Allison Trophy

Last updated

Allison Trophy
Organising bodyEdinburgh Charities Committee
Founded1944;78 years ago (1944)
Abolished1963;59 years ago (1963)
Region Edinburgh
Number of teams2
Last championsEdinburgh Select (12th title)
Most successful club(s)Edinburgh Select (12 titles)

The Allison Challenge Trophy was an annual football match between an Edinburgh Select XI (a combination of Hearts and Hibs players) and a leading English Football League club.

Contents

History

The Edinburgh Charities Committee invited a top English club each year to play an Edinburgh Select XI, which consisted of players from Hibernian and Heart of Midlohian, with all proceeds going to worthy causes. They alternated between Easter Road and Tynecastle Park as the match venue. [1]

The trophy was donated by Mr William S. Allison, who was then chairman of the Edinburgh Charities Day Committee, ahead of the first meeting between Edinburgh and English opposition on August 5, 1944. [2]

Hearts XI matches

Prior to the Edinburgh Select XI matches, Tynecastle Park hosted charity matches between Heart of Midlothian XI and invited opposition while World War II was ongoing.

A charity match between Heart of Midlothian and Arsenal was played on August 2, 1941, with the purpose of raising money for the Scottish National War Memorial. [3] [4] [5]

Another match in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund and other war charities was played between a Hearts Select XI, which featured players of other Scottish and English clubs (including Stanley Mortenson and Billy Liddell) against a Royal Air Forces XI on August 7, 1943. [3] [6] [7]

Similar events

The Festival Cup was contested for by an Edinburgh Select XI against German giants Bayern Munich in 1985. Edinburgh won 3–2 in the charity match at Tynecastle Park in front of a crowd of 10,000. The Select featured players from Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, and Meadowbank Thistle. [8] [9]

A testimonial match for retired Hearts legend John Cumming was played against a North East XI. The North East XI was made up of players from Dundee, Dundee United, and St Mirren (Aberdeen were unavailable). An attendance of 6,000 saw Edinburgh beaten 3–4 on May 11, 1980. [10]

Results

SeasonHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRef [3]
1944 Edinburgh Select XI3–4 Aston Villa Tynecastle 30,000 [2] [11]
1945 4–0 Huddersfield Town 30,000 [12]
1946 2–3 Aston Villa [13]
1947 4–5 Derby County Easter Road 42,000 [14] [15]
1948 1–1 Blackpool Tynecastle [16]
1949 2–3 Wolves Easter Road46,077 [17] [18]
1950 1–1 Newcastle United Tynecastle45,000 [19] [20]
1951 1–2 Liverpool Easter Road35,000 [21] [22]
1952 3–2 Portsmouth Tynecastle [23]
1953 3–2WolvesEaster Road39,000 [24] [25]
1954 3–2 Bolton Wanderers Tynecastle45,000 [26] [27]
1955 1–1Newcastle UnitedEaster Road [28] [29]
1956 2–1 Birmingham City Tynecastle [30] [31]
1957 1–3 Preston North End Easter Road40,000 [32] [33]
1958 2–2 Liverpool Tynecastle28,000 [34] [35]
1959 4–3Newcastle UnitedEaster Road [36] [37]
1960 3–2 Chelsea Tynecastle34,000 [38]
1961 4–7 Burnley Easter Road14,000 [39]
1962 2–4 Burnley Tynecastle [40]
1963 7–0 Dunfermline Athletic Easter Road [41] [42]

Total titles

Winners[ citation needed ]Trophy WinsTotal
WonShared
Edinburgh Select XI8412
Aston Villa 202
Burnley 202
Liverpool 112
Newcastle United 022
Derby County 101
Preston North End 101
Wolves 101
Blackpool 011

Related Research Articles

Heart of Midlothian F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Heart of Midlothian Football Club, commonly known as Hearts, is a professional football club in Edinburgh, Scotland. The team competes in the Scottish Professional Football League. Hearts, the oldest and most successful football club in the Scottish capital, was formed in 1874, its name influenced by Walter Scott's novel The Heart of Midlothian. The club crest is based on the Heart of Midlothian mosaic on the city's Royal Mile; the team's colours are maroon and white.

Murrayfield Stadium Rugby stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland

Murrayfield Stadium is a Rugby stadium located in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has a seating capacity of 67,144 making it the largest stadium in Scotland and the fifth largest in the United Kingdom.

