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The following piece is an extract from the article "The Birth of Schools' Football in Glasgow" by Tom Pool. It was published in the magazine "Scottish Football Historian", issue number 71.
A letter from the London Schools' F.A. … asked the Glasgow League to consider the possibility of a friendly representative match around Easter 1905 as London had already arranged such a friendly against Edinburgh in Edinburgh. After numerous letters travelling back and forth between the respective secretaries, a match was finally agreed upon. The match was deemed to be a great success on many counts. On Wednesday, April 26th, Glasgow met London for the first time at Hampden Park and won 4-2 in front of a crowd around 10,000 in what was described as a thrilling match by all accounts.
The preparation for the London match took up much of the Committee's time during the months leading up to the game. Two trial matches were arranged at the Ibrox Practice Pitch in order to select a squad. New strips and a ball were bought from Lumley's. The Glasgow colours were to be those of their patrons, Queen's Park, one inch black and white hooped jerseys. Over 20,000 tickets were printed at a cost of £3 10s (£3.50). Two hundred special invitation tickets were also printed for quests. Advertising arrangements were made and a discussion with the Cathcart Railway and the Glasgow Corporation Tramway companies took place to "take steps to cope with the expected traffic to Hampden Park between 5.30 and 6.45pm." To ensure that there would be no other distractions that might affect the size of the crowd, Third Lanark were written to to ask if they would not put on any counter attraction on the evening of the game. The Thirds secretary wrote back to the League agreeing to their request.
Plans were also drawn up to entertain London throughout their stay in the city. The League ensured that there was little chance of boredom setting in. From their arrival on Tuesday evening at Queen Street Station through to their departure on Thursday afternoon, the English side dined at Waddell's Tea Rooms in Union Street, the YMCA Rooms in Bothwell Street and with the Lord Provost in the City Chambers. They also managed visits to Glasgow Cathedral, a tour of the City Chambers, the Art Galleries, Glasgow University and a trip down the Clyde! A brake was hired at the cost of £3 to cope with most of the travelling.
Prior to the match taking place, both teams posed for an official photographer. The Glasgow players who took part were later presented with a photograph free of charge as a memento of the occasion. The teams that took the field were as follows:
Glasgow and District Schools' League: E. Cresswell (Whitehill), J. Wilson (Queen's Park), A. Logan (Provanside), L. Duncan (Allan Glen's), G. Quinn (St Aloysius College), J. Treanor (St Aloysius College), J. McKay (Bellahouston Academy), W. Brown (Hutchesons' Grammar), H. Leckie (Bellahouston Academy), J. Bowie (Allan Glen's), R. Watson (Paisley Grammar).
London Schools' Football Association: T. Butler (West Ham), T. Reynolds (Leyton), W. Whitefield (Greenwich), W. Lizzimore (Islington), H. Biffen (Tottenham), J. Arnold (South London), E. Plumb (West London), H. Redding (West London), C. Dibb (Tottenham), H. Perkins (West London), F. Cornish (West London).
Referee: Mr Tom Robertson (Queen's Park Football Club)
The financial result of the London match was a healthy profit of £41 18s 2d (£41.91) (this was adjusted the following season when an additional £1 1s 3d (£1.06) was handed to the Treasurer). The total expenses were £75 4s 3d (£75.21) with £117 2s 3d (£117.11) taken in gate money and other forms of revenue.
The London victory was particularly pleasing as it was reported in the minutes of the meeting that "Glasgow were the first to lower the victorious colossus of London' - this was London's first-ever defeat this level.
