| Match Pictures | Matches:1910 – 1911 | 1910 Pictures – 1911 pics |
Trivia
- Challenge match arranged between Celtic and Alloa at Alloa’s ground.
- Scottish League game on same day, so this was a run-out for remaining players.
- Alloa score a wonderful victory for themselves. Congrats.
- Central League Alloa were preparing for a big match of their own with the Wasps having advanced to the Stirlingshire Cup final for the seventh year in a row.
- Celtic had knocked Clyde out of the Scottish Cup to set up a semi-final clash against Aberdeen, and needed some prep work
- Alas for Alloa, they had peaked a week early. There was only one goal scored in their final and it was King’s Park who got it, the cup going to Stirling for the first time since 1899.
- Scottish League 1 English League 1 at Ibrox – McNair, Hay, Young and McMenemy all playing for Scottish League
Review
Wonderful victory in this challenge match for our opponents. Admittedly a weakened side for Celtic, but all due credit to Alloa who were preparing for their own big game, the Stirlingshire Cup final.
So, does the 2-1 victory of March 4th 1911 count as an Alloa triumph against Celtic? Well, we must remember that this was a friendly and that Alloa lost the more important Stirlingshire Cup final a week later. However, the Celtic team at the Recs featured 6 men who would go on to lift the Scottish Cup, stalwarts who had helped the Bhoys to 6 Scottish League titles in a row, and some who would still be around when Celtic embarked on a 36 match unbeaten league run during the war years.
The Alloa Advertiser was in no doubt – “SURPRISING DISPLAY BY THE WASPS – FIRST LEAGUERS DEFEATED”.
Challenge match or not, Central League Alloa’s 1911 win was a scalp worth remembering.
Alas for Alloa, they had peaked a week early. There was only one goal scored in the final and it was King’s Park who got it, the cup going to Stirling for the first time since 1899.
Teams
Alloa –
Adamson, Geehrin, Gillespie, O’Neill, McOustra, Malcolm, Cairns, Young, Snaddon, Harrower, Hannah.
Scorers: Young, Alexander Harrower
Celtic –
Adams, Fraser, McGregor, Johnstone, McAteer, Dodds, Kivlichan, McCann, McAtee, Hastie, Hamilton.
Scorers: McAtee,
Stadium: Recreation Park
Referee:
Attendance:
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Articles
Below is by Donald Pollock who wrote this look back at a notable game for Alloa
Published March 2017 in Alloa program.
There were some unexpected mixed feelings as the Alloa support filed out of Parkhead after our League Cup tie earlier this season. Pride that all conquering Celtic had been held at 0-0 on their own patch for 83 minutes – but also a tinge of regret that a chance had been missed for a famous victory. Wasps boss Jack Ross admitted afterwards that his players felt “hugely disappointed”, but Celtic were through and the media reported that the hoops of Glasgow had still never lost to their Wee County counterparts. Or had they?
106 years ago Alloa and Celtic were in the similar situation of being idle the week before a big cup tie. Celtic had knocked Clyde out of the Scottish Cup to set up a semi-final clash against Aberdeen. In the meantime, the Bhoys were left kicking their heels as the Scottish League faced up to their English counterparts on March 4th 1911 with four Celtic men – McNair, Young, Hay and McMenemy – included in the Scottish squad.
Central League Alloa were preparing for a big match of their own with the Wasps having advanced to the Stirlingshire Cup final for the seventh year in a row. Alloa had a free Saturday the week before the showdown against local rivals King’s Park and offered the Bhoys a challenge match. “Celtic are going to Alloa to play the Athletic, a club with whom they have been on the most friendly terms”, reported the Evening Telegraph. Celtic, Scottish champions for the previous six seasons, would provide a stern test ahead of the ‘Shire Cup final. The Wasps themselves had managed to go unbeaten in cup matches at the Recs for several years after the turn of the century and taken a few Scottish League scalps on the way, with one report in 1909 suggesting that the club erect a sign on Clackmannan Road with “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter” written on it. Not many easy games at Alloa in this era and the Recs wasn’t the worst place to come for a side trying to keep their players on their toes.
