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A Photographic History Of Scottish Football


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Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

9th May 1964, St. Mirren v Third Lanark. The pitch in some state.

ETA John Wilson was a full back played as a forward.

This was a Summer Cup tie.

 

4 hours ago, tamthebam said:

Teams just got on with it in those days. Unless Thirds issued a "statement" back then... 

 

3 hours ago, Boghead ranter said:

That pitch 🥰🥰🥰


Unless a lot of reserve football was happening it wasn't through overuse either... there wasn't any first team game on Love Street between April 4th and May 6th i.e. 3 days before that photo was taken :lol:!

Incidentally players moan about long seasons nowadays but it wasn't too different then - St Mirren started with Paisley Charity Cup on Aug 3rd, and ended with Renfrewshire Cup Final 2nd leg on May 26th, with is basically 10 full months (no winter break in those days!).

They played 54 competitive games... 8 more than this season (or only 7 if you count the 'Communities Cup')... despite only progressing past India Inchinnan, Dundee Utd - after a replay - and Stranraer in the cups.

Edited by HibeeJibee
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Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

St Mirren started with Paisley Charity Cup on Aug 3rd, and ended with Renfrewshire Cup Final 2nd leg on May 26th

 

55 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:


In fairness Morton only twice contested the Paisley Charity Cup - in 1930 and 1931.

From the 1920s to 1950s with Abercorn gone St Mirren invited another Scottish club - almost always from Glasgow (but never OF).

Then in 1960s it was used to get around preseason friendly ban and host an English side each August.

Last edition in 1968 shared with Preston.


1920     St Mirren 2-0 Abercorn     Abercorn folded later that year
1921     
not played
1922     St Mirren 4-1 Third Lanark
1923     
not played
1924     St Mirren 2-0 Queen's Park
1925     St Mirren 4-2 Queen's Park
1926     St Mirren 3-0 Queen's Park (at Hampden)
1927     St Mirren 1-1 Queen's Park
1928     St Mirren 4-1 Third Lanark
1929     St Mirren 6-1 Third Lanark
1930     St Mirren 0-2 Greenock Morton
1931     St Mirren 4-1 Greenock Morton
1932     St Mirren 2-1 East Stirlingshire
1933     
not played
1934     St Mirren 3-4 Albion Rovers
1935     St Mirren 5-2 Albion Rovers
1936     St Mirren 0-3 Partick Thistle
1937     
not played
1938     St Mirren 2-2 Partick Thistle
1939     St Mirren 0-0 Clyde (4-7 corners)
1940     St Mirren 0-3 Clyde

war emergency
1945     St Mirren 2-0 Clyde
1946     St Mirren 2-4 Airdrieonians
1947     St Mirren 7-1 Airdrieonians
1948     St Mirren 2-1 East Fife
1949     St Mirren 3-1 Queen's Park
1950     St Mirren 0-1 Barnsley
1951     St Mirren 5-2 Carlisle Utd
1952     St Mirren 4-3 Grimsby Town
1953     St Mirren 2-4 Kettering Town (?)

1954     St Mirren 4-0 Kilmarnock
1955     St Mirren 1-1 Kilmarnock
1956     St Mirren 1-3 Leicester City
1957     St Mirren 2-1 Falkirk
1958     St Mirren 4-1 Brentford

match moved from end of season to start of season (no match in 1958-59)
1959     St Mirren 3-0 Manchester City
1960     St Mirren 3-4 Manchester City
1961     St Mirren 3-1 Leicester City
1962     St Mirren 1-1 Norwich City
1963     St Mirren 2-5 Chelsea
1964     St Mirren 0-0 Norwich City
1965     St Mirren 0-2 Northampton Town
1967     St Mirren 3-3 Ipswich Town
1968     St Mirren 1-1 Preston North End

Edited by HibeeJibee
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1 minute ago, HibeeJibee said:

 


In fairness Morton only twice contested the Paisley Charity Cup - in 1930 and 1931.

From the 1920s to 1950s with Abercorn gone St Mirren invited another Scottish club - almost always from Glasgow (but never OF).

Then in 1960s it was used to get around preseason friendly ban and host an English side each August.

