How Celtic Beat England in 1931 thanks to Jimmy McGrory

“Industrial depression does not affect the popularity of the game in Scotland”, reflects the writer of The Scotsman as he marvelled at the then record crowd of 129,810 who turned up to Hampden to see the annual clash of Scotland v England. This was 28 March 1931, the depth of the depression which would have such dire consequences for the whole world, not least in Germany where the raucous demagogue with his simplistic solutions would lead them to all sorts of mischief.

Britain’s Prime Minister was J Ramsay MacDonald, and he was here at Hampden to see the game, making no bones about the fact the he was supporting Scotland, as befitted a man from Lossiemouth who used to bewilder his Civil Servants in London by announcing a trip to Scotland as “Ah’m awa hame”! In spite of the depression and its horrendous unemployment “RamsayMac”, Britain’s first ever Labour Prime Minister was still looked upon as the man who could yet solve the problem. His popularity was as yet undiminished.

He was introduced to the players before the start. John Thomson, from his uncompromising Labour and mining background, was visibly overwhelmed as he shook hands with this Messiah, and MacDonald himself was similarly in awe when he came to meet Jimmy McGrory, already a legendary goal scorer with many years left in him. Ramsay expressed his wish that McGrory would score today.

Scotland’s team was all Home Scots – Thomson (Celtic), Blair (Clyde) and Nibloe (Kilmarnock); McNab (Dundee), Meiklejohn (Rangers) and Miller (St Mirren); Archibald (Rangers) Stevenson (Motherwell), McGrory (Celtic), McPhail (Rangers) and Morton (Rangers). They took on Hibbs, (Birmingham City) Goodall (Huddersfield Town) and Blenkinsop (Sheffield Wednesday); Strange Sheffield Wednesday), Roberts (Arsenal) and Campbell (Huddersfield Town); Crooks (Derby County), Hodgson (Liverpool), Dean (Everton), Burgess (Sheffield Wednesday) and Crawford (Chelsea). Much was the talk in the morning papers about who would prove to be the best centre forward in the Kingdom – Jimmy McGrory or William Ralph Dean of Everton, commonly known as “Dixie”.

Celtic were enjoying their best season for some time. They were very much in the League race, and a fortnight ago had been very impressive in their 3-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup semi-final. They were now due to play in a fortnight’s time, Motherwell who were arguably the best team of the day, in the final.

It was a dry but windy day and Scotland’s captain Davie Meiklejohn chose to play with the wind. His decision seemed to have backfired when half-time was reached and the score was still 0-0. It had been a poor first half, as was often the way in International matches, but John Thomson had been up to anything that England could throw at him, including a header from Dean and a shot from Burgess.

Everyone now expected an English onslaught the wind behind him, but this was when McGrory showed his ability as a player rather than just a goal scorer. He led his line well, distributed to both his wings and ran off the ball the crate opportunities for others as he always took a defender with him. “Tenacity was his middle name” said The Dundee Evening Telegraph

Slowly Scotland took command of the game, and in the 60th minute, from a corner kick, they scored into the Mount Florida end of the ground. The ball came to Sandy Archibald who shot and England’s goalkeeper Harry Hibbs could only parry the ball to the feet of George Stevenson of Motherwell who put Scotland one up to the delight of the fans in the ground and those back home who were lucky enough to possess a radio or wireless and thus hear George F Allison announce that Scotland that Scotland had scored.

Scarcely had the noise died down when Scotland scored again and this time it was Jimmy McGrory himself who scored when once again Hibbs could not hold a Morton cross and McGrory was on hand to knock home.

Ramsay MacDonald and his daughter Ishbel (Ramsay’s wife had sadly died long ago and Ishbel was his ever loyal companion) were seen to be on their feet in the stand cheering Scotland’s goals, and there was now no looking back for Scotland who took a hold of the game and ensured that John Thomson was rarely called upon.

Scotland supporters left Hampden that day singing “McGrory! McGrory! Hallelujah!”.It was a great day, much needed by many Scottish supporters to cheer them up. But 1931 was not finished yet. Celtic beat Motherwell in the Scottish Cup and then went to America. But the economic depression did not go away, and tragically, both Ramsay MacDonald and John Thomson, who had been so much in awe of each other that day in March, came to grief within a fortnight of each other.

Such was the economic depression that Ramsay MacDonald on 24 August was compelled to form a Coalition Government, a total betrayal of all that he and his Labour supporters stood for, and … I think we all know what happened to Scotland’s goalkeeper on 5 September. But this was a great day for both John and Ramsay!

David Potter

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About Author

I am Celtic author and historian and write for The Celtic Star. I live in Kirkcaldy and have followed Celtic all my life, having seen them first at Dundee in March 1958. I am a retired teacher and my other interests are cricket, drama and the poetry of Robert Burns.

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