When Hawks make the journey to the Caldy Sevens on Sunday they follow the footsteps of the pioneers of Anglo Scottish rugby


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 -- no points for a try back then

This article was originally posted on 24-May-2013, 20:12 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 24-May-2013, 20:14.