THE first full post-war international between Scotland and England at Hampden was a huge occasion. The Scots had faltered in the previous Home Internationals against Wales and Northern Ireland, losing both, but the players, it was widely thought, would be fired up for the game against the Auld Enemy. Surely?
On the morning of the match - Saturday, April 10, 1948 - the Glasgow Herald anticipated a crowd of 138,000, “a maximum all-ticket attendance that could be multiplied by ten if the permanently and temporarily football-mad spectators were to be satisfied.” In the weeks prior to the game the fans were a cheerful sight as they queued at Hampden for tickets. The people above were waiting for the ticket office to open; some were hoping for a good night’s rest despite the impromptu nature of their sleeping arrangements. One cheery soul at the back had even come prepared with a teapot.
The Herald said that if the legendary England outside-right, Stanley Matthews, showed his mastery even just for 10 minutes of the game, the hardy fans who had queued for tickets would have been well repaid, whatever the result.
And the actual result? Scotland nil, England two. It was a drab match, and Matthews was very quiet: but Tom Finney and Stan Mortensen both scored, leaving Scotland regretting their lack of “skilful, planned, constructive moves.”
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