Well before Queens Park,Rangers or even Partick Thistle (who actually played an FA Cup tie in Belfast) launched their F.A Cup campaigns across the border another football club beat them to it.
Liverpool/St Helens have now recorded it
your link
THE FIRST ANGLO-SCOTTISH CLUB GAME: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB VERSUS GLASGOW ACADEMICAL FOOTBALL CLUB, 1870
Glasgow Academical Football Club was formed in 1866 and its records show that it played Liverpool and Manchester in 1870; the first time that a Scottish "rugby" club crossed the border and played in England. The club in fact joined the RFU before the Scottish Football (Rugby) Union was formed in 1873
The club also signed the challenge letter to the clubs of England that gave rise to the first International at Raeburn Place in 1871.
The games against Liverpool and Manchester were the first time any football club from Scotland had played in England - and well before Queens Park FC made their forays into the FA Cup, reaching two finals
The match between Liverpool and the Accies ended in a draw
The Glasgow history commented:: "the players and general committee of the Club were most appreciative of the kindness and hospitality of our hosts"
it is also recorded: "a very fair twenty travelled south and the matches assumed an international character. At Liverpool our team was decidedly a lighter one than our opponents but not with standing held its own and although it gained no decided advantage, the match being drawn, had the satisfaction of learning from one at least of the umpires that it had on the whole the best of the game. The matches were well attended and the feeling at both was most cordial"
The match against Manchester also ended in a draw, but Accies gained two touchdowns to nil
Just in case our readers think this scribe has lost his marbles regarding Maryhill's finest--extract from Thistle's history
"Yet another defeat at the hands of Queen's Park (1-3) separated the English Cup ties - the third round match being a visit to Belfast to play the "Ulster cracks" Cliftonville. The home side had much of the play in the first half, although Partick Thistle led 3-0 at the break. In the second half Thistle dominated - Willie Paul scored four and Jerry Suter three. Cliftonville scored when Andrew Duff left his goal towards the end of the game, tired of having nothing to do. The final score was 11-1."
This article was originally posted on 17-Jul-2008, 18:34 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 20-Jul-2008, 20:02.
|