Chapter One

1946/47

Back in the Groove

In the close season of 1946 the footballing authorities in Scotland were at loggerheads with the UK Government over the admission prices to Scottish matches in comparison to those south of the border. In essence, part of the admission price to a football match related to entertainment tax and as the Government had cut the level of that tax it was insisting that the reduction be passed on to spectators. The Scottish Football League took a different view and at its AGM voted to maintain the 1s 6d admission from the previous season especially as costs had gone up – players’ wages, for example, had risen by 25 per cent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Government was less than impressed by the stance of the SFL and when the relevant Finance Bill was being debated in the House of Commons the Chancellor of the Exchequer issued a stern warning: ‘I shall be keeping a close eye on practices in the Scottish football field between the present time and the next budget.’ He went on to warn that if the reduction in admission charges was not passed on voluntarily then the Government would take steps to enforce it.

A week later the SFL Management Committee met and decided to ratify its first decision and retain the admission charge at 1s 6d in direct contradiction of the Government’s wishes. A letter would be sent to the Chancellor detailing the reasoning behind the decision and seeking an early meeting to resolve matters. At the same meeting the draw for the Scottish League Cup was made and Hibs found themselves in a section with Hamilton, Third Lanark and Celtic, the ties being scheduled to begin in mid-September.

League football got under way on 10 August 1946 and Hibs began their campaign with an Easter Road fixture against Queen of the South. The Dumfries side must have wondered what hit them as the home forwards ran riot and notched up a total of nine goals for the loss of just one. Jock Weir hit four, John ‘Cubby’ Cuthbertson two and there were singles from the other three forwards, Johnny Aitkenhead, Archie Buchanan and Gordon Smith, while Armstrong was on target for the visitors.

In the following midweek, Hibs travelled to Ibrox and were a goal down to Rangers inside two minutes after Davie Shaw was harshly adjudged to have handled in the box. Despite the protests of the Hibs players the referee held firm and Torry Gillick scored from the spot. The loss of that goal seemed to galvanise Hibs. They came roaring back, and on the half hour a great run and pass by Smith allowed Aitkenhead to equalise. The Rangers fans in the 60,000 crowd did not like what they were seeing as Hibs were by far the better outfit, and they proved that by scoring what would be the winning goal just a minute into the second-half when Weir headed home a cross by Aitkenhead. Try as they might the hosts could not draw level, thanks mainly to some stout defending and a great performance in goals from Jimmy Kerr.

Hampden Park beckoned for the early league leaders but it would be to play Queen’s Park in the league rather than any cup match. A close-fought encounter was settled by a single goal, scored by Archie Buchanan, ensuring Hibs stayed top with six points out of six. Only Aberdeen and Partick Thistle could match that record. Somewhat surprisingly, Celtic found that they were rooted to the bottom with just one point.

It was back to Easter Road for the next outing and Clyde provided the opposition. This turned out to be one of those games where one side dominated throughout but were frustrated at almost every turn by a combination of poor finishing, good defending and top-class goalkeeping. In the end, Hibs had to settle for a 1–0 win after Smith’s cross found Jock Weir in space and the little forward crashed home a low shot to beat Sweeney in the Clyde goal. Although not a convincing scoreline it was a convincing display by the green and whites and it kept them at the top of the league.

A second successive home game saw Hibs taking on Hamilton in what turned out to be a five-goal thriller with the home side edging it 3–2. A double by McFarlane of Hamilton might have won them the points on any other day but Cuthbertson matched that feat for Hibs and Buchanan struck the decisive goal. There was a sadness hanging over the stadium that afternoon, however, as it became known that Paddy Cannon had passed away, aged 90. Cannon had a long association with Hibs, having joined the club in 1896 as trainer/groundsman and he continued in that latter role well beyond his 70th birthday. A noted athlete, he had held many Scottish records and actually took part in the Powderhall Marathon at the age of 62. A real character, Paddy was at Easter Road almost every day until he died and he would be sorely missed.

