Scottish Football Reminiscences and SketchesBone, David Drummond
History
Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches
Bone, David Drummond
Football
The destiny of the Challenge Cup has at length been decided for the
season, and the Queen's Park are the conquerors after one of the finest
games ever seen on Ibrox Park--the victory being the narrow one of two
goals to one. The game, it may be remembered, was drawn on the previous
Saturday, when each side had scored a goal, and, strange as it may seem,
the Queen's Park only saved themselves then, as they have done now,
towards the close of the contest, and converted what looked like a
defeat into a victory. Between 12,000 and 13,000 spectators were
present, and as the weather was fine the match was a most enjoyable one.
The cash drawn at the gate amounted to fully L600, and, as on the
previous meeting, will be equally apportioned among the two clubs and
the Association. The city cabbies made a day of it, and pocketed a good
round sum. They handled the ribbons with a dexterity which in some cases
was really alarming, and threatened the lieges with accident. "Drive us
to Ibrox Park, mind, in ten minutes, or we'll be late for the kick-off,"
and the promise of an extra sixpence did the business, although Jehu's
old friend and brother must be passed on the road. In some cases this
was overdone, and a horseless machine with only one wheel might have
been seen near Bellahouston Academy, awaiting "alterations and repairs,"
and on the same road some "spills" also occurred. The remarks round the
pavilion, stand, and approaches were, as usual, both instructive and
amusing, and let the impartial spectator know how the land lay, and the
kind of company he was for the moment keeping. All sorts and conditions
of men and boys were there to see the match. A hasty glance, in fact,
revealed the astonishing fact that nearly all classes in the country
were represented--city magnates, iron-masters, shipbuilders, ministers
of religion, doctors, schoolmasters, clerks, mechanics of all kinds, and
a much larger contingent of ladies than we have seen on any previous
occasion. From the cheers and counter cheers which greeted the
goal-scoring by the senior club it was apparent that their followers
were in the majority, but when the young Vale of Leven got the first
point, the cheers which followed showed that they had also a large
number of partisans, who honestly believed in the club's ability to win
the cup. In the first round, indeed, the Vale players showed much better
combination all over than the Q.P., and reminded many of the Vale of
yore. The second half, however, revealed the senior club at their best,
and from the manner in which they acted together and kept up their
staying powers, they really deserved to win. As we have already said,
the gossip among the spectators was both bright and original. A
demonstrative supporter of the senior club was rather personal with his
remarks, and was asked by a lover of the game, but not a partisan of
either club, to keep quiet "and not let everybody know he was a born
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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