| Match Pictures | Matches: 1930 – 1931 | 1931 Pictures |
Trivia
- Johnny Simpson of Partick Thistle scored the game's only goal in four minutes following a slip by Johnny Thomson the Celtic goalkeeper; Charlie Napier and Bobby Grove were ordered off for fighting early in the second half. The iron-hard, slippery, ground may explain the former, but not the latter.
- Just when it seemed as if the Celtic were so well placed that the League championship was almost a certainty for them, thanks largely to their mid-week victory over Motherwell, they suffered an unexpected defeat from the uncertain Partick Thistle team at Firhill, and as Rangers and Motherwell were both winners, there is again very little between, the three in the running for first place. The Celtic have given away 14 points, Rangers 15, and Motherwell 16.
- Aston Villa look to take up the challenger’s role to Arsenal from Sheffield Wednesday following Saturday’s games. Villa beat Blackburn away by 2 goals while Wednesday were crushed 5-1 by Sunderland. Arsenal are now 2 points clear of Villa after drawing with Huddersfield Town at Highbury. Indian-born goalkeeper, Charlie Preedy had a rare start for Arsenal.
- Two pilots of the City of Glasgow Bomber Squadron were killed when their planes collided between Kilmacolm and Port Glasgow. An air gunner escaped by parachute.
- 4,000 Welsh miners employed in the Cambrian combine in the Mid-Rhondda area of South Wales have decided to cease work in protest at the latest wage award “which involves a further reduction in the already low wages”.
Review
Teams
PARTICK THISTLE:
Jackson, Calderwood, Rae, Elliot, McAllister, McLeod, Ness, Grove, Simpson, Ballantyne, Torbet.
Scorers:
Simpson.
CELTIC:
J. Thomson, Cook, McGonagle, Geatons, McStay, Scarff, R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Napier, Kavanagh.
Scorers:
Referee: M. Quinn (Bellshill).
Attendance: 30,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 9th March 1931, page 4
THISTLE'S FINE VICTORY OVER CELTIC.
There was all the excitement of a cup tie in the meeting of Partick Thistle and the Celtic at Firhill Park, Glasgow, and once again the inconsistent Thistle rose to the occasion and administered defeat to their strong-going rivals. The ground, which had been cleared of snow, was as hard as iron, and provided a very insecure footing for the players, but they rose superior to the conditions, and the 50,000 spectators saw a thrilling fight to the end.
The first shock came in the fifth-minute when Thomson, the Celtic goalkeeper, failed to punch clear a simple header from Simpson following a drop kick nicely placed by Elliot, and the ball entered the net.
After that the home side played with fine confidence, and though the Celtic had some lively spells of attacking, their forwards never seemed able to master the Thistle defence. Jackson, Calderwood, and Kay, never faltered during the game, and in front of them they had three half-backs who could keep forcing the play towards Thomson.
McAllister, who filled Lambie's place at centre-half, was, perhaps, the most prominent player on view. He completely subdued McGrory, who never once got a chance to test Jackson.
The Celtic became desperate in the second half, and in the excitement tempers became ruffled. In one of their attacks Napier brought down McAllister, and there was a "scene," following which the Celtic player and Grove were ordered to the pavilion.
After that play quietened down, with Thistle holding their own, but near the end the Celtic made another strong bid for the equaliser. Several times it was touch and go, but Jackson was always there to pull his side out of danger.
The last incident came at the Celtic end, when Simpson, after getting close in, failed badly with only Thomson to beat.
The Celtic defence was very steady, but the failure of McGrory had an upsetting effect on the rest of the forwards, who never settled to their usual game. The left wing was weak, and rarely seen in the game.
Icicles hung from the eaves of adjacent buildings and snow lay on the side streets
on the road to Firhill, but large posters announced the game would go on. Snow had been cleared from the penalty boxes and heaped round the pitch, but it was soon evident that the footing was treacherous despite efforts to better it.