The unbeaten start to the season finally came to an end when Hibs went down 2–1 at Pittodrie against Aberdeen. It was a cruel blow to Hibs, who lost Gordon Smith to injury after just eight minutes. Although the winger tried to return after treatment, his movement was so limited that he left the field for good before half-time. Leading by a Harris goal after 30 minutes, the Dons were pegged back early in the second-half when Cuthbertson equalised. Indeed, Hibs looked the more likely to go on and win, even with ten men, but fate dealt a cruel blow ten minutes from time when Hugh Howie sliced the ball into his own net when trying to clear a cross.

Three days later an injury-ravaged Hibs travelled to Fir Park to face a Motherwell side yet to win in the league. A valiant effort by the men from Edinburgh proved not to be enough as the Lanarkshire side took the points in a 2–1 win. The visitors actually opened the scoring early in the second-half when Willie Peat fired home a direct free kick from around 20 yards, but Motherwell equalised within minutes following an uncharacteristic error by Kerr in the Hibs goal. The keeper had punched clear a cross but was too slow getting back to his goal line and that allowed Humphries to equalise. In the dying minutes a corner from the right was clutched cleanly by Kerr but as he went to steady himself, Brown bundled both him and the ball over the line which was permissible in those days, and the referee allowed the goal to stand.

It was back to Easter Road for the next encounter and Kilmarnock provided the opposition. Hibs had some players back from injury and gave a start to young Lawrie Reilly, who marked the occasion with a fine goal – the first of so many to come in his Hibs career – which was added to by Weir and Aitkenhead, who got two each, and Arthur Milne to create a winning score of 6–0. The big Easter Road crowd was in good voice and thrilled that Reilly looked the part in stepping up to the first team.

The games were coming thick and fast and only three days later Hibs were at home again, this time for the first Edinburgh derby of the season. Having hit Kilmarnock for six there was an expectation that Hearts might suffer a similar fate, but it was not to be as the men from Gorgie had a solid outfit and a particularly strong defence. Early chances were passed up by Hibs and Hearts’ keeper Brown had two great saves from Buchanan. At the other end, Jimmy Kerr was under increasing pressure as the match progressed until finally he was beaten after a Kelly cross was blasted high into the net by McCrae. Hibs tried everything to get level but found Brown and his defensive colleagues in top form, and so the bragging rights were bound for Gorgie along with the two points. One Hibs player who didn’t feature that afternoon was Arthur Milne – he had been transferred to St Mirren after falling out of favour.

One of the surprise packages of the season so far had been Morton, and it was to Greenock that Hibs next travelled in the final league match before the League Cup kicked in. An outstanding performance by Kerr kept the free-scoring Morton forwards at bay while, at the other end, Aitkenhead and Weir scored the goals to win the game. Kerr’s performance, including saving a penalty, had the Hibs fans in the crowd in raptures and Weir’s goal was a real peach. It was no surprise, therefore, when Weir became the subject of a transfer bid by Swansea. Thankfully, the Hibs boss Willie McCartney was able to say a polite ‘no’ as he was more than happy to keep him at Easter Road.

The League Cup sectional matches began for Hibs with a home tie against an improving Celtic and so it was gratifying that the home side had enough in its armoury to see off the Parkhead side’s challenge. Reilly, who played at outside right in place of the injured Smith, was the only Hibs forward not to find the net, but his two assists were vital in helping his team to a 4–2 win. Celtic’s goals came from former Hibs man Tommy Bogan and Hughie Gallagher, the latter in the dying moments of the match, but by then Hibs had counted through Buchanan, Aitkenhead, Cuthbertson and Weir.

The good start in the section continued into the next match when Hibs travelled to Douglas Park and beat Hamilton 6–3. Buchanan and Weir each scored twice and Cuthbertson and Aitkenhead weighed in with a goal apiece. An uncharacteristically weak performance by the Hibs defence allowed McGuigan, Devine and Rothera to score for the hosts.

Game three of six in the section brought Third Lanark to Easter Road and the visitors cashed in on the continuing uncertainty in the Easter Road rearguard by scoring twice through McDonald and Carabine. Hibs managed only one goal through Buchanan and the loss of this match could cost them dear.

Next up was a visit to Parkhead. Hibs scored early through Weir but couldn’t get a second and paid the price when McAloon grabbed a late equaliser.

In the close season just past, Hibs had toured Czechoslovakia and one of the...