Last edition in 1968 shared with Preston.


1920     St Mirren 2-0 Abercorn     Abercorn folded later that year
1921     
not played
1922     St Mirren 4-1 Third Lanark
1923     
not played
1924     St Mirren 2-0 Queen's Park
1925     St Mirren 4-2 Queen's Park
1926     St Mirren 3-0 Queen's Park (at Hampden)
1927     St Mirren 1-1 Queen's Park
1928     St Mirren 4-1 Third Lanark
1929     St Mirren 6-1 Third Lanark
1930     St Mirren 0-2 Greenock Morton
1931     St Mirren 4-1 Greenock Morton
1932     St Mirren 2-1 East Stirlingshire
1933     
not played
1934     St Mirren 3-4 Albion Rovers
1935     St Mirren 5-2 Albion Rovers
1936     St Mirren 0-3 Partick Thistle
1937     
not played
1938     St Mirren 2-2 Partick Thistle
1939     St Mirren 0-0 Clyde (4-7 corners)
1940     St Mirren 0-3 Clyde

war emergency
1945     St Mirren 2-0 Clyde
1946     St Mirren 2-4 Airdrieonians
1947     St Mirren 7-1 Airdrieonians
1948     St Mirren 2-1 East Fife
1949     St Mirren 3-1 Queen's Park
1950     St Mirren 0-1 Barnsley
1951     St Mirren 5-2 Carlisle Utd
1952     St Mirren 4-3 Grimsby Town
1953     St Mirren 2-4 Kettering Town (?)

1954     St Mirren 4-0 Kilmarnock
1955     St Mirren 1-1 Kilmarnock
1956     St Mirren 1-3 Leicester City
1957     St Mirren 2-1 Falkirk
1958     St Mirren 4-1 Brentford

match moved from end of season to start of season (no match in 1958-59)
1959     St Mirren 3-0 Manchester City
1960     St Mirren 3-4 Manchester City
1961     St Mirren 3-1 Leicester City
1962     St Mirren 1-1 Norwich City
1963     St Mirren 2-5 Chelsea
1964     St Mirren 0-0 Norwich City
1965     St Mirren 0-2 Northampton Town
1967     St Mirren 3-3 Ipswich Town
1968     St Mirren 1-1 Preston North End

All very good but it was the Renfrewshire Cup that hadn't been won by Morton at that point.

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34 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:



Then in 1960s it was used to get around preseason friendly ban and host an English side each August.
 

Never heard of this ban before HJ, anymore info? it seems bizarre

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Posted (edited)
30 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

Aberdeen with the 1987 Tennents sixes, anyone know the guy bottom right?

20240509_102551.jpg

I’ve found the squad here: https://aberdeen-fc.com/aberdeen-fc-tennents-sixes/tennents-sixes.html#gsc.tab=0.

Based on which I think the guy in question might be Brian Mitchell? I’m not fully convinced on this, but I’m going by a process of elimination.

Simmie, Angus, Stark, Leighton, Grant.

McMaster, Porteous, Miller (J), Mitchell.

I was at this edition of the Tennents Sixes. My memory of the occasion isn’t vivid alas, although I do remember dropping something (possibly a hat) behind the temporary stand never to be seen again.

EDIT - I think the photo might be the 1986 team? McLeish lifted the cup in 1987, I don’t see him in the photo. Strip also looks like the 1986 strip. Stevie Gray was also in the 1986 team, the mystery guy is either Mitchell or Gray (possibly neither!).

Edited by Le Tout P'ti FC
Light googling
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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, parsforlife said:

Never heard of this ban before HJ, anymore info? it seems bizarre

Scottish clubs were banned from playing preseason friendlies until 1965 and not at home until 1966... in England the ban had lifted in 1961.

I think Hearts 4-2 Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday 1st August 1966 was Scotland's first regular preseason friendly.

SFA/SFL competitive season ran from 2nd Saturday in August to end of April. You'll find most clubs would play a couple of internal public practice matches in early August like 'Probables v Possibles' or 'Whites v Blacks' (although I think they had to let people in free or donate the gate?).

