5th May 1914
Twenty Exempts – Forty Clubs to Play for Scottish Cup
Forty clubs will compete in the Scottish Cup proper next season. At the annual meeting of the Scottish Football Association, held in Glasgow, last night, the proposal by the retiring Council that the competitors be the last 20 clubs who competed for the Qualifying Cup last season, together with the Scottish Cup semi- finalists and sixteen exempted clubs was carried.
Ref: Daily Record 6th May 1914

26th May 1914
Scottish League Clubs – Exempted from Qualifying Cup
The first meeting of the new council of the Scottish Football Association was held at 6 Carlton Place, Glasgow, last night. Mr D. Campbell(Morton) presided.
Last year’s Scottish Cup semi-finalists – Celtic, Hibernian, Third Lanark, and St Mirren – and the following 16 other clubs – Rangers, Queen’s Park, Clyde, Partick Thistle, Heart of Midlothian, Dundee, Aberdeen, Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Airdrieonians, Motherwell, Hamilton Academicals, Morton, Kilmarnock, Ayr United, and Dumbarton – were exempted from taking part in the ensuing season’s Scottish Qualifying Cup competition. These 20 clubs comprise the First Division of the Scottish League. Mr H. Christie (Perth) made a strong effort to alter the proposal, and moved as an amendment – “that the last 16 clubs taking part in the Scottish Cup competition last year be exempted along with other four.” He said it would be in the interests of Scottish Football if his motion were adopted. He moved that the following four clubs be added to the 16:- Dundee Hibs, St Johnstone, Vale of Atholl, and Stanley, but found no seconder, and the motion was carried.
Ref: Evening Telegraph 27th May 1914

22nd December 1914
Cup Ties are to be abandoned – Is the decision of the Scottish F.A.
A meeting of the S.F.A. has decided, by the narrow majority of one vote, that Cup ties and international games shall be abandoned this season.
A meeting of the Council, which was the adjournment from last week, was held at Carlton Place, Glasgow, last night – President Campbell presiding over thirty members.
Mr T. White, Celtic, vice-president, in moving the adoption of the recommendation of the delegates who had attended the national conference and had been in communication with the War Office, said he hoped the opponents of the recommendation would be able to inform him when the Association had changed its mind.
The position was perfectly clear, and remained as it was on September 8, when they placed themselves in the hands of the War Office. The delegates were simply carrying out the advice tendered to them by the governing body.
The recommendation was in the following terms:- “The delegates, feeling strongly that the honour of Scottish Football is at stake, recommend that this Association respect the requirements of the War Office, and resolve to withdraw international matches and Cup ties from this year’s programme.”
The motion was seconded by Mr R. Hay, president of the Scottish Junior F.A. To his mind, to do other than support the motion would be to pass a vote of no confidence in the delegates.
The Vote of September
Mr J. Philip, Aberdeen, moved – “That the Council regrets it cannot accept the recommendation of the delegates, and that it is the opinion of the Scottish Council that Cup ties be played.” He was of the opinion that the position taken up by the delegates hinged round the vote in September, but the facts were not as stated. Then the question was whether the game should be stopped altogether, not the suspension of one particular part of it.
He regretted the delegates had gone so far. Some consideration should be shown to the clubs, and there was not the slightest difference between Cup and League football.
Mr W. M’Intosh, Dundee, seconded the amendment.
Mr H. F. M’Lachlan, Southern Counties, thought it was not a question of stoppage of Cup ties, but a question of honour. Their word was their bond.
Mr W. Lorimer, Hearts, was of opinion of Mr Philip, and supported the amendment. In the statements of Mr Tennant, football was alluded to as an amusement. Why, then, were not all amusements included in the War Office recommendation? Football was only an hour and a half’s recreation each week. Yet they had entertainments of another kind going on all day long. He wished to mention another point – “What did Mr Asquith say when he was asked if the game should stop? He said very plainly no; that Scotland had done splendidly as regards recruiting, and would continue to do so.
Football and Recruiting
For the motion, Mr R. Campbell, Perth, said that all the arguments used by the opposition were mere quibbles. ” In the serious condition of the country,” he said “are we to accede to the wishes of the War Office, or are we not?” Are we to wait for a raid on the Forth or the Tay or Aberdeen?”
There was no doubt but that the continuance of the game was hindering recruiting. In his own district he knew of a dozen who would join the army if football were stopped, and he spoke for his club when he said that the game should be stopped
altogether.
He referred to the resolution sent them by the League. They would probably be surprised to know that it was not a unanimous resolution, but had bee carried on a vote by 10 to 7. The Council had looked upon themselves as trustees for the good name of Scottish Football, and voted accordingly.
Mr J. Atherley, Renton, said if the motion were carried it meant the death of the majority of country clubs.
The President remarked with regard to that the smaller clubs were calculating on something which they might not get. This was not a normal time. “We must seriously consider the continuation of the game.” he said, “and we must see that it is not to suffer by any action or want of action now. Are we doing a greater and nobler thing acting up to the instruction of the War Office than we would be ignoring them?”
Mr Philip, replied that football was essentially the working man’s game. The workers were giving of themselves and their money, and they wanted the game to go on.
In winding up the discussion Mr White put to the council – ” We don’t ask any man here to-night to vote for us in order to save the faces of the delegates. We are satisfied we have done our duty, and are prepared to take a beating if you so decide.”
The Vote
The Vote was the taken, when 13 voted for the amendment and 14 for the motion which was accordingly declared carried.
The draw in the first round of the Scottish Cup and Consolation Cup was accordingly not proceeded with.
The motion of Mr Harry Christie – “That all competitive football be suspended until the end of the present season,” was ruled out of order by the chairman.
The arrangements for the final of the Qualifying Cup were proceeded with, St Bernard v Galston or Dykehead being the tie. On a vote it was decided to play the final at Ibrox on 2d January, Mr Humphries, Maryhill, to be referee.
Ref: Dundee Courier 23rd December 1914