139 Years Ago Today.

[The Moonlighter 387]

The 1877 Scottish Cup Final Replay.

 

 

1877 saw the young Rangers, after trips in earlier rounds to places such as Mauchline in Ayrshire, incredibly reach the Scottish Cup Final where the mighty Vale of Leven lay in wait.

 

Vale had caused a sensation of their own in an earlier round by handing Queens Park their first ever defeat on Scottish soil.

 

The final was to be played on 17th March 1877 at Hamilton Crescent in Partick and our lads got to work to make sure that they were prepared. Moses fondly recalled tuck-ins of ham, eggs and steaks every morning after a 6am rise followed by a 10 mile training walk or a 90 minute session with the football.

 

The lads would train for the Final at their Kinning Park ground often late into the night and because of this the local residents daubed the Rangers ‘ The Moonlighters’ a name which actually stuck with us for a few years.

 

To say that the final of 1877 caught the imagination of the Glasgow public is a massive understatement as thousands made their way to Hamilton Crescent .

The first match played on the 17th March ended in a 1-1 draw with the Rangers goal coming via a Vale own goal. A crowd of 8,000 attended that day to see this team of youngsters take on the mighty Vale. The draw saw the young Rangers team carried off shoulder high by the crowd.

 

The replay took place on 7th April 1877 William Dunlop scored in normal time for the Rangers only for Vale to equalise, that game also ended 1-1.We then went into extra time William Dunlop scored again and up went the roar from the Rangers fans of “GOAL” and “The Cup is surely ours” but the ball incredibly was in the arms of the Vale goalkeeper .The umpires were consulted but “No goal” was the verdict passed.

 

Glasgow Professor of Surgery George B McLeod was standing behind the goal and was prepared to take an oath and vow that the ball had actually went through the goal, struck him on the head then landed back in the goal-keepers arms. The goal never stood, and this led to supporters of both sides invading the playing field bedlam ensued and the match was duly abandoned.

 

The Scottish Cup of 1877 was eventually decided at first Hampden, with Vale winning 3-2, Peter Campbell and William McNeil scoring for Rangers.

This series of games saw the transformation of the Rangers from what was essentially a boys club into a respected football club one which caught the imagination and admiration of the Glasgow working classes this is something that the Club has never lost. The Rangers were never to look back.

 

[Frankie 8,562]

A great story - if a disappointing one in terms of us not getting the win in the second game.

[26th of foot 6,082]

I believe BBC Scotland's Chief Reporter, Chris McLaughlin's match report on the replay began, 'Glasgow University's Professor of Surgery was arrested for alleged sectarian behaviour, George B McLeod is known to regularly wade in blood up to his knees'.

[The Moonlighter 387]

A great story - if a disappointing one in terms of us not getting the win in the second game.

 

Tom Vallance was still speaking about the great injustice and frustration that goal not standing caused many years later.

 

Two years later in 1879 we again met Vale in the Cup Final and again we had a '' good goal'' chalked off.

 

Rangers led by Tom Vallance lodged an appeal but it was thrown out and a replay ordered.

 

On the day that the Cup Final Replay kicked off the Rangers team were enjoying a day out at Ayr races, they simply didn't turn up.

 

[The Moonlighter 387]

Glasgow professor of surgery George B McLeod.

 

[MacK1950 2,376]

All these years later and nothing has changed the Referees are still blind and sh**e.

[boabie 230]

I think that first photo was in the Rangers The New Era book. My copy is up in the loft but I'm certain I've seen it before.

[craig 5,199]

A great story - if a disappointing one in terms of us not getting the win in the second game.

 

Ha, only Celtic get cheated and are the victims of conspiracies