| Match Pictures | Empire Exhibition | Matches: 1937 – 1938 | 1938 Pictures |
Trivia
- The 50th anniversary of Celtic's history (formed 1888) was marked by another unique cup victory.
- Celtic crowned British (and even British Empire) champions at Ibrox.
- Background of the tournament and matches: Empire Exhibition Cup
- The Earl of Elgin presented the Empire Exhibition Cup, to Celtic captain Willie Lyon, while Celtic players received a miniature Silver replica of the trophy, all players who played in the Tournament received silver plated ones.
- The trophy was a silver replica of the Exhibition Tower, which is still in show at Celtic Park (possibly the best designed trophy we've ever won).
- The jersey worn by Johnny Crum (who scored the goal) is still on display at Celtic Park.
- Celtic received a total of £2591 for the four matches they played.
- Legendary Jimmy McGrory had retired recently as a player, so this victory showed there was life in the club even after his departure (all were to miss him dearly).
- Ex-Celtic favourite, Coleraine-born defender, Willie Cook, lined up against his old team mates and Dublin-born ex-Ranger, Alex Stevenson renews his Celtic v Rangers jousts for the first time since he scored a controversial winner against the bhoys in a Glasgow Cup semi-final replay in October 1933.
Review
Celtic were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Club's existence, and with that in mind the management wanted to mark the occasion with something to celebrate. What better way was there than to make our mark than in the upcoming Empire Exhibition tournament.
The Empire Exhibition Tournament was played in the pre-war summer of 1938 to mark the Empire Exhibition, being held in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. Eight teams took part in the tournament held at Ibrox – Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts, Rangers represented Scotland and Brentford, Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland (Champions of England) for England.
Celtic had already won the Scottish League Championship (for the second time in three years) and winning this cup would be a fine bonus to celebrate a 50 years milestone in the club's proud history.
Celtic legend Jimmy McGrory, finally giving in to years of abuse, retired at the age of 33 and the Park's record attendance of 92,000 was set versus Rangers in a 3-0 victory on New Year's day 1938. Celtic played Sunderland in the first round and won a replay 3-1 after a 0-0 draw in the first match.
Hearts were disposed of in the semi-final 1-0 through a Johnny Crum goal. Everton, destined to win the English championship in the following season, were Celtic's opponents in the final. They had beaten Rangers 2-0 and Aberdeen 3-2 to advance to the final and were the favourites to triumph.
The Final
Celtic and its support represented everything the people behind the exhibition despised. How it must have then riled them to see the Bhoys reach the final of a competition celebrating the British Empire.
The game itself saw a crowd of 82,000 packed into Ibrox who were to witness an enthralling and tense 90 minutes. The football on display was excellent and the game swung from end to end providing much more entertainment than the 0-0 scoreline suggests.
Everton were a side packed with internationals and would go on to win England’s championship. But they had met their match in a wonderful Celtic side inspired ably by James Delaney.
Extra-time would decide the victor and with Celtic taking a firm control of the game Johnny Crum hit home the only goal of the game to claim the prize for the Bhoys.
The cry at the end was: "Fetch a polis man! Everton's gettin murdered!"
Crum danced a jig of joy behind the net and at full-time the Celtic support celebrated a wonderful triumph with rousing choruses of patriotic Irish ballads such as Dear Little Shamrock.
The vital goal by Crum 5 minutes into extra time won Celtic the match and the tournament.
The trophy, to be kept permanently by the winning club, was a silver replica of the Exhibition Tower.
Celtic received a total of £2591 for the four matches they played.
The victory was wonderful for Celtic in many ways. To be the victors in the backyard of their rivals, to have won a tournament celebrating the British Empire and to have beaten the best in Britain will have not gone unnoticed by the establishment members. In its own way, it was a poke in the eye to the old guard in Britain, and in its own way was a means of pride to the Irish communities throughout the UK and Ireland as well. It was a measure of just how far both the club and the relevant communities (both Scottish and Irish) had come over the past fifty years.