The sun was shining on March 4th and the visit of Celtic attracted one of the biggest crowds of the season to Recreation Park. The Wasps called on a strong eleven and featured 3 players on loan from Celtic in Patrick Geehrin, Felix O’Neil and John Young. Celtic were missing their 4 Scottish League men and young defender Tom McGregor was one of those called in to cover. McGregor would go on to play the role of trusted deputy for Celtic for many seasons before becoming a key man in the Alloa team that won the Second Division at the first attempt in 1921/22, and battled in vain to preserve top flight status the following season. Back in 1911 the young McGregor had plenty of experienced campaigners around him in the Celtic team at Alloa and it was no surprise that the champions started strongly, the Alloa Advertiser noting “beautiful combination” play by the Celts in the opening exchanges. Geehrin and O’Neil were taking the chance to impress their parent club with the Advertiser picking out O’Neill in particular for praise. “O’Neil, for judicious placing and effective placing, was as good as any of the six halfs on the field”.
Alloa created a chance of their own with Harrower setting up Hannah to fire the ball just past the post. Back came Celtic with Adamson in goal for Alloa pulling of a fine save from Kilvichan. The opening goal was only delayed, McAtee capitalising on a misunderstanding between Geehrin and Gillespie to burst through and slide the ball beyond Adamson. “The game was now very fast for a friendly and play ranged from end to end”, reported the Advertiser, and Alloa were quickly level. Hannah burst down the left flank and combined with Cairns to set up Young who “with a splendid shot beat Adams all the way”. The half-time whistle blew with the sides level at 1-1.
There was a boost for the Wasps as Celtic defender Joe Dodds failed to reappear for the second half. Dodds had taken a knock and Celtic didn’t want to take any risks with their Scottish Cup semi-final to come. An emboldened Alloa went on the attack. Young fed Cairns and his cross was powered to the net by Alexander Harrower. The goal “was received with much applause” and the Central Leaguers were ahead 2-1. This wasn’t the preparation that Celtic wanted for their big game and they soon had Alloa pinned back. David Hamilton had the fans on their feet with a great solo effort which almost brought the Bhoys level. Alloa were forced to defend a series of corners before Hamilton again came close. The Wasps managed to break out and local stalwart Andrew Snaddon forced a fine save from Adams, before Celtic launched one final attack. Kivlichan picked up on a long ball from McAteer and was sent sprawling as he closed in on goal. McAteer himself stepped up “and sent in one of his famous grounders”, but Adamson made a superb diving save. The final whistle blew on a 2-1 victory for Alloa. The Advertiser had warm words for the Wasps and Young in attack won particular praise. “The Celtic player has not touched his true form at the Recreation Grounds yet, but on Saturday he showed he can play”. McOustra, who himself had served Celtic at the turn of the century, was the Wasps star man in defence – he “was here, there and everywhere”, reported the Advertiser. McGregor, McAteer, Johnston and Hamilton were picked out as Celtic’s top performers. The Advertiser concluded that a similar display from the Wasps against King’s Park would surely bring the Stirlingshire Cup back to Alloa.
Alas for Alloa, they had peaked a week early. There was only one goal scored in the final and it was King’s Park who got it, the cup going to Stirling for the first time since 1899. The Alloa and King’s Park’s fans were sharing a special train to and from the final at Brockville and it probably wasn’t the most enjoyable journey home for the Alloa faithful, with the club also left to pay their share of damage caused by vandalism to the locomotive.
One goal was enough too for Celtic to see off Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Dodds had recovered from his knock at the Recs and he combined with Kivlichan to set up Quinn for the winner. The Bhoys would draw 0-0 with Hamilton in the final before triumphing 2-0 in the replay with goals from McAteer and Quinn.
