Announcement - Wednesday 30th November 2022
Scotland gave ‘Fitba’ to the world and YOU are invited to be part of this historic event, stand on the spot where the first international was played – at the time it was first played – 150 years on.
Over the last two weeks; which we have dubbed ‘Scotch Professor Fortnight’, The Hampden Collection and its Partners have held events at Clydesdale Cricket Club and the Scottish Football Hall of Fame; to celebrate both the birth of Men’s and Women’s international football.
Today marks the finale with two events; one at the West of Scotland Cricket Ground to mark the 150th anniversary of the first men’s international football match on St Andrew’s Day 1872, and the other explaining the story of one of the ‘1972 Ravenscraig Pioneers’, who participated in the first women’s international football match. Both were Scotland v England; and both were organised by, and held in, Scotland.
Here is what you need to know:
Event Three – #SCOENG1872 – The Clans Are Gathering
The Hampden Collection, West of Scotland Cricket Club and our partners, are holding a special event this St Andrew’s Day, Wednesday 30th November 2022, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the World’s First International Football Match and the 150th birthday of the Tartan Army.
Our #Fitba150 programme of events celebrates the Scottish roots of the beautiful game and explains the explosion of football across Glasgow, Scotland and the World. This football match lit the tinder, which had been building up for over 600 years, where Scottish Men and Women regularly played football in the villages and towns around Scotland. On your pilgrimage you will find out more about this fascinating story and celebrate with us the birth of the Tartan Army in 1872, where 4,000 foot soldiers made the trip to Hamilton Crescent to cheer on our country for the very first time.
The south gates will be open for public access from 1230pm until 3pm, where you can stand on the famous turf and our stewards (containing several volunteers from the Tartan Army Ranks) will explain the importance of this match. By the time Scotland organised this international in 1872, football was so popular that it had been banned by the King, recorded by a frustrated Minister about parishioners playing football on the Sabbath, and led to the creation of the World’s first football club in Edinburgh in 1824, notably called ‘The Foot-Ball Club’.
These legendary tales showcase the rich culture of Scotland’s footballing legacy and explain why, in 1872 and beyond, inspired Scots took their ‘baw’ to the furthest outposts of the World and taught locals the way we had been playing for centuries. These Scotch Professors require the ultimate recognition for creating the modern passing and running game, and setting the standards for all who play and watch football today.
Our mission is to enable you to make the pilgrimage to the site of ‘Game One’, share your ‘Tartan Army’ stories and celebrate the most important footballing nation in the World. Why not come along and hear these stories and celebrate this momentous occasion with everyone? There wouldn’t be a footballing party without those pioneering trailblazers of 1872, and all the other Scotch Professors who followed them.
Location – The West of Scotland Cricket Ground, 40-44 Peel St, Glasgow G11 5LU
Transport – Partick Train and Subway stations are very close by. Many bus routes travel along nearby Dumbarton Road.
Dresscode – Full Scotland Attire – Kilts/Trews (or whatever) – and possibly a brolly.
Event Four – A Rose Reilly Master Class
Our final event is at 5:30pm on St Andrews Day at Glasgow Caledonian University. GCU are hosting a masterclass with a modern day Scotch Professor, and one of Scotland’s greatest living footballing exports. Rose Reilly has won the World Cup and is a legend in the women’s game, and will be interviewed by Dr Fiona Skillen.
Recognised as Scotland’s greatest female footballer and voted the World’s Best Female Player in 1984, Rose captained the Italian squad that won the Women’s World Cup that same year – scoring one of the goals that saw the Azzurri defeat the US in the final in front of a 90,000 crowd at China’s National Stadium.
Rose’s enormous trailblazing contribution to the sport, inspiring girls and women to play, saw her inducted into the Scottish Sports and Scottish Football Halls of Fame and, in 2011, she was the first recipient of a special Professional Footballer’ Association Scotland Merit Award.
You can get your free ticket to this event at the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/masterclass-with-dr-rose-reilly-tickets-444080676257
Support Our Mission
We want to get people talking about the pioneering role Scotland played at the dawn of association football in both the men’s and women’s game, and taught the world to play the ‘Scottish Game’. All we want you to do is talk about it. Tell your pals, who will tell their pals; and this story will spread around the world.
This is the People’s Beautiful Game; and along with the Television and the Telephone, they are Scottish inventions gifted to the world.
For more information click this link – https://hampdencollection.com/fitba150/
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