Sadly World War Two was to break out the next year, and things were never to be the same again for all those who had both played in and watched the tournament.
Teams
Celtic FC:
Kennaway, Hogg, Morrison, Geatons, Lyon, Paterson, Delaney, MacDonald, Crum, Divers, Murphy.
Scorer:
Crum (96min).
Everton FC:
Sagar, Cook, Greenhalgh, Mercer, Jones, Thomson, Geldard, Cunliffe, Lawton, Stevenson, Boyes.
Ref: Mr T. Thompson (Northumberland).
Att: 82,653
Pictures
Links
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Tournament Background and Matches: Empire Exhibition Cup
Match reports
Crum's goal in extra time
(The Scotsman – Saturday, 11th June 1938, page 23)
Celtic won the Empire Exhibition Football Tournament Trophy—a replica in silver of the Tower of Empire—by defeating Everton 1-0 in the final at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, last night, before an attendance of 82,000.
The Scottish League champions may have had fortunate moments in disposing of Sunderland and Heart of Midlothian on their way to the final but they were always just a little ahead of their English rivals last night, even though the game went to extra time and the margin was narrow.
Everton were typical of English clubs, lusty and possessed of clever passing skill with wingers and half-backs all able to work the touchline. Celtic, however, had the greater versatility and a bigger range of tactics.
The winners' right wing, despite the return of Delaney, did not work too well but Crum was a perpetual danger to the Everton goal, which had the majority of escapes. In defence, Lyon was in grand fettle, even with the task of holding Lawton, the Liverpool club's youthful and burly centre-forward, who excelled with his headwork.
STEVENSON'S BRILLIANT PATCHES
Everton did well up to a point, but were easily countered, particularly when they failed on the wings. Their half-backs fulfilled the primary purpose of linking the defence and attack, but lacked the individual enterprise which characterised every Celt when the opportunity arose.
Geldard got most opportunities, yet was mastered by Morrison. A bright feature in a hard game was the occasional spurts of brilliance by Stevenson, the ex-Ranger and Irish international player, but his patches of brilliance were marred by periods of indecision, as was the display of Sagar in goal.
Celtic's cup-fighting tradition has been seen throughout the tournament, and although failing to hold the Scottish Cup in the past season, they will have a new and permanent trophy to decorate a table at their jubilee celebrations next week.
TURN-ABOUT PLAY
Celtic, starting against the wind, were hard pressed for a spell, but Lawton's jousts with Kennaway were unproductive, and a series of free kicks gave Celtic a grip on the game, Divers being particularly prominent.
Some of Celtic's failings might have been due to the fact that they were also facing the sun. In defence however, they never wavered, until Paterson brought down Geldard and the ensuing play allowed even Cook to have a shot. Yet it was quick, turn-about play, and Sagar again got into trouble by leaving his goal for a hasty, punched clearance. Divers was hurt in this scrimmage, and was off for a short spell; nevertheless, Sagar had to deal with shots from Lyon and Paterson.
Celtic reopened briskly, and found the Everton defenders puzzled in the face of the sun. Wide passing took the Parkhead men in on Sagar with a regularity that confused the full backs. All that was required was a finishing shot. Crum’s persistence, however, led to Sagar being beaten for possession, and the ball going against the post.
Everton rallied, and Kennaway did well to clear good crosses from both wingers with the bustling Lawton in close attendance. In fact, deliberation by Boyes possibly lost Everton their first real chance.
Celtic got over that and Divers got the ball into the net, only to be whistled offside. For a while only Lawton's clever leading prevented Everton being hemmed in altogether, while weight and vigour kept Crum and Delaney at bay till full time.
SAGAR JUST FAILS
Celtic had the worse of the early stages-of the extra time. After ten minutes, McDonald burst through to give Crum a difficult pass that the centre hooked to the net. Sagar just failing to hold a hard spinning shot.
