1933-08-12: Queen of the South 3-2 Celtic, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19331934 | 1933 Pictures

Trivia

  • John Bell opened the scoring for Queens just 5 minutes into the game and though McGrory equalised in 13 minutes Queens struck again one minute later through Robert Nivison "Bob" McGowan. Peter McGonagle then got into the act scoring from the penalty spot in 20 minutes and at the break the scores were even, but Bell scored his second and Queens third 5 minutes into the second-half and even though Celtic pressed hard that was how it finished.
  • Willie Buchan made his first-team debut on this, the first day of the new football season, which was not the best of days for the bhoys. The Sunday Mail headline recorded,"Queens brew hot stew, Celtic merely the gravy". The Celtic match program the following week paid tribute to the newly-promoted club stating: "We would be failing in our duty as Celts and as sportsmen if we omitted to congratulate Queen of the South on their victory over us. And we hope they will continue to serve up good, honest football which brought them their first victory in the league."
  • Willie Ferguson ex-Chelsea was a returning son having started his career with Queens, Bob McGowan (ex-Rangers and Kilmarnock) and Wales (ex-Luton Town?), were other travellers who brought their experience to the Queen of the South side.
  • The triumph of the newly-promoted Queen of the South over the redoubtable Glasgow team was easily the sensation of the day. If this is a fair indication of what is to follow there should be less talk this year than usual of poor gates and dwindling attendances. In a programme that includes the defeat of the great Celtic, the Cup-holders, by one of the "babes" of the League, goal totals of eight, seven, six, and five, and only one draw, there can be little for the spectator to grumble about.
  • A letter to the National party of Scotland and the Scottish party, by Mr V. Weir Gilmour, national organiser of the Scottish Fascist Democrat party, says;—"I am anxious to see all nationalist parties in Scotland adopting the same policy on the question of the Irish problem in Scotland."
  • Seven men were arrested after a serious gang fight in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow on Saturday evening. An. Orange procession was passing Dale Street when two gangs amongst the onlookers came into conflict and began to hurl stones and bottles. Considerable alarm was caused to the large crowd in the vicinity before the police intervened and stopped the running fight. Seven persons were arrested and detained in the Bridgeton police office on charges of disorderly conduct and forming part of a disorderly crowd.[Scotsman 14 Aug 1933]

Review

Teams

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH:
Smith, Savage, Culbert, Russell, Irvine, Jenkins, Wales, Bell, McGowan, McDonald, Ferguson.
Scorers:
Bell, (2); McGowan.

CELTIC:
Kennaway, Hogg, McGonagle, Wilson, McStay, Napier, R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Buchan, H. O’Donnell.
Scorers:
McGrory, McGonagle.

Referee: W. Dawson (Leith).
Attendance: 10,948

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

The Scotsman – Monday, 14th August 1933, page 3

SHOCK FOR CELTIC

Queen of the South made a spectacular entry to the First Division by defeating Celtic by 3 goals to 2 at Palmerston Park. The victory was richly deserved, and created all the greater enthusiasm because it was gained by practically the same side that won promotion last season.

The Celtic were kept at bay by rear lines of exactly the same personnel as last season, while in the Dumfries attack the only three new-comers were Wales at outside-right, McGowan at centre-forward , and Ferguson, the Chelsea star, at outside-left.

The game was played in brilliant weather, and Celtic started against a strong sun. Queens showed at once that they were not overawed by the opposition, and they played virile and smart football. Their forwards were clever, and moved far more surely and swiftly than the Celtic lot.

Only four minutes had gone, when Bell, one of the finest forwards on the field, scored the opening goal for the Dumfries team. Kennaway had all he could do to get rid of a hard shot from the right-wing by Wales, and when he sent the ball out, Bell quickly fired it into the net over the top of the keeper.

Queens should have made further progress the next minute, for McGowan got a faultless opening from McDonald, but got flustered and sent the ball past.

The Celtic seemed to be getting their feet on to safer ground when McGrory scored with a typical goal, but Queens replied in the next minute with another goal; scored by McGowan. Celtic were awarded, a penalty kick, given away by Irving, McGonagle made no mistake. These four goals had been scored in the first twenty minutes.

Many were expecting that Celtic cleverness would tell in the end, but the Cup-holders were upset by the storming game played by the Dumfries men. Bell scored the winning goal for Queens four minutes after the resumption, following delightful forward, play which laid bare the weak resource of the Celtic defence in an emergency. Bell and McDonald seemed, to walk their way through the goal before Bell put the finishing touch.

Celtic pressed hard at the end, but McGrory, though a tremendous worker, was not given much chance of doing damage. Smith, in the home goal, played sound football and others, who stood out were Irving, Bell, and Wales.

For Celtic, only Kennaway, McGonagle, and McGrory were impressive.

The attendance, 10,948, was easily a ground record.

Queen of the South v Celtic Aug 1933