Quinn <45
Hogg >45
A Bennett
Match Information
Attendance: 90,000
Referee: R.T. Murray (Stenhousemuir)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I was impressed with everything I saw and heard at Hampden Park on Saturday. We had the traditional great Cup game between Scotland’s most powerful rivals, and the unexpected happening in the overthrow of the favourite for the cup. It was the nineteenth time Celtic had won their way into the Glasgow Cup and the Rangers’ sixteenth. The records of the clubs this season could show little between the pair on public form. The greater task of the Rangers in having to play two cup games against Partick Thistle during the week against Celtic’s one against Clyde, was presumed to influence the result in favour of Celtic, who had a day longer to rest and had shown the more convincing form at Shawfield, when they overcame the Clyde by 4 goals to 0. Another point in Celtic’s favour was the inability of Lock, Galt and Bowie to take the field in this supreme test for the Rangers. The handicap was not all on the one side, for the Celts had to play without goalkeeper Mulrooney, and their start inside right forward, James McMenemy. In the places of these talented players were Hempsey, Logan, and Brown for Rangers, and Boyle and Johnstone for Celtic. The day was ideal for football, and the vast and record crowd of 70,000 people for a match other than an International reminded one of the great Scottish football carnival when England meets Scotland in Glasgow. Among the many gentlemen I met in the Queen’s Park pavilion after the thrilling contest were Sir John Ure Primrose. Bart. And Colonel Wilson. One meets these excellent sportsmen on all big occasions ever ready to join in the peen of praise for victors and losers alike. I felt as they did that a greater first half display had never been witnessed in a Glasgow Cup Final. Like them I can look back upon them all. In every respect the game was worthy of two such famous teams. With little or no wind to influence the result, and some rain in the morning to help the players neither could claim any advantage. Up to a point public expectation was verified in what occurred. In the first half the Celtic looked the more likely side to win, allowing for the wonderful escape their goal had when Dodds saved the situation after 21 minutes, when the goalkeeper was drawn out and the position seemed hopeless. The Celts had several corner-kicks before the Rangers got their first after 24 minutes when Gordon came on the scene and distinguished himself. Logan and Quinn provided many thrills for the record crowd, the Rangers’ centre-half manfully rising to the occasion. But Quinn was ever the stormy petrel for the Celts, and after a header from his close in, the Celt shot a goal when the game was 32 minutes gone. The Rangers buckled to their task with determination equal to the confidence of their rivals. Campbell was playing the game of his life. None surpassed his back display allowing for the many open kicks he got. Four minutes from the interval Quinn raced off with Logan dogging his every step. The crowd thrilled with excitement as the pair came down together in the north-east corner of the field. Two minutes later Hogg’s cross shot narrowly missed taking effect. The dramatic interludes cast a spell on the living multitude. At half-time the Celts were still that goal up. But none could say with certainty that they would conquer. Grim and determined the Rangers renewed. Almost the first run down the Celts had proved the turning point of the game. Robertson and McAtee unflinchingly met in a race for the ball. The next instant the Rangers’ back fell to the ground, and was carried off by the ambulance men. The left back took no further part in the titanic struggle. The accident was unpremeditated. McAtee is too good a sportsman and too clever on the ball to resort to unfair tactics. To save himself from Robertson’s oncoming, the Parkhead right winger put up the knee and Robertson got damaged. I am giving the version of the players and officials. The incident need not be laboured. But a big section of the crowd though otherwise. Every time McAtee got on the ball afterwards they howled the young winger unmercifully. The unwarrantable ‘barracking’ to which he was subjected affected not only himself but some of the other Celtic players. That the incident did not call for censure was proved by the referee not giving even a free-kick against Celtic. Strung to the highest tension the players expanded every ounce of their energy. The Rangers’ captain elected to play the one-back game. The alteration in the disposition of the ‘Light Blues’ defence knocked the Celtic off their balance forward. Hitherto they had shaped more combined than their opponents. The recovery the Rangers made after Robertson went off was starling in its effect. When the second half was eleven minutes gone, Alex Smith was the means of the equalising goal. Getting the ball almost on the goal line he swung it across to Hogg. Running in the Rangers’ right-winger, fully extended, caught the pass and placed the ball in the net as it flew to him. Now thoroughly roused, the spectators cheered every turn in the drama acted before their eyes. Faster and faster waxed the play. As the Rangers grew in boldness and power, the Celtic half-back play began to slacken. Quinn, Logan. Hogg, Dodds and Smith in succession came into the picture. A second goal fell to the Rangers. A Celtic back missed his kick, Alex Smith darted in and shot. Boyle saved the drive, but he failed to hold the ball, and Smith bustled and forced the leading goal for his club. Twenty-three minutes and the end was in sight. As the Celts beat up desperately Loney who had been in the wars retired for good. Before this happened, he had gone forward and Peter Johnstone filled the role of centre-half. The enforced change at half-back did not improve the play of the Celts. Ten minutes later, Reid made an opening for Bennett, who fastened on the ball quickly and shot a third goal with a grand shot. Hopeless was the outlook for the Celts. With victory assured, the Rangers’ defence kicked freely into touch, and despite gallant efforts by Quinn and McAtee to score, the Rangers held to their advantage and won a great fight. The dramatic change in the game was typical of a Rangers-Celtic match. Once again the lesser-fancied side won. The feat was characteristic of the Rangers. Their change of tactics by the adoption of the one-back game was the triumph for RG Campbell, who general led his men like the born captain he is. Never did Campbell give a more convincing display of his powers. Seldom was the need greater! Logan was another outstanding figure in the defence. The ex-Aston Villa half-back never played a game on the ground of his old club like unto his latest. His head work body charges, and passing out to the wings revealed what a wonderful improvement a sojourn in England has made in his knowledge of football. Gordon was forceful and nippy in all he did. His activity was amazingly clever. The young half-back, Robert Brown, on the other side of Logan played with the coolness and confidence of a veteran. Not a man on the field failed! The forwards were only at their best in the second half. All through Bennett and Smith were dangerous, but close in the experienced Hogg and Montgomery were often dangerous. Montgomery’s deft headers and passes were well conceived. Victory fell to the better side on the day. A more experienced goalkeeper might have saved Smith’s goal, but Boyle did his part well, and was not responsible for the defeat of his team. The backs were frequently in difficulties, but they defended valorously. Of the two Dodds was the more consistent and nippier. The half-backs wrought hard, but after Loney’s retirement they were never the same line. Up to the time of Robertson’s mishap this division was all right, but the punishing pace set by Rangers, Loney’s retirement, and the vital change of tactics by the ‘Light blues’ in the second half, contributed to their falling off. Similarly the forwards went a shade less effective. Their persevering work when the game went against them was delightful to watch, but the one-back game spoiled their passing. If beaten they were not disgraced. Quinn, McAtee and Gallagher were best in attack. It was a capital struggle to watch, and worthy of Glasgow football.