However you could get around it by playing in a competitive tournament or a charity competition. SFA would almost grant bespoke permission for tours and in special years like Festival of Britain.

e.g. randomly picked 1955 and here's early August:

Tuesday 2nd August 1955
Dundee trial (at Claypots)
Raith     Reds 6-2 Blues

Friday 5th August 1955
image.png.0a1d2f6e44a1662d030d2097c27b4ed7.png
Aberdeen trial
Dundee trial (at Dens Park)
Montrose trial

Saturday 6th August 1955
(Allison Trophy at Easter Road)     Edinburgh Select 1-1 Newcastle United
(Rangers Sports & 5-asides at Ibrox)
Airdrie     Diamonds 1-2 Maroons
Arbroath trial
Dunfermline     Blues 4-0 Whites
East Fife     Whites 2-0 Black & Gold
Falkirk     Blues 3-2 Whites
Kilmarnock     Blues 2-1 Stripes
Queen of the South     Blues 3-2 Whites
Raith     Blues 2-2 Reds
St Johnstone trial
St Mirren    Black & White 1-0 Reds
Stenhousemuir     Maroons 1-1 Stripes
Stirling     A Team 4-2 B Team

Monday 6th August 1955
East Stirlingshire trial
Morton trial
Partick trial
Rangers trial
Third Lanark trial

Tuesday 7th August 1955
Queen's Park trial

1955080601%20Edinburgh%20Select%20vs%20Newcastle%20United%20Easter%20Road.jpg     Rangers-Sports.jpg

1955080612.jpg



Phenomenon lingered much longer in the juniors - IIRC it was only around a decade ago they were allowed to play friendlies before the 3rd Saturday in July, when it was moved to 1st Saturday, then almost immediately to start of July.

EDIT: certainly in 2015 the North Region juniors voted to move the cutoff forward 2 weeks to 1st Saturday in July - but East and West regions voted against

Edited by HibeeJibee
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13 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Scottish clubs were banned from playing preseason friendlies until 1965 and not at home until 1966... in England the ban had lifted in 1961.

SFA/SFL competitive season ran from 2nd Saturday in August to end of April. You'll find most clubs would play a couple of internal public practice matches in early August like 'Probables v Possibles' or 'Whites v Blacks' (although I think they had to let people in free or donate the gate?).

However you could get around it by playing in a competitive tournament or a charity competition. SFA would almost grant special permission for tours and special years e.g. Festival of Britain.

Phenomenon lingered much longer in the juniors - IIRC it was only around a decade ago they were allowed to play friendlies before the 3rd Saturday in July, when it was moved to 1st Saturday, then almost immediately to start of July.

I remember the permission for friendlies in the juniors but never heard of it for the seniors, I just don't get where on earth there would be motivation to stop these in either grade. The game was largely built on friendlies at its origin afterall and they still made up a huge amount of the calendar until league football took off.  Did at some point leagues become scared that clubs would lean toward friendlies and that would possibly affect their scheduling?

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Posted (edited)
17 minutes ago, parsforlife said:

I remember the permission for friendlies in the juniors but never heard of it for the seniors, I just don't get where on earth there would be motivation to stop these in either grade. The game was largely built on friendlies at its origin afterall and they still made up a huge amount of the calendar until league football took off.  Did at some point leagues become scared that clubs would lean toward friendlies and that would possibly affect their scheduling?

They were different people in a different era. It was clearly just frowned upon to play friendlies before the 'real stuff' began. These seem to be your only preseason games held in Britain during 1950s & 1960s:

1951     Dunfermline 4-5 Albion Rovers     St Mungo Quaich (for Festival of Britain)
1963     Hearts 7-0 Dunfermline     Allison Trophy

ban lifted
1966     Dunfermline 0-0 Arsenal
1967     Dunfermline 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
1969     Aston Villa 3-2 Dunfermline + Blackpool 2-1 Dunfermline

Edited by HibeeJibee
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On 06/05/2024 at 12:13, HibeeJibee said:

So a motley mix: many went onto international honours, some did not...

image.png.122aea5b60d2017b5484c2dec51a67be.png
 

 
     

 

That's a pretty good hit rate I'd say. Of the 16 players who took to the field, I make it that 11 played for Scotland and Reynolds and Turner were both in several squads but never played. That only leaves Arfield (19 caps for Canada), Scott Cuthbert and Jack Ross.

