The Hawks v West match on Friday is the latest in a long series of matches between West and the teams of Anniesland and Balgray a series that goes back to 1867 making it one of the oldest "football" contests in the world and coming some six years before the birth of the Scottish Football Union (SRU)

These matches provide a timeline through the very history of rugby football in Glasgow
Several of the founder members of West in 1865 were Glasgow Accies and when Accies were formed in 1866 the old rivalry was kindled in Partick and at Burnbank

Many of West's earliest players some of whom were capped for Scotland came from Glasgow High School until they formed their own Glasgow H.S.F.P. in 1884
West combined with Kelvinside Accies to play a two leg match against Hawick over two days home and away to mark the Great Exhibition of 1888

Scottish rugby in its early days appears to have been full of 'disputed' matches and in 1884 the Academicals and arch rivals West of Scotland both claimed to have won a match before it was decided to let it count as a draw. One incident worthy of note occurred in a match against West of Scotland in 1869. The ball was kicked over the West's goal-line, but over a fence into the adjoining field, whereupon a West of Scotland player went to the fence, but Arthur , for the Academicals, got over and touched down. It was taken to be a try, but West of Scotland disputing the touch, a goal was not attempted. As the History of Glasgow Academy so rightly observes, 'The dead ball line now fortunately renders it unnecessary for the players to indulge in obstacle races'.
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In 1884 both West and Accies helped found the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association

When West was evicted from Hamilton Crescent after World War 2 they combined with Kelvinside Accies and played as Kelvinside/West.Then followed a nomadic period in the 1950s when West actually played many home matches at both Old and New Anniesland

In recognition of this support when Burnbrae was opened on 17th September 1960 their first match was against Glasgow H.S.F.P. and GHK Honorary president Percy Friebe scored the first try at the new ground the goal posts having been donated by a Glasgow Accie J E Forrest

This article was originally posted on 15-Sep-2009, 11:26 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 16-Sep-2009, 07:00.