| Match Pictures | Matches: 1888 – 1889 | 1887-1900 |
Trivia
- First Celtic match played outwith of Scotland.
- Celtic’s first visit to London for a friendly played at the (Kennington) Oval, now it’s solely a cricket ground.
- Before 3,000 spectators.
- The great Rugby match between England and Maoris lessened the attendance, for in London a great many people witness contests under either code of rules with equal interest.
- Celtic also had guest players (Dowling & Clarke from Hibernian); Celts Willie & Tom Maley were unable to play on the day.
- In 1889, it was written that Corinthians was the only amateur club “which might be pitted against [inaugural league champions Preston North End] with any reasonable hope of success”.
- Corinthians are credited with having popularised football around the world having supposedly promoted sportsmanship and fair play, and having championed the ideals of amateurism. Real Madrid and Corinthians in Brazil were heavily influenced by them.
- In 1939 Corinthians FC ended, when it merged with the wonderfully named ‘Casuals FC’
- Corinthians had fielded the first Black player to play Football at international level, Andrew Watson, BUT he had already left them by this time, he was at Corinthians in 1885. Else could possibly have been the first Black Player to have played in a Celtic match (either for or against).
Review
The first visit to London of the Celtic caused a good deal of excitement amongst Metropolitan football enthusiasts, and a great gathering of spectators turned out to welcome them on their first appearance.
The brothers Maley were unable to play, their places were taken by Dowling and Clarke of the Hibernians.
The Corinthians had got together a very powerful eleven to try to avenge the crushing defeat they sustained at Glasgow the last time they met.
The ground at Kennington Oval was in fair condition, but rain fell heavily, and a splendid exposition of scientific football resulted in favour of the Londoners by three to one.
Teams
Corinthians:-
Moon, PW Walters, AM Walters, Wreford-Brown, Hammond, Daniel, Cotterhill, Pryce-Jones, Currey, Veitch, Wilson.
Goals:- Currey 8, Veitch 42, 89
Celtic:-
Kelly, Dowling (of Hibernian), McKeown, Gallagher, Kelly, McLaren, McCallum, Dunbar, Groves, Coleman, Clarke (of Hibernian).
Goal:- Clarke.
Att:- 3,000.
Articles
- Match Report (See Below)
- Official Site
Pictures
- Match Pictures
The 2 players book ending down the front were not actually Celtic players and were only guesting for that game. Both played for Hibernian at the time.
From newspaper reports from the time
The visit of the Celtic team to London had been anticipated with very general interest by followers of the Association game in the metropolis, and it was much to be regretted that the weather should have been so unpropitious.
As the day turned out, rain fell heavily for two hours before the start, and the afternoon was cold and windy. The attendance, under the circumstances, was much nearer 3,000 than the 8,000 or 10,000 who under favourable conditions might have been expected at the Oval.
The state of the ground doubtless militated very severely against real excellence, but it would be absurd not to say that the Celtic disappointed expectations. Their forwards worked well enough, Groves, McCallum, and Clark showing to advantage at times, but the halves were not strong, and the backs suffered in comparison with the brothers Walters.
Kelly, the goalkeeper – John Kelly, I believe – earned golden opinions by the work he did between the posts – indeed, on the slippery turf I doubt whether any goalkeeper (even McAuley, of Dumbarton, the Prince of goalkeepers, in his best day), would have stopped either of the first two goals obtained by the Corinthians.
The English eleven was composed almost exclusively of university men, past and present, and I was immensely pleased with the form shown by the three middle forwards – Currey, Veitch, and Cotterhill. On previous occasions I have known both Veitch and Cotterhill, despite their many inches, to miss plenty of opportunities; but yesterday all three men were in excellent form, and but for the disadvantages under which forwards lay in shooting a wet ball on treacherous ground, I imagine the scoring would have been much heavier than it was. Moon, with the brothers Walters in front of him, had not a great deal to do, the play of the famous Carthusians at back arousing the express delight of more than one Glasgow man who journeyed south.
