Trivia
- In season 1892/93 Blackburn Rovers Club secretary Tom Mitchell made the strange decision of putting inside forward Nathan Walton in goal. That year Blackburn finished in 9th place in the league.
- Tom Mitchell signed many Scots for Rovers, including Harry Marshall who would later play for Celtic, and in this game there were more Scots than Englishmen in their side.
Review
Teams
CELTIC:
Cullen, Reynolds, Dunbar, Maley, Kelly, Johnston (Airdrieonians FC), Davidson, Blessington, Madden, Campbell, McMahon
Scorers: McMahon, og
BLACKBURN ROVERS:
Walton,
Murray,
Forbes,
Dewar,
Anderson,
Marshall, Taylor,
Campbell,
Southworth, Gillespie,
Sawers.
Scores: Taylor, Southworth.
Referee: Mr Aitken, St Mirren.
Attendance: 5,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 17th April 1893, page 5
CELTIC V BLACKBURN ROVERS – These teams met on Saturday at Celtic Park, in favourable weather, and before 5000 spectators. The home team was somewhat re-arranged. The Rovers brought down their best team, and the Celts were without Doyle Dunbar filling the blank at half.
The Rovers started against the wind, and forced a corner in the first minute, but it was fruitless. In five minutes, after some fine end to end play, the Celts scored the first goal. They seemed irresistible, but the Rovers settled down, their forwards going in perfect form and almost scored.
Both sides put in pretty play. Southworth’s fine play attracted special attention. Dunbar made a grand substitute for Doyle. Play slackened somewhat, chiefly on the part of the Celtic. The Rovers’ halves worked hard but not brilliantly. Play ruled even, and with ten minutes to go the Rovers equalised. Just before the interval the Celts again took the lead, heading from a free kick. With the change of ends the Rovers began pressing, Taylor having the first try. A cross pass from the same player was just missed by the lefts. All the play so far was at the Celts end. There was no comparison between the teams.
After twelve minutes’ play the Celts warmed up and attacked. The Rovers, however, held them, and in fifteen minutes again equalised. The play brightened and became equal. Forbes was showing grand defence, and time and again pulled up the right wing, who did the heavy share of the attack.
The Rovers’ halves were making a sad mess of the home combination. The Celts, however, had less of the Rovers’ finish. Towards the finish the Rovers again pressed. Result -: Two goals each.
Celtic Team:- Cullen, Reynolds, Dunbar, Maley, Kelly, Johnston (Airdrieonians FC), Davidson, Blessington, Madden, Campbell, McMahon
Scorers:- McMahon, og
The Glasgow Herald – Apr 17, 1893
CELTIC V BLACKBURN ROVERS
The Blackburn Rovers, always welcome in Glasgow, were heartily received as they stepped on to Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon to do battle with the Celts.
Celtic: Cullen, Reynolds and Dunbar, Maley, Kelly and Johnston (Airdrieonians) Davidson and Blessington, Madden, Campbell and McMahon. Rovers: Walton, Murray and Forbes; Dewar, Anderson and Marshall, Taylor and Campbell, Southworth, Gillespie and Sawers. Referee: Mr Aitken, St Mirren.
Before a comparatively small attendance for Celtic Park, Southworth kicked off for Rovers, who lost the toss. The Celts had the advantage of a strong wind, but the Rovers were the first to to press, and at once forced a corner, which came to nothing. The Celts retaliated in spirited fashion, and in a minute or two from the start McMahon shot the first goal of the game for his team.
The Rovers were somewhat taken aback at this sudden reverse, and at once attacked. They had the goal at their mercy, but Cullen rushed out and got the ball away in brilliant fashion. Then Anderson tried a long shot, which went high over the bar. From a foul against the Celts, Forbes sent in a fierce shot, which Reynolds just managed to head away. The Rovers were playing good football all round, and had hard lines occassionally. The Celts, however, with the wind in their favour, were having fully the most of the game, and tried to lower the colours of the Rovers with long shots, but Walton was very active and saved splendidly. There was some find passing between Davidson, Blessington and Madden, and with a little more steadiness and judgement in front of goal they might have increased their score.
Taken all round the play was not particularly high class, and contrasted unfavourably with the League international of the previous week. As the game progressed the Rovers were having decidedly the best of it. Their tackling of the Celtic forwards was clever, while they made the most of their opportunities without success, however, in front of goal. But the Rovers were doing the most of the work, and from one of their speedy runs Taylor equalised the score.
The Celts wakened up a bit, and gave the Rovers a warm time of it, Walton having to negotiate clever shots from Madden and others. But it was only occassionally that the teams exerted themselves, and it was only then that anything brilliant was shown, and the enthusiasm of the spectators never rose to a high pitch. A foul in front of the Rovers goal resulted in the Celts gaining their second point, which was disputed by the Englishmen for off-side but allowed. At half time the score was Celtic 2 goals, Rovers 1 goal.
Something good was expected of the Rovers in the second half, as they had the wind in their favour. They started capitally, and a cross shot from the right nearly took effect. Dewar was showing prominently for Rovers at half-back and did some brilliant things. All round the Rovers were putting in an immense amount of spirited go ahead work, but were rather unfortunate when it came to putting the ball through. Campbell and McMahon had a fine run for the Celts. McMahon got past the backs and shot the ball through but the whistle had been blown previously for off-side.
After settling down the Celts, warmed to to their work, and kept up a brisk attack on the Rovers goal, but could not get the ball through. All the same their play was clever and appreciated by the spectators. After a very spirited attack the Rovers scored the second and equalising goal. It was the result of a clever shot by Southworth, who gave Cullen no chance to save. The Celts, realising the position played harder than ever, but Forbes, who was in brilliant form, saved his side repeatedlly. The game, a by no means brilliant one, ended in a draw – 2 goals each.