affair in England, and I do think that the spectators must take their portion of blame for the second-rate quality of the stuff served up. The players, at no time, were roused to a pitch of enthusiasm. Completely absent was that much-talked-of Hampden Roar. I have played all over Britain, in gamed of varying degrees of importance, and I confess that the shout of the crowd, its enthusiasm, has a great effect on the players. In England the crowd keep yelling. Thet got to a game to be thrilled. In Scotland, however, judging from yesterdays display, the crowd pay their money to be critical. Its an old tag about Scots taking their pleasures sadly. I believe now, so far as football is concerned, that they do take their pleasures far too seriously. As I sat in the lofty heights of the Hampden Press-box, I found myself pondering on this matter, and I came away with the feeling that the lack of spirit caused by the industrial depression on Clydeside has found its way to the sports arena. The despondent outlook on life caused by the absence of work, or the threat of losing work, has stifled the joy of football. About the actual play. St Johnstone, in my opinion, were a but unlucky not to get the opportunity of a replay. Rangers secured victory, but they deserved only a draw. As tacticians they were the superior. Gone are the days when a team takes the field depending on adapting their style of play to meet whatever requirements are set up by the other fellows. St Johnstone, I take it, went on to Hampden with a plan of campaign. So, too did Rangers. The Perth lor, however, allowed themselves to depart from it. Their youthful eagerness made them erratic, and at times they were at sixes and sevens. Rangers, on the other hand, stuck very definitely to what they had previously agreed upon. And nowhere was it more in evidence than in the play of the half-back line. Their plan was not even interfered with when Simpson was injured, after twenty-three minutes of the second half had gone. The defensive attributed of the Ibrox team were maintained. Meiklejohn is indeed a brainy captain. Simpson was off for about a dozen minutes, and when he resumed it was in the outside right position. Meiklejohn went to centre half, Marshall to right half, and Macaulay to inside right. The goal that won the tie was the result of the one error made by Wyllie. Let there be no mistake on this matter. Wyllie is a good goalkeeper, and the way he left his goal to intercept the ball was really entrancing to watch. There were times when I did not like the manner in which he fisted the ball, and maybe on occasions he got away with something. It was a faulty knuckling of the ball that led to the score. Following a corner kick, he rose to the leather and his hands sent it spinning away from goal. Unfortunately for him, however, it went to Marshall. The doctor might easily have waited and let the ball drop to his feet, but he stepped a yard or so forward and met it with his head, and it found a billet in an empty goal, Wyllie being four or five yards away. The goal that mattered was scored in the thirty-sixth minute of the second half. Now let me run the rule over the players. I take the losers first. Wyllie is sound. The backs are a very useful pair, and ay close quarters they went wholeheartedly into their job, with a real old-fashioned spirit in tackling and kicking. Of the half-backs, I liked best the youthful Moulds. In this lad I think Tommy Muirhead has discovered a star player of the future and maybe I shall see him play at Wembley. I know Tommy to be a shrewd judge. I back him in regard to Moulds. Ferguson was the best of the forwards. In point of fact, I think he was the best man of the ten. A long-striding fellow, he has skilful ball control, and an impressive knowledge of how best to distribute the ball, open up play, and make the opposing defence guess a bit. Tennant appealed to me by the intelligence he revealed on certain occasions, especially in the second half. I recall one big thrill he served up, when he cutely held on and, making for the corner flag, banged over a cross that might easily have been netted if his team had been blessed with luck. Both Fulton and Stewart made desperate efforts to make contact. Each missed by inches; both were unfortunate. Davidson is clever on the ball, but I am inclined to the belief that he is not too difficult to rattle. He more than once gave signs of being annoyed. The player who allows himself to be upset makes a big mistake. Fulton also is a trifle inclined towards hot-headedness, but it must be said for him that he is whole-hearted and as keen as a razor. Stewart gave me a great thrill near the end of the first half. He sent in a left-foot drive that struck the crossbar. That shot was worth coming from London to see. Of the Rangers team, I think the outstanding player was McDonald. His feet never made a mistake, and his positional play was masterly. He was cool, calm and collected all through, and played with almost perfect precision. Gray was the usual Dougie, sound and dependable as I knew him when I played against Rangers some years ago. Dawson, I have heard tipped as likely to play for Scotland at Wembley. He is slick enough, and has as safe pair of hands, but I must say that he was served with that little bit of luck that carried Rangers into the final. He showed lack of proper judgment in the second half when he came out to a ball that he completely missed. Fortunately, there was no one at hand to take advantage of the situation. Meiklejohn is not one who makes the mistake of needlessly wasting energy. He sees a move or two ahead. Simpson, it was obvious to me, plays to instructions, and as a tactical centre-half he is masterly. His job in the Rangers team is the same as that of Roberts in the Arsenal, and this big fellow does it well. Brown is also part of the machine, and he fits in perfectly. The trio make a cunning half-back line. Macaulay was quiet in the early stages, but in the second half he proved a strong factor, and no one did more to break down the Perth defence. Marshall was not as attractive as I had hoped, but his quick thinking when seizing the chance that made the winning goal was tribute to his powers. Smith is a strong-going centre-forward, and he has football skill of the high order to ally with his physical attributes. He would be a heaven-sent blessing to some English clubs I know of. McPhail appeared to me to ne not too fit and did not put into his work the power of which he is capable. Nicholson was very dainty, and always quick to seize an opening. His quickness of feet and thought gave Smith a glorious chance in the second half, the centre blazing the ball over the bar first time from a pass by the left-winger. My find word. I have been told that football is not so good as it used to be not so exciting. My advice to those who complain is that they have remedy in their own hands. The crowd should make themselves part of the proceedings. They should roar, and they will be rewarded
