| Match Pictures | Matches: 1930 – 1931 | 1931 Pictures |
Trivia
- Ex-Celtic legend Jimmy McColl (The Sniper) is a veteran in the Hibs team that draws with Celtic, and the Sniper's leading out is praised by the Scotsman reporter, as is the defending of Willie Watson who snuffs out Celtic's main threat, Jimmy McGrory. George Blyth the Hibs goalkeeper had some good saves.
- The New Year holiday fixtures had a flood of surprises with the Hibernians holding Celtic to a draw, Leith Athletic triumphing over Hamilton Academicals, and Hearts falling at what appeared to be the easiest of hurdles at Methil.
- In the English League, Sheffield Wednesday were unable to profit from league-leaders Arsenal's idleness to snatch a nominal lead. Though playing at home, the champions were defeated by their neighbours. Sheffield United by 3-1. Ten goals were equally divided between West Ham United and Aston Villa. All of the bottom-of-the-table clubs gathered points. Manchester United got two with a narrow win over Chelsea, and Blackpool and Grimsby Town extracted one each from draws with Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United respectively.
- A calamitous earthquake has devastated the Hawkes Bay Province of North Island, New Zealand. It is reported that 129 people have been killed, and the damage, which is enormous, cannot be even estimated. The seaport of Napier has been laid in ruins, and the town of Hastings practically destroyed.
Review
Teams
HIBERNIAN:
Blyth, Wilkinson, Urquhart, Dick, Watson, McFarlane, Taylor, H. Brown, Main, Jimmy McColl, C. Brown.
Scorers:
CELTIC:
J. Thomson, Cook, McGonagle, Wilson, McStay, Geatons, R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Scarff, Napier.
Scorers:
Referee: M. C. Hutton (Glasgow).
Attendance: 24,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 5th January 1931, page 5
HIBERNIANS HOLD THE CELTIC.
On the first visit to Edinburgh for the season the Celtic had to be content with a division of the points in a keen game against the Hibernians at Easter Road.
That the Celtic men were the better lot was scarcely ever in question; yet their superior skill and finer teamwork were not enough to break down the Hibernians’ defence, in which Blyth the goalkeeper and Watson, at centre-half played a conspicuous part. Watson, a tall, strongly-built player, recently recruited from Stoneyburn, gave a vigorous lead in subduing McGrory. His tactics were purely of a repressive kind but his ready foot and sound judgement in lead play made him a valuable unit in the side.
McGrory had relatively few shots at goal. He had one cleverly hooked ball in the first half which BIyth did well to grip, but otherwise he got little scope and was a disadvantage in being an inch or two shorter than Watson.
The Celtic left wing was very active in both periods of the game. Napier was prominent with good shooting and crossing and it was from him that Blyth made his best saves. McColl’s leading-out made the Hibernians’ left wing lively, and C. Brown troubled the Celtic defence more than any other forward.
Except for a couple of strong shots early in the second half Taylor did little on the Hibernian right wing. The Hibernians took a lot out of themselves, but made a plucky challenge in the second half, when McFarlane backed up the left wing strongly.
Scrimmages in the Hibernian goal in bad light during the last ten minutes created excitement, and Blyth was cheered repeatedly for saves on the goal-line. On the whole, the Hibernians earned their draw.
There were 24,000 spectators.
