FOOTBALL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9462, 3 June 1909, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

THE SCOTTISH OUP

SERIOUS RIOT. London, April 19. - The replayed final tie-, in the Scottish Oop between the Celtic and the Glasgow Rangers at Glasgow on * ! Saturday, ended in a serious riot. For the second time the game resulted in a draw, and contrary to / " the English custom when a replay la found necessary extra time was not allowed. This coarse of action was resented by a considerable section of the huge crowd of 60,000 spectators, ' and a disgraceful scene followed. Forty-ffve members of the city '"police force and, overßoof the public were injured.. Many of the latter ware treated in the infirmary and ~ taken to their own homes, bat 'two of the police still remain in the "Victoria Hospital. One of them, Constable Bryson, is suffering from severe injuries to his thighs, and ’ the second, Constable McDonald, from injuries to his head. A third constable had his nose broken. The two clubs draw the biggest gates in Scotland. On Saturday the gate money mounted to £l7lO, but as . much as £2OOO has been secured. . The frequency .with which the clubs have fought drawn games and therefore required a replayed match with uhe consequent drawing from the public of a large amount of money has occasioned an outcry in some quarters that the drawn matches were 9 matters of arrangement, and that the players were in league with the club officials to secure a draw. On Saturday, although the . players had contested the match with the greatest keenness, a section of the public were not satisfied. The players themselves were aware of the sentiment in the crowd, and when the referee sounded “fulltime” the men waited on the field tinder the impression that extra time would he played. No arrangement for extra time, however, had been made, and when the players were observed making tor the pavilion s ‘ there were angry shouts from all sides, demanding that the game s should be continued. The bolder section of the crowd led the wsiy into the arena and a " break-in all round took place. The crowd made for the passage by which the players bad retired, and in a moment the police were engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with the encroaching thousands. Stones and bottles were thrown, and then the police drew ~their batons. A free - fight near the eastern goal createdja diversion, but drawn, off in that direction the crowd applied themselves to pulling down the post* and nets. Tbil piece of destruction beins aQOpmplished amid cheers, a Tush Twas made for the other goal where the same performance was gone through, and the whole pile ; was set on fire. Official remonstrance proved futile, and those who tried persuasion had to beat a hasty retreat before a Glasgow mob at its worst. The mounted police who were brought into the ground confined their attention to the pavilion. The ' framework of the ground roller. « which was lying on the track, was then seized on, and with it a few roughs begau to plough up the pitch.. The appearance of the mounted police cansgd a section of the crowd, to scatter, and a baton 'charge cleared the stand. The mounted men were received with a shower of heavy stones; planking was torn from the framework of the roller, and with it and stones they were knocked about uomero|fully, %ae man being hurled from his horse. Another determined baton charge" - was made and many people were injured. Meanwhile the crowd were smashing to pieces the hoarding at the foot of > the terrace. By this time the mob bad become quite infuriated, and a large 'force of extra police were brought in motors from the city. About 200 police were then on duty endeavouring to quell the disorder. Although the Queen’s Park Club, on whose ground the incident took place, bad nothing to do with the contest, property was now turned npon. The pay-boxes were, fired at two different places, and the fire brigade was summoned. Attempts were also made to fire the large stands, but the polios frustrated them. In the struggle a constable was kicked into insensibility by several roughs. The fire brigade arrived, but the mob ‘jumped on the hose,, and prevented the water from flowing. In the confusion and noise two of the mounted police horses Stampeded ; many people "were hurt, and the constables were thrown. It was not until 7.30 that the ground was folly cleared and order restored, ? after three hours* of rioting.