Jimmy McGrory Scottish footballer (1904–1982)

James Edward McGrory was a Scottish footballer who played for Celtic and Clydebank as a forward and then went on to manage Kilmarnock before returning to Celtic as manager after the end of the Second World War.

Robbie Neilson Scottish professional football manager and former player

Robbie Neilson is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.

Gordon Smith was a Scottish footballer. He is the only player to have won a Scottish league championship with three clubs: Hibernian, Heart of Midlothian, and Dundee. Smith also represented Scotland and the Scottish League XI.

Patrick Gordon Stanton is a Scottish former football player and manager.

Edinburgh derby

The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between Scottish clubs Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibs), the two oldest professional clubs based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry that dates back to the clubs being founded in the mid-1870s, which makes it one of the longest running rivalries in world football. The first match between the clubs was played on the Meadows on Christmas Day 1875.

Hughie Ferguson Scottish footballer

Hugh Ferguson was a Scottish professional footballer. Born in Motherwell, he played for Parkhead at junior level and was one of the most sought after young players in Scotland before signing for his hometown club Motherwell to begin his professional career. There he established himself as a consistent scorer playing as a centre forward, finishing as the top goalscorer in the Scottish Football League on three occasions between 1918 and 1921. His 284 league goals remains a record at the club and, by 1925, he was the highest scoring player in the history of the Scottish League.

The Scottish League XI was a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the (English) Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in importance to the matches between the two national teams. The fixture declined in importance after regular European club competition was instituted in the 1950s; matches in the 1960s and 1970s were played irregularly and poorly attended. A match involving a Scottish League XI was last played in 1990, to mark the centenary of the League.

Scotland national football team results (1960–1979)

This article lists the results for the Scotland national football team between 1960 and 1979.

Willie McCartney was a Scottish football referee and manager. He managed both of the Edinburgh derby rivals, Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibs).

Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup Knockout football tournament

The Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup was a knockout football tournament open to teams from in and around Glasgow and later on in the tournament's history, teams from outwith Glasgow. Invitations were made and sent out by the Glasgow Charity Cup Committee (GCCC) at their discretion, but no criteria were ever published.

The 1901–02 World Championship was an exhibition football match that took place at High Road Ground on 2 September 1901 and Tynecastle Park on 2 January 1902 between the winners of the English Football Association Challenge Cup, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Scottish Cup, Heart of Midlothian.

The 2015–16 season is the 119th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian. It is the club's first season of play back in the top tier of Scottish football since 2014, having been promoted from the Scottish Championship at the end of the previous season, having played just one season in the Scottish Championship. The club had been relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2013–14 season. In the League Cup, Hearts reached the quarter-final and were eliminated by Celtic. Hearts will also compete in the Scottish Cup.

Heart of Midlothian F.C. and World War I

Between August and November 1914, sixteen Heart of Midlothian Football Club players enlisted to fight in World War I. In doing so, they became the first British team to sign up en masse. The majority joined the 16th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Scots, otherwise known as McCrae's Battalion. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the British Army lost nearly 20,000 men, including three of Hearts footballers who had signed up. The war ended up claiming the lives of seven of the Hearts players who had enlisted, with several others returning so severely wounded they were unable to play football again.

Patrick James Crossan was a Scottish professional football defender who played in the Scottish League for Heart of Midlothian.

Scotland national football team results (unofficial matches)

From 1870 to the present day, the Scotland national football team have played various matches that are not accorded the status of official (FIFA) internationals by the governing body, the Scottish Football Association. These include early matches against England prior to the first-ever official international in 1872, wartime fixtures between 1914–1919 and 1939–1946 when official competitions were suspended, overseas tour matches played by a Scotland XI of varying strength and status, and others as specified.

The 2021–22 season is the 125th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian. It is the club's first season of play back in the top tier of Scottish football since 2020, having been promoted from the Scottish Championship at the end of the previous season, having played just one season in the Scottish Championship. The club had been relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2019–20 season.

Glasgow Football Association Football governing body in Glasgow, Scotland

Founded in 1883, the Glasgow Football Association, based in the city of Glasgow, Scotland and affiliated to the national Scottish Football Association, is one of the oldest such bodies in football. In the modern game its influence is limited, the remit being "to represent the interests of the senior football clubs in Glasgow". Those senior clubs competing across the divisions in the Scottish Professional Football League include the two largest and most successful in the country by some distance, Celtic and Rangers, as well as Partick Thistle, Queen's Park and Clyde ; the three smaller clubs exist in the shadow of their dominant neighbours. A sixth team, Third Lanark, had a strong record until their sudden collapse in the mid 1960s.

