Scottish Football Reminiscences and SketchesBone, David Drummond
History
Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches
Bone, David Drummond
Football
This important contest, which had to be postponed the previous Saturday
in consequence of the dense fog which enveloped the city and suburbs in
semi-darkness, came off at Ibrox Park, and resulted in a draw--each side
scoring a goal. Early in the forenoon the weather in every particular
looked like a counterpart of the previous Saturday, and it was not till
well on in the day that the Association Committee finally decided to go
on with the match. Even with this short notice, combined with the fact
that heavy rain came on and continued till well on in the second half,
the attendance of spectators was large, about 11,000, and this is borne
out by the cash lifted at the gate, some L500. Of this the Association
gets a third, and the other two-thirds are equally divided between the
contending teams. The proceeds of the stand, however, went to the
Rangers' funds, as that club gave their ground free of charge to the
Association to play off the tie. Paisley Road and Govan Road presented a
scene to be remembered from two o'clock till well on for 3.30 P.M.,
being thronged with vehicles of every kind, from the carriage and pair,
the hansom and cab, down to the modest van. Pedestrians, too, were
numerous, and on the Govan Road the Vale of Clyde Tramway Company, with
extra cars, reaped a good harvest. On the way down, and in the field
itself, the usual good-natured banter was largely indulged in, and as
football enthusiasts, like the rest of impatient spectators, are only
human, they were in better temper at the start of the contest than was
the case at the finish. The meeting of the Queen's Park and Vale of
Leven, in fact, revived old times among the once brilliant players of
both clubs, many of whom were present on Saturday to "fight their
battles o'er again." "Dae ye ken," said an old man as the game
proceeded, "I wis present at old Hampden Park on the wet Hogmanay
afternoon long ago, when the Vale licked the Queen's by two to one in a
Cup tie, and I wish'd ye'd a' seen the Queen's Park committee men and
their supporters that day when the bare fac' wis kent. I'm thinkin' they
didna craw sae crouse, and maybe they'll get a fricht the noo." When the
Vale scored their goal a wag, primed with a fair-sized pocket pistol, no
doubt containing the best--well, every public-house salesman will tell
you at anyrate, it is the "best," and charge for it, too, as
"special"--began to lilt a verse of the popular pantomime song, "Their
funeral's to-morrow," hinting heavily about the decline and fall of the
Queen's Park. Many saw the point, and laughed; while others gave the
jolly fellow a look that betokened contempt and dismay. "Wait till the
second half," said a quiet supporter of the senior club, "and ye'll see
what they can dae; they're only making some fun." In pressing forward,
leaning against the pailings, were not a few critical rivet boys and
iron-workers, whose running comments were amusing in the extreme. Of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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