Morrison 8, 13
Carmichael 30
Match Information
Attendance: 52,000
Referee: J.T. Howcroft (Bolton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I expected this morning to have a nice story to tell of a thrilling Cup struggle between the Clyde and Rangers at Shawfield Park. Expectations was fuelled to the latter in the dimensions of the crowd and the weather, for the must have exceeded 50,000 – a record for Shawfield Park – and following heavy rain at noon the atmosphere cleared and the conditions for football were better than on any Saturday since the year dawned. The game was controlled by an English referee, and everything proceeded on the usual lines until about a quarter of an hour from the finish, when the field was invaded and play stopped by the malicious action of a crowd of rowdies. All persuasion on the part of the Clyde of officials, who alone, in conjunction with the police, endeavoured to intervene with the invaders to allow the game to proceed, proved fruitless. Early in the game the Clyde officials had relieved the congestion in the reserved enclosure in front of the stand by helping many people over the barricade and allowing them to squat on the track. These people, and others who followed from the same quarter, were orderly and contented themselves by keeping within bounds, and four mounted policemen who had been phoned for kept that side of the field clear of the play. To the city side of the ground, latter on others clambered over the barricade. They too, kept in restraint, but the climax leading to the regrettable abandonment of the game was an act of maliciousness on the part of people who were comfortably placed for seeing the game, and whose only motive apparently was to stop it at all hazards. The Clyde were leading their opponents at the time by 3 goals 1. I shall deal briefly with the game because of a sensational ending that demands more than passing comment. The Rangers, who travelled up from special training quarters in Troon, were dwarfed in general play by their opponents in the first half, when the Clyde played with delightful balance and skill. Their play was convincing of greater strength, and two goals were scored by Morrison, who took the place of Cameron at the last moment. The ordinary centre developed influenza on Friday, and could not play. Morrison scored the first goal after three or four minutes, and the other 12 minutes later. The Clyde forwards played brilliantly through the Rangers defence, and Carmichael shot a third goal when the game was half an hour gone. The weakness in the Rangers defence at half-back and full-back was as unexpected as it was pronounced. Nothing seemed to stop the Clyde, whose outfield play was brilliant. Two of the goal were partly the result of blunders on the part of ‘Light Blue’ defenders, but against these Carmichael and Stevens each missed scoring when well placed. In the second half the Rangers recovered their form and Hendry scored in three minutes. I am told noise from the jubilant crowd was heard at Celtic Park. Until the abandonment of the game the Clyde held their opponents at all points. Although the Rangers were of least aggressive. To a man the Clyde team played magnificent football. The backs were brilliant, Gilligan never played Alex Smith so effectively, and Blair was outstanding. His exhibition at back was a feature of the game, and McAndrew was as convincingly strong at centre half, where Walker and Collins were as thrustful. Walker was the artist among all. The wing forwards bettered the Rangers’ defence and Jackson as an inside support was not unsurpassed by any. Morrison, suited by the ground was a success in the centre. The line stood admirably up to the Rangers defence, and the team shaped like winners all through. The Rangers never found their feet as did the Clyde, and their strongest defence players, Galt and Gordon were put of it badly in the first half. Lock might have saved one goal, but his supports were erratic. Bennett was the more thrustful of the forwards, but he played all the one way, and found Jackson up against him at unexpected moments. Reid began to open the play in the second half, and was an earnest worker. As a whole the team played under form, and never recovered from the early disasters. Years ago I remember when Dumbarton and Clyde met in a Scottish Cup tie at Barrowfield Park, the crowd broke in some twenty odd minutes from time. Dumbarton were leading by several goals when the home spectators broke in. Dumbarton claimed the tie, and the SFA endorsed their right to it. The circumstances affected the Clyde differently on Saturday. They led the Rangers by 3 goals to 1, and according to the referee, who is the sole judge of time, 14 minutes remained for play. All along the crowd was at high tension. The partisan section was particularly demonstrative. The home following was delirious with joy at the success of the Clyde team. The rival section was dismayed. What section invaded the field? It is feasible to suppose the Clyde spectators broke in when victory seemed assured? The Clyde president informed me he was told, than an organised attempt would be made to stop the game in the event of the Rangers being in the position of likely losers. This was at half-time, and other directors confirmed his assertion. Some said that a certain brake club was to provide the source of the trouble. What happened? When McAndrew tackled Bennett and both players were lying on the ground, a few misguided and irresponsible individuals in the city portion of the enclosure rushed on to the field. One man carrying a flag signalled to others in the corner from whence he appeared to follow suit. One of the foremost made for Gilligan, the Clyde back, who was not concerned in the incident, and mad to assault him. I believe he is under arrest. In a few seconds all was chaos. The playing pitch was invaded by thousands. The unruly ones showed their sympathies by promptly seizing certain Rangers players, including Lock, and ‘chairing’ them to the pavilion entry. Their action gave the whole show away. I learned from Mr John McGuire the club president, that almost all the Clyde players were assaulted on their way to the pavilion. The referee also complained to me about being assaulted. He said nothing occurred in the game, and there was no rough play to excuse the deplorable conduct of the unruly spectators. With difficulty the players and officials reached the friendly shelter of the dressing rooms. The crowd remained on the field, determined that no further play would be allowed. One youth was hoisted to the top of the goal post at the end where the break-in occurred, and supported in his action by others, he promptly proceeded to cut up the nets. The four mounted policeman contented themselves by endeavouring to keep the people back from the pavilion. By and by they slowly moved westward where the congestion on the field was greatest, but evidently recognising that putting their horses to the gallop would inflame the excited mob, and perhaps lead to riot, they made no attempt to drive them back. Doubtless the memory of that awful Cup final day at Hampden Park in 1909, when the enclosure was fired and many people were injured, restrained them. I spoke to the referee on the grand stand. He was willing to proceed with the game if the pitch were cleared; but after waiting for a time, and seeing it was impossible to finish the game, he consulted with the club officials and intimated that proceedings were at an end as far as he was concerned. So one more disgraceful episode in the records of Glasgow football terminated. Many among the crowd lingered on, watching and waiting developments, but the police gradually persuaded them back, and at 5.15 pm the field was empty and only a few hundred hung about the entrances with the ordinary police lining up as guards. The patience of the police, I believe, saved a riot. And now it remains with the members of the Scottish Football Association to do their duty. The task is unpleasant. If this game is replayed they will place all football authority at defiance. A replay of this tie will mean that in the future the supports of a beaten club will recklessly stop any match. We cannot tolerate mob law in football. The SFA must make an example. The only way, and I am sorry to say it, that these people can be punished, is to punish the club. The Rangers had still 14 minutes’ grace to pull level with their opponents. It is possible for any team to score twice in that time, but the manner in which the Clyde were playing when the break-in occurred was not suggestive of latent weakness. The SFA will please public opinion by awarding the Cup tie to the Clyde, whose general play and lead entitled them to the honours of victory. I learn officially the Clyde directors have claimed the tie, and their action will have the sympathy of all sportsmen
