EMPIRE EXHIBITION CUP
1938

CELTIC AT 50 YEARS

The Empire Exhibition Tournament was played in the pre-war summer of 1938 to mark the Empire Exhibition being held in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. Eight teams took part in the tournament held at Ibrox - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts, Rangers represented Scotland and Brentford, Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland (Champions of England) for England. Celtic had already won the Scottish League Championship (for the second time in three years) and winning this cup would be a fine bonus to celebrate a 50 years milestone in the club's proud history. Celtic legend Jimmy McGrory, finally giving in to years of abuse, retired at the age of 33 and the Park's record attendance of 92,000 was set versus Rangers in a 3-0 victory on New Year's day 1938.

An Empire Exhibition Cup medal, on show at Celtic Park

Celtic played Sunderland in the first round and won a replay 3-1 after a 0-0 draw in the first match. Hearts were disposed of in the semi-final 1-0 through a Johnny Crum goal. Everton, destined to win the English championship in the following season, were Celtic's opponents in the final. They had beaten Rangers 2-0 and Aberdeen 3-2 to advance to the final and were the favourites to triumph. Once again, Johnny Crum scored the vital goal 5 minutes into extra time and Celtic won the match and the tournament. The trophy, to be kept permanently by the winning club, was a silver replica of the Exhibition Tower.

The Celtic team in the Exhibition Cup final of 1938 as follows:

Kennaway, Hogg, Morrison, Geatons, Lyon, Paterson, Delaney, Macdonald, Crum, Divers, Murphy

A4 colour photographs of Celtic FC's trophies appear in THE GLORY OF THE GREEN - The Celtic Trophies (Traynor & Russell published by Holmes McDougall Publishing & Print Ltd 1991. ISBN 0715728504 (ISBN 0715728482 pbk). Illustrated are the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition Cup (won after the Ibrox Disaster 1902), the Empire Exhibition 1938 Tower trophy and the St Mungo Cup (Festival of Britain 1951).