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 £600, 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
fool." "Oh! yes; it's all very fine, but the band at Alexandria 'ill no
play at the station yet: the Vale canna' win noo," said he, as the
Queen's team put the ball through a second time. A well dressed young
fellow on the stand near the press table was very funny, and if ever a
man enjoyed the game it was he. In the exuberance of his joy at the Q.P.
scoring, he danced on the little spot allotted to him on the stand, and
in doing so nearly overbalanced himself. "Ye'll be the better o' a half
yin after that narrow escape," said one of his friends, handing him a
bottle. After he had swallowed a fair amount of the liquor he stole a
hasty glance at the bottle, and found to his disgust he had been
drinking "The Vale of Leven blend." "It's a' richt," said his country
friend, "ye'll maybe need it a' yet; the Vale are not beaten the noo;
the Queen's man tak' anither goal before that occurs," and so they did.
"Oh! a' say," remarked a born East-Ender, for whom we are perfectly
certain the Clyde and Thistle, according to his self-importance at any
rate, had played their best on Barrowfield and Beechwood, "look at that;
it's no' fair to gie the Vale a free kick for that; it's the auld way;
gie't ta the yin that mak's the maist noise." "Yes," said another, who
looked every inch a dyer from the celebrated football county of
Dumbarton, and maybe the Vale of Leven district itself, "did ever ye see
the likes o' that, and frae sic a swell club, tae?" as Robertson bowled
over Bruce on the grass, and cleared the ball away. Wilson, the Vale of
Leven goalkeeper, came in for a fair share of praise; and so did Arnott,
Smellie, Sellar, Gulliland, and Gillespie for their brilliant play, but
many were in ecstacy about young Wilson. "His mither 'ill be a proud
woman the day when she kens how well he kept goal for the Vale; there's
nae doubt about it, Wilson's the coming man between the sticks for the
International on Hampden Park on 5th April next," said a red-faced man,
wearing a glengarry. Old and respected members of both clubs were again
present to cheer on their successors to victory, and we observed several
original members of the once-famous Clydesdale, including two who took
part in the first final tie for the cup on old Hampden Park. Several old
Rangers were present, too, who remembered well the series of exciting
matches played by them against the Vale of Leven, when no fewer than
three hard battles had to be fought before the destiny of the cup was
settled for the year. The sad news, too, was announced in the papers of
the sudden death of another famous forward (Mr. J. R. Wilson), who took
part in the first final tie between the Queen's Park and Clydesdale on
behalf of the latter club. Many of the "Old Brigade" viewed the contest
with mixed feelings. "You seem excited, Bob," said a friend to an old
Q.P., and no wonder; time is fleeting fast; the game will be done in a
quarter of an hour, and, dear me, the Queen's have not even scored. "Not
at all, not at all," said the Q.P. old player, tearing at his moustache
in a manner that threatened that hirsute appendage with instant
annihilation, "I think they will, at anyrate, make it a draw, for see
how they press the Vale now. Oh! they've done it; see that," as Hamilton
sent the ball between the posts. "The extra half-hour is sure to be
played now," said another, as the Vale of Leven men brought down the
ball to mid-field, and kicked off. There was, indeed, great excitement,
and as the Queen's Park again and again pressed their opponents, and
finally scored a second goal, it was a dozen times intensified, and the
subsequent play made the Q.P. men more bold and determined. The Vale of
Leven, as on the previous occasion, appeared in the field of play first,
and had a punt about with the ball for a few minutes, when their
opponents emerged from the pavilion and had some practice round the
upper goal, while the umpires and the referee were arranging the
preliminaries. The visitors won the toss, and played with what little
wind there was in their favour. Hamilton kicked off, and Berry followed
his forward companion, but Murray turned the ball, and M'Millan and
Bruce had a nice run, and caused the ball to get near the Queen's Park
goal, but Smellie caught it on the rise and sent it down the field. It
was taken up on the left side, and Sellar ended a brilliant run by
passing the leather fairly across the goal to Gulliland, and that player
made a rare shot at goal, but Wilson was on the alert, and caught the
ball very smartly, and sent it out. Here a close scrimmage was followed
by another shot on the part of Allan, but the ball went over the lines.
