| Match Pictures | Matches:1931 – 1932 | 1931 Pictures |
Trivia
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Scottish Cup Final (first match)
- For the second year in succession, a replay is necessary in the final of the Scottish Cup competition. This is the result of a dramatic finish in the final of the 1931 Scottish Cup at Hampden on Saturday, when, two goals down with only eight minutes to go, Celtic unexpectedly equalised and lived to fight another day.
- Motherwell, the more impressive team throughout, scored two goals in the first half—through. George Stevenson and John McMenemy —and seemed well set for the realisation of their Cup ambitions.
- Eight minutes from the end Jimmy McGrory scored for Celtic. It did not look even then, however, that Motherwell were in any way imperilled. The minutes ticked by and the lead stood. But with ninety seconds to go fate took a hand in the game. Hard-pressed, Allan Craig, the Motherwell centre half, headed back to Alan McClory, his own goalkeeper, and the ball entered the net.
- Motherwell were unlucky not to finish the day as possessors of the cup, for they held the master hand throughout. The unlucky Craig was one of the best men on the field. The replay will take place on Wednesday evening.
- John McMenemy, scorer for Motherwell, is the son of Celtic great Jimmy McMenemy and had played 16 games for Celtic.
- Arsenal made practically certain of carrying off the League championship when they won their match on the Grimsby Town ground. This was gained only by the bare goal, however, and Arsenal's defence had to fight tremendously hard to preserve the advantage against determined attackers.
- Two young men, associated with the Glasgow gang, the "Billy Boys" were convicted on Thursday on charges arising out of a serious disturbance, which occurred in East-end of the city on January 7 last, when five constables were assaulted. 24-year old, William Fullerton who is a noted amateur boxer and gang-land leader, with four previous convictions was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour and David Black, a gang member was sentenced to four months.
Review
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Teams
CELTIC:
J. Thomson; Cook and McGonagle; Wilson, McStay, and Geatons; R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Scarff, and Napier.
Scorers:
McGrory, Craig O.G.
MOTHERWELL:
McClory; Johnman and Hunter; Wales, Craig, and Telfer; Murdoch, McMenemy, McFadyen, Stevenson, and Ferrier.
Scorers:
Stevenson, McMenemy.
Referee: P. Craigmyle (Aberdeen).
Attendance: 104,803
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 13th April 1931, page 4
CUP FINAL THRILL
CELTIC EQUALISE IN THE LAST MINUTE
MOTHERWELL UNLUCKY
A sensational finish robbed Motherwell of victory in the Scottish Cup final with Celtic at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
Motherwell were two goals up with only eight minutes to go, and even when they lost a goal they seemed safe, but with exactly one minute to go Craig, their centre-half, headed the ball into his own net, and the final score was 2-2.
Craig, who was as near as anybody to being the outstanding player of the day, was grief-stricken, and threw himself on the ground, for Motherwell had seemed good winners. They had, indeed, much the better of the play in this their first Cup final compared with Celtic's twenty-first, out of which they have won twelve and may yet win another.
The replay will take place at Hampden Park on .Wednesday at 5 P.M., when another huge crowd is expected. The official attendance on Saturday was 104,803—a six-figure "gate" for the second Saturday in three.
Motherwell started with the advantage of a strong wind, and were on top in the first five minutes, which gave the forwards time to settle to their usual neat club came. After a Celtic raid they came down on goal in perfect formation, and the defenders decided to watch the centre forward. Stevenson took the chance offered, and John Thomson could only touch his drive on its way to the net from nearly twenty-yards out.
Celtic tried hard to reduce the leeway, but never looked like doing so. They could not produce the mass attacks that Motherwell made confidently and regularly, and it was no surprise when they went, further behind in twenty minutes.
After a golden opportunity had been missed by McFadyen, who over-ran the ball when barely five yards from goal, Stevenson and McMenemy forced on the attack, which produced a goal similar to the first. Once again the defenders hung to McFadyen, and McMenemy's shot gave Thomson no chance when it touched McStay on the way.
Celtic were well held for the remainder of the first half, and McClory handled for the first time five minutes from the interval. R. Thomson's speed might have brought something tangible, but his crosses were not accurate, and the only good opportunity was wasted when Scarff skied the ball when close-in on goal.
HALF-BACKS DO THE SHOOTING
All Celtic were inspired by their captain, McStay, in fighting so well in the second half, but they never looked the better side and still less did they look like scoring, although, they appealed vigorously for a penalty award on two occasions.
McStay himself seemed a better shot than any of the men in front, and he tested McClory with a drive from 30 yards out. They reply to this came from Wales, who sent in the shot of the match. It would have given the goalkeeper no chance had it touched the under-side of the crossbar instead of the top.
Finally, however, a Celtic appeal brought a free kick near goal. Napier placed the ball forward, and the backs, intent on catching the eager McGrory offside, let him follow on to bang the ball home. Even then Motherwell looked the winners until Craig's misheader of a hard but rather aimless cross, from R. Thomson.
Motherwell were a better balanced side and played their usual cool and confident League game, which Celtic never rose to. The latter were weak forward as a line, and very poor shots individually, while of two fine sets of half-backs Motherwell's were best. It seemed, however, that the Motherwell trio slackened up near the end. If so, they paid the penalty.
The goalkeepers had so little to do, particularly McClory, that it cannot be said whether they played well or poorly, but all the full-backs did well, particularly young Cook, who was nearly always on top in his tussles with Ferrier.
On the other side the veteran Hunter made a great job of holding the speedy R. Thomson. At half-back the unfortunate Craig was a real general and gave McGrory no room to work in, except when he caught the centre-forward in an offside trap. His vis-a-vis, McStay, was whole-hearted and did more than anyone else to keep the Celtic pegging away against odds, although he was slavish in his following of McFadyen, who was not by any means the most dangerous of the Motherwell forwards.
A little more attention to Stevenson or McMenemy, both quiet but effective and the only ready shots, might have been more profitable. The game was not the classic struggle that was hoped for from the two stylist sides of Scotland, but Motherwell showed their football worth, while Celtic showed the spirit engendered by tradition, and the closing thrills were a great compensation.
The one black mark on the game was the manner in which the Parkhead men tugged the referee about when claiming free-kicks.
The sides were: — Celtic.—J. Thomson; Cook and McGonagle; Wilson, McStay, and Geatons; R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Scarff, and Napier. Motherwell. —McClory; Johnman and Hunter; Wales, Craig, and Telfer; Murdoch, McMenemy, McFadyen, Stevenson, and Ferrier. REFEREE—P. Craigmyle, Aberdeen.
Glasgow Herald 13th April 1931 :
