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Ref: Celtic’s US Tour (second tour to North America)
Date: May/June 1951
Second Tour to N America
Some twenty years after the club’s first trip to the US and Canada Celtic headed across the Atlantic for a second time.
In an amazing conicidence, just as in 1931, Celtic were heading off to north America having recently defeated Motherwell to claim the Scottish Cup. The famous and much loved old trophy, as it did two decades previously, once more made the voyage with the Celtic party.
Sailing on the luxurious liner the Queen Mary from Southampton meant that there would be no repeat of the scene in 1931 when the banks of the Clyde were lined by Celtic supporters wishing their heroes well. However Glasgow’s Central Station was packed full of fans as they crowded onto the platforms to see the Bhoys and the cup as they headed to England’s south coast.
Indeed such was the commotion at the station that the Celtic players had to require police assistance to squeeze their way through the thousands of supporters gathered on the platform. Little Bobby Collins in particualr needed a helping hand as he was in danger of being swamped by the delirious supporters.
Once in America the tour proved to be another success with the team losing only one game from there nine fixtures. That match came at the very end of the tour when Fulham defeated the Bhoys 3-2 after he Hoops had earlier defeated and drawn with the English side. By far the most controversial game of the tour came in New York when Celtic defeated German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
In front of a crowd made up of a large exiled German contingent Celtic defeated Eintracht 3-1 in a game which was viciously ill tempered, with the German’s by far the most culpable for the unsavoury scenes. Uhappy with the referee, who legitmately awarded Celtic three penalties (although they only scored one), the Eintracht officals, players and fans became wild with rage. The referee was punched by a player, Celtic manager Jimmy McGrory was pushed to the ground by a coach and a piper was attacked by the German fans. A friendly it wasn’t but the German side with their rough-house tactics failed to win the match or any friends.
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DATE
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OPPOSITION
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RESULT (CELTIC FIRST)
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| May 20 | New York All Stars | 5-1 |
| May 27 | Fulham | 2-0 |
| May 30 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 3-1 |
| June 3 | Philadelphia All Stars | 6-2 |
| June 5 | Canadian National League | 2-1 |
| June 8 | Chicago Polish Eagles | 4-0 |
| June 16 | Fulham | 1-1 |
| June 17 | Kearney XI | 2-2 |
| June 20 | Fulham | 3-2 |
Back: Charlie Tully, John McGrory, John McPhail, Joe Bailey, Jimmy Mallan, Jock Weir Bobby Evans, Roy Milne, Alec Rollo, Bertie Peacock.
Front: Bobby Collins, Sean Fallon, John Milsopp, Willie Fernie.