After the kick-out, the Vale of Leven men made a fine run up on the
Queen's Park goal, and M'Lachlan had a long shy that caused Gillespie to
throw away the ball in a hurry. The strangers played well together, and
had by far the best of it, and made the Q.P. backs work about as they
had never done before. Paton had another shy, and then the left outside
forward had one that came so close on the bar that Gillespie had again
to chuck out in double quick time. After this, Gulliland had a fast run
down the field, and ended the run with a parting shot that went past on
the right post. Some even play then occurred, but the Leven forwards
manoeuvred together better than those of the Queen's Park, and a fine
piece of passing by Sharp, Osborne, and Bruce ended by the latter making
a shy that touched the tips of Gillespie's fingers and went through the
goal, close to the post. The point was so smartly made that it fairly
took away the breath from the Queen's Park friends, and caused the faces
of the supporters of the country club to beam with delight, while the
cheering for the then successful team was long and loud. The players
then faced up in mid-field and renewed the battle, and not very long
thereafter the Queen's Park gained their first corner-flag kick, but it
was a poor one for Sellar, and the ball was soon cleared away by the
Vale of Leven backs. The Queen's team, however, kept well in front of
their opponents' goal, and another corner-flag kick was succeeded by an
exciting scrimmage, and then a shy by Gulliland was cleverly cleared
away by Wilson. When half-time came, however, the Leven men were
swarming round the Q.P. posts. The contest was then renewed in terrible
earnest, and the Queen's Park, with one goal against them, had the wind
in their favour now. The Vale of Leven, however, had the kick-off, but
the ball was at once returned by M'Ara, and the Queen's Park found
themselves right in front of the Leven goal, where one of the backs
fouled the ball close on the right post. The shy was taken by Allan,
and the ball hit the bar, but after an exciting scrimmage it was cleared
by the Vale backs. The Queen's Park, however, were soon on it again, and
the next five minutes' play was nearly disastrous to the Leven team, as
no fewer than five corner-flag kicks were given to the Queen's Park, in
consequence of kicking behind on the part of Leven men. The defence,
however, was excellent, and by slow degrees the ball was worked clear,
and M'Lachlan had a run down on the Glasgow club's goal, where the
whistle of the referee told the spectators that the dashing forward was
off-side. He did not seem to hear the whistle a bit, but coolly went up
to the Queen's Park posts and kicked the ball through without the least
opposition. The kick-out in front was followed by a fine run on the part
of Gulliland and Berry, but Whitelaw managed to tackle the Q.P. young
forward, and the ball was soon sent back. It did not go far, however,
for the Q.P. forwards kept it among them for a time. The Leven men had
now a good run on the left by Sharp, and Stewart sent the ball behind
his own goal. Rankin took the corner-flag kick, but Arnott got on the
leather in an instant, and sent it spinning up the field by one of his
famous returns. From this point till the call of time the Queen's Park
were fairly in it, and played, perhaps, as they had never done before.
Defeat stared them in the face, and the game was fast drawing to a
close. Barely a quarter of an hour and the destiny of the cup would be
settled. As on the previous Saturday, however, the Queen's men played
worthy of a great occasion, and won the trophy. Pressing their opponents
up on the goal, they kept them there for a time, and although the ball
was seen to go out and in among the shoal of busy feet a few yards from
the posts, Wilson and the backs cleared brilliantly. At length, however,
Allan had a corner-flag kick, which was managed so neatly that Hamilton
got the ball in a good position and headed it through. This gave new
life to the senior club and their supporters, and the cheering was again
renewed when a few minutes after the next kick-off the Queen's Park
drove the Vale team before them, and again had hot work near Wilson. The
Queen's half-backs, who had hitherto not acted so well together in the
earlier stages of the game, metaphorically speaking, "came out of their
shells," and, along with the forwards, took an active part in the siege.
Shots were aimed thick and fast at the goalkeeper, and at length
Stewart, with a shooter, sent the ball spinning through, making the
second goal for the Queen's Park. The teams then faced up in the centre,
and the tremendous cheering which greeted the scoring of the second goal
had scarcely died away when the Vale team made one last but brilliant
effort to equalise, but they were driven on by Smellie and Arnott, and
at length the whistle sounded, leaving the Queen's Park the winners of a
match in every way worthy of the final tie for the Challenge Cup by two
goals to one. Although the strain now and again was pretty heavy on the
players when at close quarters, the contest all through was conducted in
the most friendly way, and showed a marked contrast to some final ties
played a few years ago. It may also be mentioned that the premier club
have not held the trophy since 1885-86, when they defeated Renton by
three goals to one; but of the seventeen matches played in the final the
Queen's Park have carried off no fewer than nine, while the Vale come
next with three.
* * * * *
_H. Nisbet & Co., Printers, 25 Jamaica Street, Glasgow._
* * * * *
[Illustration:
Forsyth's "Acmé" Shirt.
Glasgow
"The Acmé"]
THOMAS NAISMITH
(Formerly of Thomas Naismith & Co.)
Respectfully intimates that he has Opened those Central Premises,
NO. 2 DUNLOP ST.
With a Fresh Stock of
Glass, China, Earthenware, and Ornamental Goods.
Direct from the Factories.
* * * * *
Established 50 Years.
JOHN KINNAIRD.
DYER,
94 Canning St., 285 Garscube Road, 176 Main St., Anderston, 71 Paisley
Road, West, and 808 Govan Road, Govan.
Works: Springfield Road.
* * * * *
Gentlemen's Suits Cleaned from 2s. 10d. Athletic Suits Cleaned on
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See Scott's
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The Conqueror's Football Boots.
Spectators who value their health while attending Football Matches in
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A. GRAY'S WHOLESALE SHOE WAREHOUSE,
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BEST, CHEAPEST, AND NEATEST.
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The PIONEER ATHLETIC PAPERS of SCOTLAND.
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68 ARGYLE STREET
(Between Miller Street and Queen Street).
MR. DOW, having removed to more central premises, has much pleasure in
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large measure of support accorded him during past seasons, and would
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New Designs always being added.
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Club Secretaries or unattached riders respectfully requested to write
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or Clubs waited on by one of our representatives if an Order for three
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