1944–45 in Scottish football

The 1944-45 season was the sixth season of special wartime football in Scotland during World War II.

Overview

Between 1939 and 1946 normal competitive football was suspended in Scotland. Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead. The Scottish Football League and Scottish Cup were suspended and in their place regional league competitions were set up. Appearances in these tournaments do not count in players' official records.

Honours

League competition was split into two regional leagues, the Southern League and the North-Eastern League. [cite web|url=http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scotchamp.html#war|title=Wartime league champions|publisher=RSSSF|accessdate=2008-10-02] No country-wide cup competition took place, the Glasgow Cup continuedcite web|url=http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scot-glasgowcuphist.html|title=Glasgow Cup finals|publisher=RSSSF|accessdate=2008-10-02] and Southerncite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/br1anmccoll/southernlc|title=Southern Football League Cup|publisher=Scottish Football History|accessdate=2008-10-02] and North-Easterncite web|url=http://geocities.com/br1anmccoll/northeasternleaguecup|title=North Eastern Football League Cup|publisher=Scottish Football History|accessdate=2008-10-03] League Cups were competed for, the Southern League Cup would later form the basis of the League Cup.

International

Due to the war official international football was suspended and so officially the Scotland team was inactive. However unofficial internationals featuring scratch teams representing Scotland continued. Appearances in these matches are not, however, included in a players total international caps.

Scotland faced England in a wartime international on October 14th 1944 at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. The Scotland team lost 6-2 with their goals coming from Thomas Walker and Milne. The Scotland team that day comprised: David Cumming, James Stephen, George Cummings, RB Thyne, Bobby Baxter, Archie Macaulay, Gordon Smith, Thomas Walker, AH Milne, Andy Black, James Caskie.

The two teams met again on the 3rd February 1945 at Villa Park, Birmingham in front of a crowd of 65,780. England won again, this time 3-2, with Jimmy Delaney and Jock Dodds accounting for Scotland's goals. The Scotland team featured: Robert Brown, James Harley, James Stephen, Matt Busby, RB Thyne, Archie Macaulay, Jimmy Delaney, Willie Fagan, Jock Dodds, Andy Black, Billy Liddell.

They met for a third time at Hampden Park on 14th April where a crowd of 133,000 saw England win 6-1. Leslie Johnstone scored for Scotland after, unusually at the time, coming on a substitute. The line up was: Robert Brown, James Harley, James Stephen, Matt Busby, J Harris, Archie Macaulay, William Waddell, T Bogan (Leslie Johnstone 2'), JR Harris, Andy Black, JC Kelly. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/eng-warvic-intres.html England - War-Time/Victory Internationals - Details] ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scotchamp.html League winners at RSSSF]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scot-glasgowcuphist.html Glasgow Cup winners at RSSSF]