4th May 1921
Scottish Football Association Annual Meeting
Alteration of Cup Competition Rules
The annual meeting of the Scottish Football Association was held last night at 6 Carlton Place, Glasgow – Mr Thos. White presiding.
Mr J. Philip (Aberdeen) proposed an alteration in the Cup competition to the effect that, in view of the number of byes in the first round of the Scottish* Cup there should be 64 clubs, to be arrived at by 22 qualifying clubs and 42 others. This alteration, he contended, would not interfere with the rights of any of the provincial clubs in so far as restricting the number of them that would take part in the final stage. He thought an improvement could be effected by having the number 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, and the final. Thus they would have an even number right through. The proposed alteration would add to the interest of the Scottish Cup competition by widening the competition in all districts. Mr H. Christie, Dunblane, in moving the previous question, said he agreed to a certain extent with the proposal, but if it was carried they would have 64 clubs qualifying, and a draw taken which would be detrimental from a provincial point of view.
The Chairman said that at present time the membership was 105, and all these clubs except 22 were entitled to play in the Qualifying Cup competition.
Mr Philip remarked that there could be no doubt that it would not be serving the interests of the stronger and better clubs to widen the competition.
By 25 to 23 votes the Council decided to make the change in the rules.
Undecided Cup Ties – Saturday Replays to Continue
Mr Gibson, Kilmarnock, moved that the following be substituted in place of Rule 5 (Section b):- “If a Qualifying Cup tie is still undecided after a second game, the third and subsequent matches must be played during the week following the second match on a day other than Saturday, and, if necessary, half-an-hour extra must be played. No deviation from this course shall be allowed, otherwise the Council shall have the power to award the tie to either club. In the Scottish Association Cup competition, drawn ties must be replayed during the week following the first match on a day other than Saturday, and, if necessary, half-an-hour extra must be played. Unless clubs mutually agree, the third and subsequent matches must be played under the same conditions in the week following the second match on a day other than Saturday until the tie is decided. No deviation from this course shall be allowed, otherwise the Council shall have power to award the tie to either club.”
He said there could be no doubt that during the past season a number of clubs had been unduly retarded from playing owing to this question.
Mr H. Christie, Dunblane, proposed that matters remain as at present. He made this suggestion for provincial interests in the Scottish Cup competitions, but, had the proposal only been put forward in connection with the Qualifying Cup, he would certainly have acquiesced in it. In a great many provincial districts clubs could not play during the week, and if they
were going to encourage district clubs they should at least give a second Saturday to play in the event of a tie. If clubs got only one Saturday and had to play during the week after that, it would not pay the professional clubs to carry on the game of football. He took it they were there to do what they could to keep the game going, no matter in what district. He thought that this proposal would only mean the driving of senior football into junior and other classes of football. If they were taking away the very encouragement that professionals had to get, because they had a very difficult duty in many country districts to keep the clubs going. Now they had an opposition in the juniors, an opposition they would have to guard against. In his view this opposition was knocking the feet from below senior clubs in many districts.
Mr Christie’s amendment was seconded, and, on a vote being taken; the Council decided by 27 votes to 22 that the alteration should not take place.
* – Newspaper article incorrectly had “Qualifying”
Ref: Scotsman 5th May 1921

19th May 1921
Scottish Football Association
An extraordinary general meeting and a meeting of the new Council of the Scottish Football Association took place in Glasgow – Mr T. White presiding.
Qualifying Cup Exemptions
The following clubs were exempted from the Qualifying Cup competition:- Hearts, Partick Thistle, Rangers, Albion Rovers, Queen’s Park, Third Lanark, Celtic, Clyde, Morton, St Mirren, Ayr United, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Hamilton Academicals, Airdrieonians, Hibernians, Falkirk, Dumbarton, Clydebank, Aberdeen, Raith Rovers, Dundee, Alloa, Armadale, Arbroath, Bathgate, Bo’ness, Broxburn United, Cowdenbeath, Clackmannan, Dundee Hibs, Dunfermlien Athletic, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Forfar, Johnstone, King’s Park, Lochgelly United, St Bernards, St Johnstone, Stenhousemuir, and Vale of Leven.
Ref: Evening Telegraph 20th May 1921