| Match Pictures | Matches:1917 – 1918 | Pictures:1917 Pics – 1918 Pics |
Trivia
- Rangers' centre-forward Black is said to be a soldier in the Glasgow Herald match report and his name attracts inverted comas. LINK
- The Herald also reports war casualties for the week of 225 Officers and 3,645 Men in what war correspondent Philip Gibbs reports on Page 6 as "A Quiet Week at the Front" and goes on to describe the beautiful autumn colours in the "quietude on the Flanders front".
- Vesta Tilley is advertised as appearing at the Alhambra where she will perform numbers from her repertoire including "Six Days' Leave" one of her jingoistic world war one songs that helped to earn her the nickname of 'Britains best recruiting sergeant'.
- Flags were flown at half-mast in Glasgow on Saturday to celebrate Nelson Day, the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Review
Teams
RANGERS:
Hempsey, Manderson, Blair,Gordon, Dixon, Pursell, Archibald, Bowie, Black, Cairns, McDermid
Scorers: Bowie
CELTIC:
Shaw, McNair, McGregor, McMaster, Cringan, Brown, McAtee, Gallacher, McColl ,Jackson, Browning
Scorers: McColl, McAtee
Referee:
Attendance:45,000
Articles
Glasgow Herald 22nd October 1917
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Articles
The Glasgow Herald – Oct 22, 1917
THE UNEXPECTED AT IBROX.
The result in the League match at Ibrox was scarcely more surprising than the dimensions of the crowd. Upwards of 40,000 enthusiasts witnessed Rangers achieve such a decisive victory at Parkhead a few weeks ago as made the Celtic visit to Ibrox on Saturday appear to be in the nature of a forlorn hope. That at any rate is how a second trial of strength appeared to the average outsider. But to the seasoned supporter there was always the prospect of the unexpected happening, and it was the hopes and fears of the rival sections that caused the attendance at the League match to be a replica of the Cup tie; 40,000 spectators again turned out to see Celtic take revenge on their Cup conquerors. Everything pointed to a very different result. Rangers were at home and at full strength, buoyed up also with the confidence begotten by success; Celtic were asked to do on their opponent’s ground what they failed so abjectly to accomplish on their own territory, and this without two players of International reputation and wide experience of these inter-club duels. When Bowie scored for Rangers early in the game believers in the unexpected received quite a shock. Those who had faith in Celtic as non-favourites and uphill fighters were rewarded by seeing McColl equalise, and chagrined at his failure to give his side the lead close on the interval. The latter feat was eventually accomplished by McAtee at a stage when a drawn battle was in sight, and then it was Rangers turn to figure as stormers in what was indeed a forlorn hope. The home forwards established themselves in their opponent’s penalty area, and could not be dislodged; the Celtic defenders, equally obdurate, barred the way to goal and a titanic struggle followed, and the outcome of much strenuous play was the survival of Shaw’s charge after many hairbreath escapes. The game was singularly free of incident, though always keenly contested, until Rangers laid final siege to a goal they had reason to expect easy of capture, and the result of their fruitless endeavours was one more proof of that delightful uncertainty which is so characteristic of football or of cricket. Herein lies the attraction which accounted for a crowd of 40,000 people at what should have been a veritable walk-over for the home team were football form not such a tantalisingly variable and elusive quantity.
RANGERS’ FORWARDS HELD UP
The game will not compare with many past contests as a display of sustained excellence, nor were there any individuals of outstanding merit. Celtic were comparatively common-place, but if they did not possess such a forcing half back as Gordon, a crafty forager like Bowie, nor a defender with the speed of Manderson, they were not mastered in any section as were the home centre and left wing by Cringan and McNair. The Celtic veteran made complete amends for previous failures against McDermid and McPhail, and his handling of the ex-Queen’s Park forward was bettered only by the impervious defence opposed to the losers’ entire front rank in that final desperate and unavailing bid for an equalising goal. Cringan had no occasion to plead lack of speed in dealing with “Black”; he kept the soldier player on the safe side, and so avoided all risk of being outdistanced. Gallagher and Jackson attempted jointly to play the McMenemy role of distributing and balancing play, and the ex-Clyde forward was seen to greater advantage than in the cup tie because in better condition for such a fast game. As already stated Manderson, Gordon and Bowie excelled, each in his own department, and the half back line was the soundest section of the losing team. Indeed it is not going beyond the mark to say that Gordon, Dixon, and Purcell, Rangers held a winning hand, and their prospect of victory was blighted by the eclipse of “Black,” Cairns and McDermid. Apart from one or two incidents the players showed great restraint, and in this respect the game will be remembered for the sporting instinct shown by both teams.