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7 hours ago, Le Tout P'ti FC said:

I’ve found the squad here: https://aberdeen-fc.com/aberdeen-fc-tennents-sixes/tennents-sixes.html#gsc.tab=0.

Based on which I think the guy in question might be Brian Mitchell? I’m not fully convinced on this, but I’m going by a process of elimination.

Simmie, Angus, Stark, Leighton, Grant.

McMaster, Porteous, Miller (J), Mitchell.

I was at this edition of the Tennents Sixes. My memory of the occasion isn’t vivid alas, although I do remember dropping something (possibly a hat) behind the temporary stand never to be seen again.

EDIT - I think the photo might be the 1986 team? McLeish lifted the cup in 1987, I don’t see him in the photo. Strip also looks like the 1986 strip. Stevie Gray was also in the 1986 team, the mystery guy is either Mitchell or Gray (possibly neither!).

The guy bottom right is Stevie Gray.

Brian Mitchell has the girl sitting on his knee.

Stevie Gray died in 2009. I'm not sure of the cause; however, he would occasionally appear in my local back in the 1990s and he got involved in drugs.

I think it was acknowledged that he lost his way when Fergie left.

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8 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

They were different people in a different era. It was clearly just frowned upon to play friendlies before the 'real stuff' began. These seem to be your only preseason games held in Britain during 1950s & 1960s:

1951     Dunfermline 4-5 Albion Rovers     St Mungo Quaich (for Festival of Britain)
1963     Hearts 7-0 Dunfermline     Allison Trophy

ban lifted
1966     Dunfermline 0-0 Arsenal
1967     Dunfermline 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
1969     Aston Villa 3-2 Dunfermline + Blackpool 2-1 Dunfermline

St Mirren played Blackpool at Love Street in August 1968 & Scunthorpe in Aug 1966 in friendlies

 

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1 hour ago, Captain_Sensible said:

St Mirren played Blackpool at Love Street in August 1968 & Scunthorpe in Aug 1966 in friendlies

You travelled to Darlington in August 1965 when home friendlies were still debarred (although in your case this was as usual got around with the Paisley Charity Cup). It looks very much like it may have been the chance to meet English clubs which clubs were looking to seize in lifting the ban... there were about 20 cross-border friendlies in early August 1966, which was just after the World Cup in England had finished.

Of course by 1970 you then had the Drybrough Cup being played in the fortnight before the regular season began, plus the Texaco Cup started which pitted Scottish & English clubs against each other competitively during the course of the season.

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7 hours ago, Bogbrush1903 said:

The guy bottom right is Stevie Gray.

Brian Mitchell has the girl sitting on his knee.

Stevie Gray died in 2009. I'm not sure of the cause; however, he would occasionally appear in my local back in the 1990s and he got involved in drugs.

I think it was acknowledged that he lost his way when Fergie left.

I remember seeing Stevie Gray playing for Airdrie and he looked like a decent player. 

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On this day in 1967 less than a month after beating England 3-2 at Wembley Tommy Gemmell scored a cracking goal. Only problem was it was the first goal for the USSR 

 

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Eednud said:

On this day in 1967 less than a month after beating England 3-2 at Wembley Tommy Gemmell scored a cracking goal. Only problem was it was the first goal for the USSR 

Been mentioned before but of course not only had we just become 'unofficial world champions' by beating England and winning Home Championship; but Soviet Union were Euros runners-up and WC semi-finalists. Club game also in rude health as Celtic + Rangers had European finals and Kilmarnock a semi later in month. Many would argue spring 1967 was the highest watermark of Scottish football.

Naturally then the Tartan Army booed Scotland off the park :huh:.

image.png.bf7bc25a932172581c0183e5aafe6cd0.png

image.png.d9e728275d479e1a114a138e17cd8637.png

image.png.ffc62d8a65e4fa04561dd80375b6e5a6.png

Edited by HibeeJibee
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