A cup tie against West is not exactly a new idea in fact it goes back to 1873 when at a meeting held in the Glasgow Academy and attended by both Glasgow Accies(one of Hawks two founder clubs) and West This meeting formed the Scottish Football Union
One of the three objectives agreed for the new Union was to "provide funds for a cup to be contested for among the associated clubs"
Glasgow Accies had started playing West 1868 and had also joined with West in signing the challenge letter to the Clubs of England in1870 to meet them under the Rugby rules which led to the birth of international rugby football.
It was during a match against West the idea of a dead ball line was born when on 30th January 1869 at Hamilton Crescent the ball went over a fence at the end of the ground into an adjoining field and J.W Arthur of Accies jumped the fence to claim a touch down.West disputed the score and it was referred to the Editor of Bell's Sporting Life to decide.The editor in his wisdom ruled that this type of dispute should be referred to the umpires

This article was originally posted on 10-Apr-2007, 12:03 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 10-Apr-2007, 12:05.