| Match Pictures | Matches: 1930 – 1931 | 1931 Pictures |
Trivia
- Port Glasgow-man Hughie Smith, Celtic's inside-right, catches the Scotsman reporter's eye with his superb ball-control, in a game in which Jimmy McGrory scored another hat-trick for Celtic.
- For the great majority of the Scottish clubs Saturday saw the ringing down of the curtain on another football season. A few games still remain to be played, but they are, for the most part, of minor importance. There is one exception and that is who will accompany East Fife into the Second Division? This will be resolved on Wednesday evening, when Ayr United meet Kilmarnock. The issue was settled at the other end of the table. Rangers' victory over East Fife means that the League Championship goes to Ibrox for the fifth season in succession. Celtic, with a match to play and three points in arrears, must be content with second place, whatever the result of their meeting with Queen’s Park.
- Over the Border the English Cup Final produced a fine struggle between Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion, in which victory went to the Second Leaguers by the odd goal in three.
- In English league affairs an exciting finish to the First Division programme is assured by the defeat of Blackpool at Grimsby. A point to Blackpool from their last match at home to Manchester City next Saturday—will save them from relegation. If they lose, and Leeds, also at home, beat Derby County, the United's superior goal average will send Blackpool back to the Second Division along with Manchester United. The race to take their places also promises to be a keen one. Everton, the Second Division champions, are, of course, assured of promotion. On Saturday Tottenham Hotspur drew ahead of West Bromwich Albion, who, however, with two matches to play, have an excellent chance of adding promotion to their Cup triumph.
- At the Government inquiry into the communal riots at Cawnpore last month witnesses condemned the weakness of the official response, and declared that had the police force been adequate and acted promptly and drastically, the riots might have been avoided. The latest figures of the casualties in the riots given in the House of Commons are 290 dead and 965 injured. In another message the correspondent declares that appeals are being made to both Moslems and Hindus to avoid strife at the Mohammedan festival of Bakrid on Wednesday.
- A Sheriff, his deputy and a state trooper arrested Jack "Legs" Diamond and place him in the Catskill jail on charges of capturing, beating, and torturing the driver of a truck-load of Cider, in order that he reveal its destination. The officers also had a warrant for Jim Dalton, Diamond's lieutenant but he had already left for New York City.
Review
Teams
LEITH ATHLETIC:
Pryde, A. Mitchell, Forrest, Robinson, Reid, Crawford, Pullar, Walker, Laidlaw, Gallacher, Johnston.
Scorers:
CELTIC:
J. Thomson, Cook, McGonagle, Whitelaw, McStay, Scarff, A. Thomson, Smith, McGrory, Napier, Hughes.
Scorers:
McGrory, (3).
Referee: M C. Hutton (Glasgow).
Attendance: 9,000.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 27th April 1931, page 5
CELTIC OUTPLAY LEITH ATHLETIC
Three goals by McGrory, and a clever display by a Celtic team, which in formation was largely a makeshift, were the chief features of the last League match for the season at the Marine Gardens, Edinburgh.
Leith Athletic had the eleven who won against Dundee, and they played pluckily, but they were no match for the Celtic, who won without appearing to stretch themselves.
Wilson, Geatons, and R. Thomson of the Celtic's cup-winning side were not playing. The wing half-backs were Whitelaw and Scarff, and of the forwards only McGrory was in his normal position. A. Thomson was at outside-right with Smith in reserve, as his support, and Napier and Hughes formed the left wing.
On paper it looked a very unfamiliar Celtic eleven, and yet the side played together with almost perfect understanding. Positioning was good, and the ball was passed along the ground from man to man.
The play of Smith, a former Port-Glasgow junior, who has made only an occasional appearance in League matches, was a noteworthy example of the quality among the Celtic reserves. There were none to excel Smith for trapping the ball and slipping it on to McGrory or A. Thomson.
Celtic supremacy was apparent from the start, and in six minutes McGrory headed the first goal from a pass by Whitelaw. The Leith players improved thereafter without greatly threatening the Celtic goal. Gallacher lost one chance by shooting wide, and Johnston missed narrowly with a header after Pullar had crossed accurately.
A pass from Smith enabled McGrory to increase the Celtic lead with a shot that the goalkeeper partially stopped. Pryde made some, good as well as one or two risky saves at that juncture.
With the wind in their favour the Athletic had a greater share of attacking in the second half, but the Celtic defence always cleared with something to spare.
After exchanging passes with Hughes, McGrory scored his third goal, and the last quarter of an hour's play was somewhat tame.
A. Mitchell and Forrest put up a good show at back for the losers, and Robinson was an aggressive right-half.
There were 9,000 spectators.