Despite their impressive performances for Alloa against their parent club, Felix O’Neil, Patrick Geehrin and John Young would all leave Celtic shortly after. Sadly, John Young was a casualty of the Great War, losing his life at Flanders in 1915.
So, does the 2-1 victory of March 4th 1911 count as an Alloa triumph against Celtic? Well, we must remember that this was a friendly and that Alloa lost the more important Stirlingshire Cup final a week later. However, the Celtic team at the Recs featured 6 men who would go on to lift the Scottish Cup, stalwarts who had helped the Bhoys to 6 Scottish League titles in a row, and some who would still be around when Celtic embarked on a 36 match unbeaten league run during the war years.
The Alloa Advertiser was in no doubt – “SURPRISING DISPLAY BY THE WASPS – FIRST LEAGUERS DEFEATED”. Challenge match or not, Central League Alloa’s 1911 win was a scalp worth remembering.
Alloa – Adamson, Geehrin, Gillespie, O’Neill, McOustra, Malcolm, Cairns, Young, Snaddon, Harrower, Hannah.
Celtic – Adams, Fraser, McGregor, Johnstone, McAteer, Dodds, Kivlichan, McCann, McAtee, Hastie, Hamilton.
By Donald Pollock
Ahead of tomorrow's Scottish Cup tie we'll probably hear that Alloa have never previously defeated Celtic. This isn't altogether true. 🧵In March 1911 Alloa were preparing for the Stirlingshire Cup final while Celtic were all set for the Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen.
— Donald Pollock (@DonaldPollock3) January 21, 2022
Ahead of tomorrow’s Scottish Cup tie we’ll probably hear that Alloa have never previously defeated Celtic. This isn’t altogether true. ThreadIn March 1911 Alloa were preparing for the Stirlingshire Cup final while Celtic were all set for the Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen.
With both sides having a free Saturday ahead of their big games, a challenge was organised: “Celtic are going to Alloa to play the Athletic, a club with whom they have been on the most friendly terms”. Indeed, Alloa had 3 players on loan from Celtic at the time.
Celtic had 4 players in action for the Scottish League against the English League on the same day but otherwise sent a strong team. Future Wasp Tom McGregor was one of the men drafted in to cover.
Alloa at the Recs was a tricky game in this era, with a 1909 report suggesting the club erect a sign on Clackmannan Road saying “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter”. But Celtic were expected to win and after some “beautiful combination” play early on they went ahead through McAtee.
Alloa settled and with the backing of the big crowd began to cause Celtic a few problems. “The game was now very fast for a friendly and play ranged from end to end”, reported the Alloa Advertiser.
After a fine move John Young – one of the Celtic loanees – brought the Wasps level. Celtic came out for the second half down to 10 men with Joe Dodds having taken a knock. No risks here with the Aberdeen game looming.
An emboldened Alloa went on the attack and Young and Cairns combined to set up Harrower to score. Celtic finished strongly and Adamson produced a great save at the death to deny McAtee from “one his famous grounders”. It finished Alloa 2 Celtic 1.
Alas, Alloa had peaked too early and went on to lose the Stirlingshire Cup final the following week to rivals King’s Park. Celtic would defeat Aberdeen then Hamilton to win the Scottish Cup. Sadly, Alloa’s goal hero John Young was later killed in action at Flanders in 1915.
Celtic were back at the Recs in similar circumstances in April 1930 with both sides idle towards the end of the season. The press reported that “Celtic have kindly agreed to send their full League team, so that the Alloa fans have something to look forward to”.
And it turned out to be a very good day for the Alloa fans. After a poor season, the Wasps shocked Celtic with an excellent performance to win 6-1, two of the goals from Willie Crilley. It was reported that “the display given by the visitors was most disappointing”.
Of course these were friendlies and Celtic have enjoyed several wins over Alloa in competitive fixtures, but who cares about that. With a misfiring Alloa underachieving badly this season there isn’t too much hope for the Wasps tomorrow. We can but remember these words from 1906.
