NOTES FROM HISTORY

By Fraser Clyne

1908-1909

Arbroath got to the Final of the1908-09  Scottish Consolation Cup, but couldn't get the better of Wishaw Athletic.

The Scottish Consolation Cup provided Red Lichties fans with plenty of interest during the 1908-09 season, although there was disappointment when the Maroons lost out to Wishaw Athletic in the Final. The competition was introduced by the Scottish FA in 1907 as a fallback for clubs that failed to reach the Scottish Cup First Round (ie all non-league member clubs who failed to reach the last 16 of the Qualifying Cup). Arbroath defeated Forfar Athletic 4-0 in the First Round of the Qualifying Cup, then crushed Huntingtower 5-2 before being eliminated  3-1 by Leith Athletic in the Third Round.

  And so the Gayfield men tumbled into the Consolation Cup in which they were drawn against Montrose. This proved to be an epic tie which required four games before victory was achieved. The first tussle ended 1-1, the second match was abandoned in the second half because of a frozen pitch with the score standing at 0-0, then a further 0-0 draw was played. The stalemate couldn't be broken in the fourth game which ended goalless after 90 minutes, so extra-time was played. The Gable Endies took the lead during the first 15 minutes of the extra period but goals from Dorward and Willocks in the closing stages provided Arbroath with a dramatic victory and sent the large Gayfield crowd home in high spirits.

  The Second Round proved far less formidable with the Lichties cruising to a 6-0 victory over Crieff Morrisonians at the Perthshire club's Turretbridge Park. After receiving a bye in the next stage of the competition, Arbroath then entertained another Perthshire outfit, Tulloch, at Gayfield in the Fourth Round. This ended in another convincing 6-0 success and a place in the Quarter Finals against Broxburn. The Lichties had a harder fight on their hands, but pulled through with a 2-1 victory.

  East Fife then stood between Arbroath and a place in the Final – and the Methil men proved to be as stubborn opponents as Montrose had been earlier on in the competition.

 Draws of 1-1, 2-2 and 2-2 were played out before Arbroath eventually got through, goals from Ritchie and MacDonald earning a 2-1 win on neutral territory at Perth Recreation Grounds.

  With the possibility of silverware at stake, Arbroath followers travelled to  Brockville Park, Falkirk on 17^th April 1909 for the Final against Wishaw.

  A crowd of 3,000 turned up for the game which was held on the same day as Celtic and Rangers played out a 1-1 draw in the replayed Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. Fans rioted at the end of the Old Firm match, setting fire to payboxes and ripping up the goalposts – all because a decision had been taken not to play any extra time. The SFA fined both clubs and decided to withhold the Cup.

  There was no such excitement at Brockville where heavy rain left the playing surface soft and muddy. Gray gave Wishaw an early lead but Arbroath battled back into the game and equalized through Dorward. It wasn't long, however, before Wishaw edged ahead, Clark taking advantage to shoot home when Arbroath defenders slipped in the mud. That proved to be the winning goal. Lichties keeper Johnston pulled off a string of good saves in the second half to keep the scoreline respectable although Thomson missed a glorious chance to grab an equalizer.

  The Arbroath line-up was: Johnston, Ferguson Lorimer, Guild, Taylor, Fullerton, Black, McDonald, Thomson, Dorward, Ritchie.

  Arbroath's Consolation Cup commitments took precedence over their Northern league matches and it's not clear whether the club fulfilled its fixtures. Northern league records are fairly patchy, but it seems that the Lichties finished the season in eighth position from 12 clubs. The Forfarshire Cup didn't prove any more fruitful with the Lichties going down 3-1 to Dundee reserves in a First Round tie at Gayfield.