Home Scots v Anglo-Scots was an annual association football trial match organised by the Scottish Football Association between the 1890s and 1920s to examine the abilities of possible players for upcoming full British Home Championship internationals, primarily the 'Auld Enemy' England v Scotland fixture. Selection trials were commonplace among football federations, but this match was unusual in that its regular format consisted of players based in one country facing a selection of those who had moved to another country, in order to form a combined team to oppose that other country's natives in international play.

References

  1. "Vs Scottish clubs". Derby County Memories. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 "TYNECASTLE SHOW A SELL-OUT" . Sunday Post . 30 July 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  3. 1 2 3 "Full list of Edinburgh Charities Day Matches". SFAQs. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  4. "HEARTS-ARSENAL A SURE SUCCESS" . Daily Record . 30 July 1941. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Sporting Tit-Bits" . Musselburgh News. 1 August 1941. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "R.A.F. and Edinburgh Charities Benefit" . The Scotsman . 9 August 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "PROCEEDS OF HEARTS-R.A.F. Match" . The Scotsman. 16 September 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Hibs and Hearts men combine for Festival match". The Scotsman . 3 August 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) Press Reader.
  9. "Passionate Derbies: Hearts v Hibs". Football Whispers. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. "JOHN CUMMING TESTIMONIAL - SUNDAY MAY 11th 1980". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  11. "ASTON VILLA WIN" . The Scotsman . 7 August 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "£3740 FOR CHARITIES" . The Scotsman. 23 August 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "SELECT XI ON TOP HUDDERSFIELD TOWN BEATEN IN CHARITY MATCH (1st story) / £3000 FROM CHARITY FOOTBALL (2nd story)" . The Scotsman. 6 August 1945. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "VICTORY CUP COMPETITION" . Coatbridge Express. 8 August 1945. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Games Played on Wed 07 Aug 1946". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  14. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1947". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  15. "Carter A "Pearl Beyond Price "" . Derby Daily Telegraph . 4 August 1947. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "STEEL GIVE SCOTS LESSON" . Daily Mirror . 4 August 1947. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Games Played on Sat 07 Aug 1948". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  17. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1949". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  18. "Curtain-Raiser at Easter Road" . The Scotsman. 8 August 1949. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "Wolves Were Scots' Masters" . Dundee Courier . 8 August 1949. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  19. "Games Played on Sat 05 Aug 1950". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  20. "Honours Even at Tynecastle" . The Scotsman. 7 August 1950. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "Spotted At Ibrox-One-Time "Free" Stars V. Scots Select" . Daily Record . 7 August 1950. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  21. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1951". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "MATCH DETAILS FRIENDLY". LFC History. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  22. "TWO FOR LIDDELL" . Sunday People . 1 August 1951. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  23. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1952". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  24. "Games Played on Sat 01 Aug 1953". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  25. "BAULD SCORES LATE WINNER FOR SCOTS IN SEE-SAW GAME" . Sports Argus . 1 August 1953. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  26. "Games Played on Sat 07 Aug 1954". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  27. "Look Who's at the Match!" . Dundee Courier. 9 August 1954. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  28. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1955". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  29. "How to put some pep into the preseason matches" . Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian. 8 August 1955. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  30. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1956". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  31. "BLUES LOOK SO FIT SAY SCOTS" . Birmingham Daily Gazette . 6 August 1956. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "HIGH FEE FOR RING" . Sports Argus. 11 August 1956. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  32. "Games Played on Sat 03 Aug 1957". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  33. "Tribal Dance Heralds North End" . Lancashire Evening Post . 2 August 1957. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "NORTH END TOO STRONG FOR UNHAPPY SCOTS" . Lancashire Evening Post. 5 August 1957. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  34. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1958". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "MATCH DETAILS FRIENDLY". LFC History. 2 August 1958. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  35. "Harrower And Morris Star In Edinburgh" . Liverpool Echo . 4 August 1958. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  36. "Games Played on Sat 01 Aug 1959". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  37. "Edinburgh Select v Newcastle United, 1 August 1959". SFQAs. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  38. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1960". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "Programme Cover, 1960 Edinburgh Select vs Chelsea". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  39. "Games Played on Sat 05 Aug 1961". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  40. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1962". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  41. "Games Played on Sat 03 Aug 1963". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  42. "Results, Season 1963/1964". Pars Database. Retrieved 15 July 2021.