A mid-morning cuppa with Jim Craig – The Summer Cup

I’ve moved from my 7am slot onto a more leisurely place in the mid-morning schedule on The Celtic Star.

The Summer Cup was introduced in 1941 by Harry Swan, the chairman of Hibs, with a view to helping clubs with their finances during the Second World War, as the Scottish Cup had been abandoned for the duration of the conflict.

In the first year of the competition, Celtic went out to Hibs 3-5 on aggregate but on this day in 1942, a Celtic team ran out at Parkhead to face Partick Thistle in the first round of that year’s tournament.

For one reason or another, manager Jimmy McStay had decided to rest four of his top stars – Bobby Hogg, Johnny Crum, John Divers and Frank Murphy – so the team which ran out that afternoon was Culley, MacDonald, Dornan, Lynch, Corbett, McLaughlin, Paton, McPhail, Delaney, Fisher and Riley.

A crowd of 9,000 was there for the contest and they watched Celtic win the first leg of the home-and-away affair by two goals to one, the newly-joined duo of Bobby Fisher and John Riley getting their names on the score sheet.

Jim Craig

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

Comments are closed.