1943–44 in Scottish football

Overview

Between 1939 and 1946 normal competitive football was suspended in Scotland. Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead. The Scottish Football League and Scottish Cup were suspended and in their place regional league competitions were set up. Appearances in these tournaments do not count in players' official records.

Honours

League competition was split into two regional leagues, the Southern League and the North-Eastern League. No country-wide cup competition took place, the Glasgow Cup, East of Scotland Shield and Renfrewshire Cup continued and Southern and North-Eastern League Cups were competed for, the Southern League Cup would later form the basis of the League Cup. The Summer Cup was played for by Southern League teams during May and June once league competition had been completed.

International

Due to the war official international football was suspended and so officially the Scotland team was inactive. However unofficial internationals featuring scratch teams representing Scotland continued. Appearances in these matches are not, however, included in a players total international caps.

Scotland faced England in a wartime international on 16 October 1943 at Maine Road, Manchester in front of 60,000 fans. The Scotland team were crushed 8–0 by a rampant England. The Scotland team that day comprised: Joe Crozier, Jimmy Carabine, Archie Miller, Adam Little, George Young, Billy Campbell, Willie Waddell, Torrance Gillick, Alex Linwood, Tommy Walker, and Johnny Deakin.

The two teams met again on 19 February 1944 at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 80,000. England won again, this time 6–2, with a Jock Dodds double accounting for Scotland's goals. The Scotland team featured: Joe Crozier, Willie Kilmarnock, Jimmy Stephen, Archie Macaulay, Jock Kirton, Matt Busby, Bobby Flavell, Jimmy Stenhouse, Jock Dodds, Jimmy Duncanson and Jimmy Caskie.

They met for a third time at Hampden Park on 22 April where a crowd of 133,000 saw England win 3–2, Dodds and Caskie scoring for Scotland. The line up was: Joe Crozier, Malky McDonald, Jimmy Stephen, Archie Macaulay, Bobby Baxter, Matt Busby, Jimmy Delaney, Tommy Walker, Jock Dodds, Jimmy Duncanson and Jimmy Caskie.

References

1. "Wartime league champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
2. "Glasgow Cup finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
3. "Southern Football League Cup". Scottish Football History.
4. "North Eastern Football League Cup". Scottish Football History.
5. "Southern Football League". Scottish Football History.
6. "North Eastern Football League". Scottish Football History.
7. [https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng-warvic-intres.html England - War-Time/Victory Internationals - Details]