Celtic never looked like losing their lead after that, although they had one bad mix-up in defence. Stevenson did complete a nice movement by heading to the net, but he was badly offside.
Celtic—Kennaway; Hogg, and Morrison; Geatons, Lyon, and Paterson; Delaney, McDonald, Crum, Divers, and Murphy.
Everton—Sagar; Cook and Greenhalgh; Mercer, Jones, and Thomson; Geldard, Cunliffe, Lawton , Stevenson, and Boyes.
Referee—T. Thomson, Northumberland.
Celtic’s progress has been: — Sunderland 0-0; Sunderland 3-1; Hearts 1-0; Everton, 1-0.
The attendance of 82,000 last night brought the total for the tournament to approximately 350,000; well in excess of the 250,000 anticipated—many thought somewhat optimistically .
At the close of the games the Earl of Elgin, president of the Exhibition Executive, presented the trophy to Lyon, captain of the winning side and also replicas to each of the players taking part in the final.
EXHIBITION FINAL THRILLS: Crum’s Goal in Extra Time
(The Glasgow Herald, June 11, 1938)
The Empire Exhibition football tournament was concluded last night at Ibrox Stadium before a crowd of 82,000. It was a magnificent finish to the series – a game of sustained interest, played at a tremendous pace, and at times intense excitement. Celtic had a greater degree of thrust in their attack to justify their narrow victory. Every player in this game of two hours’ duration gave of his utmost, and accordingly individual praise may be considered unnecessary.
FINE DEFENCES
Tribute, however, should be made to the exceptionally powerful defence of both teams. Kennaway, whose play had considerable bearing on Celtic’s progress to the final, had another grand match. His almost foolhardy save from Lawton will be often recalled. Lyon was the other outstanding player in the Parkhead defence. The three inside forwards bore the brunt of the forward work. The chief bulwark of the English team was their middle line. In positional play and defensive clearances they were superb. Sagar and his backs were also solid if not quite so spectacular.
EVERTON HANDICAPPED
An early injury to Cunliffe compelled his retirement for 10 minutes in the first half. He resumed, but gradually became noticeably lame. Everton missed his help forward. In the last hour of play he could go only half speed along the left touchline. Lawton was the best of the other four. Geldard was not so effective as Gillick was in the earlier ties. Everton began promisingly, their attack being precise and swift. Gradually Celtic wore them down, and the Everton goal had several close calls. Sagar was caught out of his goal on one occasion, and it was lucky for him that Crum just failed to connect.
KENNAWAY’S DARING
Everton rallied and forced a few corner kicks. Then came Kennaway’s daring save when he threw himself at Lawton’s feet. In the second half Celtic began vigorously, and Everton had another escape when Sagar ran too far out and Jones contrived to hook the ball out on the goal line. Play continued to alternate with great rapidity, but at the end of ninety minutes there was no scoring.
THE WINNING GOAL
After six minutes play of extra time Crum scored for Celtic. It was well conceived and smartly taken from 15 yards with a shot of great accuracy. Sagar got his hands to the drive but could not possibly have stopped it. Near the close of play Everton made a despairing bid. Boyes actually headed the ball past Kennaway, but the point was rightly disallowed on account of offside.
THE REFEREEING
Much of the success of the match was due to excellent control by the referee, who exercised common sense in his interpretation of the rules. Celtic thus add the Exhibition trophy to the Glasgow Charity Cup and the Scottish League Championship as their honours of the season. Teams. –
CELTIC—Kennaway; Hogg and Morrison; Geatons, Lyon, and Paterson; Delaney and MacDonald; Crum, Divers and Murphy.
EVERTON – Sagar; Cook and Greenhalgh; Mercer, Jones, and Thomson; Geldard and Cunliffe; Lawton, Stevenson and Boyes.
Referee—Mr. T. Thompson (Northumberland).
Celtic and Rangers players get a tour of building work at the Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park
