| Match Pictures | Matches: 1930 – 1931 | 1931 Pictures |
Trivia
- New York sports guru Isaac Gellis thinks that Pawtucket will have the edge on the small hard pitch in this game and in the next tour game he thinks that air-attacks will favour Brooklyn. Quoting Nat Agar, Brooklyn’s manager as saying that his team will rush Celtic off their feet and his team will overcome Celtic’s “carpet-weaving style” of football. [See Match Pictures]
- Pawtucket Rangers player and Ayrshire lad Andrew “Andy” Auld (ex-Parkhead F.C.), perhaps typified the spirit of US soccer, when, as a member of the 1930 USA World Cup team before 80,000 spectators in the Centrino Stadium Montevideo, he played most of the game against Argentina with a rag stuffed in his mouth to staunch bleeding from a head injury.
- Played at the Providence Cycledrome, the weather was very hot, and the match was also a heated affair in the spirit of Rangers v. Celtic encounters at home. Willie Cook blamed the hard bumpy pitches for Celtic’s form slump.
- The first and last Rangers goals are scored by Newtonards-born Jimmy McAuley who was signed for Philadelphia Celtic before joining Pawtucket Rangers, the other Rangers’ goal was scored by Cambuslang man Bob McIntyre. Celtic’s goal was scored by Charlie Napier.
- The late David Wangerin, a noted US soccer historian wrote of this game: “That the opposition in Providence were an American League team from Pawtucket nicknamed the Rangers may have been coincidental, but according to the New York Herald-Tribune, police ‘were called to clear the field in the second half when [Sam] Kennedy, of Pawtucket, and Willie Cook, of Celtic, engaged in a fight after Kennedy had been fouled. Hundreds of the 4,000 spectators rushed upon the field, delaying the game.’ Inspired by an early goal, the Rangers claimed a 3-1 win, the last defeat the tourists would suffer.”
- The Celtic team required a police escort for their safe exit from the ground after the game.
- In a week’s time Celtic will travel to Canada by coach and rest-up before they face Montreal team Carsteel [See Match Pictures].
- June 6, Durban, Motherwell beat the South African national side 2-1 thanks to a last-minute goal by Allan Craig.
- 1,000 British Migrants to the US were repatriated at Plymouth, England, yesterday on the liner President Roosevelt after their fares were paid home by the US Government. The repatriation was due to the industrial depression in the US. 80 of the number are Scotsmen. Glasgow Herald.
Review
The Celtic Wiki is grateful to the late David Wangerin, a noted US soccer historian for his assistance in compiling this and other articles concerning Celtic’s 1931 tour of the USA & Canada.
Teams
PAWTUCKET RANGERS:
Joe Begos, Ned Tate, Donald Ferrie, Robert Fleming, Hugh Coyle, Billy Pitt, Arthur Scott, Sam Kennedy, Bob McIntyre, Andy Auld, Jimmy McAuley.
Scorers:
McAuley, (2); McIntyre.
CELTIC:
J. Thomson, Cook, McGonagle, Wilson, McStay, Geatons, R. Thomson, A. Thomson, McGrory, Scarff, Napier.
Scorers:
Napier.
Referee:
Attendance: 12,000
Venue: Providence Cycledrome, Rhode Island.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman – Monday, 8th June 1931, page 15
DEFEAT OF CELTIC
“ALMOST A RIOT”
Providence, R.I.–June 7.—Glasgow Celtic were beaten 3-1 by Pawtucket here yesterday, after a hard well-fought game, which nearly ended in a riot.
The trouble began when McGonagle, the Celtic full-back, hit Kennedy, the Pawtucket outside-left in the face. Cook, the Celtic right back, was quick to defend McGonagle when Kennedy retaliated, and scores of hot-headed partisans rushed on to the field. The police however, broke up the disorder before it reached serious proportions.
Jim McCauley, the Pawtucket inside left, and star of the American team, opened the scoring after four minutes’ play, and 33 minutes elapsed before the speedy Napier, Celtic’s outside left equalised with a cannon-ball shot at close range.
Two minutes later Bob McIntyre, the American centre forward, put his side ahead. The game became very exciting, getting fiercer as it neared the end.
With only two minutes to go McCauley scored his second goal from a penalty to give his side a 3-1 victory.
Some 12,000 people attended the match.
CELTIC DEFEATED
CROWD INVADE THE FIELD
McGonagle the Celtic back, hit Kennedy, the Pawtucket outside left, in the face. Cook the Celtic right back, was quick to defend McGonagle when Kennedy retaliated, and scores of hot-headed partisans rushed on to the field. The police however, broke up the disorder before it reached serious proportions. Willie Cook, right fullback believes his team is unbeatable on heavy grounds. The twenty-one-year-old back, first of the invaders to spring the “oh yeah!” expression is hoping that rain falls on the pitch at Ebbets Field Saturday, one day before they meet the Wanderers. He says it will serve to show Celtic at their best. None is discouraged by their two setbacks in New England. A majority trace it to the warm weather, which made them feel too heavy.
