Call to Tartan Army fans to mark 150 years since first international

It comes as a part of Scotland’s football heritage was discovered by a Herald reader.

Read more: Women's football in Scotland celebrated ahead of major anniversaries
The 1876 Challenge Cup medal was given to twice capped Scotland and Queen’s Park player David McGill and now belongs to Herald reader Susan Forrest, his great granddaughter.
She got in touch after reading our coverage of the build up to the 150th anniversary of the first international between Scotland and England on St Andrews Day.
The first international took place on November 30 1872 at the West of Scotland Cricket Club and next Wednesday a special event will be held at the very same venue at Hamilton Crescent.

Special tours and archaeological digs have been part of the journey to November 30 (Image: Newsquest)
Organised by the Hampden Collection, which has been leading a campaign to have Scotland’s football heritage recognised by UNESCO, Mrs Forrest will join relatives of Scotland and Queen's Park player Joseph Taylor. His great grandson Colin made a pilgrimage to Taylor’s grave in Cathcart Cemetery and he and his cousin Alex will step foot on the famous ground.
Taylor was a trailblazer for both country and club, playing at full-back for Scotland in the first six internationals, and featured in all of Queen’s Park’s Scottish Cup treble-winning team of 1874 to 1876.
Mrs Forrest said: “I was reading the article in The Herald about the anniversary with great interest as I have a silver medal in my possession presented by the Scottish Football Association for the Challenge Cup played for in 1875/6 which was won by Queen’s Park, the player was David McGill who is my great grandfather. I also have a copy of the SFA Football Annual 1875/76, this is the rules of the association. I thought the Hampden Collection might like to see it and we are going along next week.”

West of Scotland Cricket Club where the first international was held (Image: Newsquest)
A series of events have been held throughout November which will culminate in the gathering at the cricket ground next week. Played at cricket grounds in Scotland as an alternative sport in the winter months, football became more and more popular.
The 150th anniversary of international football celebrates the first occasion where 4,000 Tartan Army foot soldiers marched to watch their heroes play. The game signalled the start of a love affair with their national football team.
And the army is being urged to march again.
Graeme Brown, of the Hampden Collection, said: “This original ‘Great Match’ provided the ignition switch and launchpad for the explosion of football across Glasgow and Scotland, and led to the trailblazing 'Scotch Professors' taking their beautiful game to the world.”
Mr Brown said using the enclosed West of Scotland Cricket ground was a masterstroke, with the ability to charge spectators and raise enough funds to enable Scotland to make the return trip to England the following year. 
“Without this money, international football would have had another stuttering start," he added. "England had already tried five times to create international football with the so-called ‘Alcock Internationals’ held between March 1870 and February 1872, and had failed five times. It would take the genius of Queen’s Park to create the international template for football and become the success it is today.
“The match is the most important 0-0 draw in history, as Queen’s Park glimpsed the future on St Andrew’s Day 1872. Within the next spectacular 12 months, Queen’s Park led the creation of the SFA with seven other cricket clubs, created the Scottish Cup, and officially opened the 1st Hampden on 25th October 1873. Within this one-year period, Queen’s Park led the building of the bedrock of Scottish football, and would lead Scotland in building the foundations of world football over the next 50 years."
Admission for the international was just one shilling and next week there will be a celebratory kick off at the cricket ground.
Mr Brown added: “Fans will have the opportunity to make the pilgrimage to the hallowed ground of ‘Game One’. The Hampden Collection has teamed up with the West of Scotland Cricket Club to provide fans with the opportunity to stand on the ground on the 150th anniversary. We will be on hand to explain this story in more detail, as you walk in the footsteps of giants, and relive the most important and influential football match in football history. This is the opportunity to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Tartan Army in style.
“We’ve been building towards this anniversary and developed a platform to celebrate one of the most important moments in football. The world should recognise Scotland as the home of international football, where Queen’s Park Football Club set the template for all future matches, and established a legacy enjoyed around the world today. Our mission is to create memorable moments for everyone fascinated by Scotland’s pioneering contribution to the footballing world and tell this story to the masses.”

To round off the day women's football in Scotland will be celebrated.

Tickets are still available for an event at Glasgow Caledonian University. GCU are hosting a masterclass with  Rose Reilly, who won the World Cup and is a legend in the women’s game. She will be interviewed by Dr Fiona Skillen. Find out more at

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/masterclass-with-dr-rose-reilly-tickets-444080676257