The Scottish F.A. Cup

Following a meeting of the Queen’s Park committee on 8th February 1873, their secretary Mr. Archibald Rae wrote to the Scottish clubs proposing a Scotch Cup for competition among Scotch clubs the following season.

Representatives of the Clydesdale, Dumbreck, Eastern, Granville, Queen’s Park, Rovers, 3rd Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers and Vale of Leven football clubs attended the historic meeting, on the 13th March 1873, held at the Dewar’s Temperance Hotel, in Bridge Street, Glasgow. There it was agreed to start a cup competition and to form themselves into “The Scottish Football Association” for the promotion of football under Association rules. This was announced later in the newspapers as:

“A national society for prosecuting the favourite game of football has been formed under the title of “Scottish National Football Association.” The committee is composed of the leading members of various clubs, and it is provided that all clubs in Scotland playing according to the rules of the association may be eligible for membership, and that the annual meetings shall be held in Glasgow. The rules in question are admirably framed, and stipulate that the maximum length of the ground shall be 200 yards, and the maximum breadth 100 yards. “Tripping” and “hacking” will not be allowed, nor will players be permitted to wear any nails, except such as are driven in flush with the leather – the same prohibition applying to iron plates or gutta percha on the soles or heels of the boots.”

The Association Challenge Cup trophy and eleven badges were purchased in 1874 for the sum of 56 pounds 12s 11d. The trophy was made by Messrs. George Edward & Sons with the design of ornamentation taken from a sketch by William Ralston. This depicted one of the Scottish players dribbling during their first official international match against England at Hamilton Crescent on the 30th November 1872.

The above is an extract from the Scottish F.A. Challenge Cup book: The Beautiful Dribbling Game.