1945–46 Southern League Cup (Scotland)

The 1945–46 Southern League Cup was the sixth and final edition of the regional war-time football tournament. The North Eastern League and North Eastern League Cup had ended the previous season, teams from those competitions joined the Southern League and Southern League Cup. With the Southern League now acting effectively as a national league the competition was split into two Divisions, The league cup was therefore also split into two divisions.

Aberdeen won the tournament, defeating Rangers 3–2 in the final at Hampden Park before a crowd of 135,000. This was the last edition of the competition, but the trophy itself was used again for the 1946 Victory Cup played only a few weeks later (won by Rangers), therefore Aberdeen only possessed the cup for a short time. The same teams met in first official Scottish League Cup final the following year.[1]

Group stage

Division A

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Heart of Midlothian 6 3 2 1 12 8 +4 8
St Mirren 6 2 2 2 6 8 −2 6
Falkirk 6 2 1 3 10 11 −1 5
Hamilton Academical 6 2 1 3 6 7 −1 5
Source: [citation needed]

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Rangers 6 5 1 0 15 3 +12 11
Morton 6 3 1 2 15 7 +8 7
Motherwell 6 2 1 3 9 13 −4 5
Queen of the South 6 0 1 5 4 10 −6 1
Source: [citation needed]

Group C

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Aberdeen 6 4 0 2 21 13 +8 8
Hibernian 6 4 0 2 10 7 +3 8
Partick Thistle 6 1 2 3 6 6 0 4
Kilmarnock 6 1 2 3 4 11 −7 4
Source: [citation needed]

Group D

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Clyde 6 4 0 2 21 13 +8 8
Celtic 6 3 1 2 14 10 +4 7
Third Lanark 6 2 2 2 11 15 −4 6
Queen's Park 6 1 1 4 9 17 −8 3
Source: [citation needed]

Division B

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
East Fife 6 5 0 1 24 10 +14 10
Alloa Athletic 6 4 0 2 11 8 +3 8
Raith Rovers 6 3 0 3 15 16 −1 6
Cowdenbeath 6 0 0 6 10 26 −16 0
Source: [citation needed]

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Ayr United 6 4 1 1 12 7 +5 9
Dundee United 6 4 1 1 12 7 +5 9
Stenhousemuir 6 1 2 3 8 13 −5 4
Dumbarton 6 1 0 5 7 12 −5 2
Source: [citation needed]
Play-off
Ayr United 1 – 0 Dundee United Hampden Park, Glasgow

Group C

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Airdrieonians 6 3 2 1 16 5 +11 8
St Johnstone 6 2 2 2 12 8 +4 6
Dunfermline Athletic 6 2 1 3 6 10 −4 5
Albion Rovers 6 2 1 3 6 17 −11 5
Source: [citation needed]

Group D

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Dundee 4 2 1 1 11 4 +7 5
Stirling Albion 4 2 0 2 6 10 −4 4
Arbroath 4 1 1 2 6 3 +3 3
Source: [citation needed]

Quarter-finals

Aberdeen 2 – 0 Ayr United
Airdrieonians 1 – 0 Clyde
Heart of Midlothian 3 – 0 East Fife
Rangers 3 – 1 Dundee

Semi-finals

Aberdeen 2 – 2 Airdrieonians Ibrox Park, Glasgow
Rangers 2 – 1 Heart of Midlothian Hampden Park, Glasgow

Replay

Aberdeen 5 – 3 Airdrieonians Iibrox Park, Glasgow

Final

Aberdeen3–2Rangers
Baird 1'
Williams 19'
Taylor 90'		 Duncanson 49'
Thornton 70'
Hampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 135,000
Referee: W. Webb

Teams

Aberdeen:
GK George Johnstone
RB Willie Cooper
LB Pat McKenna
RH Andy Cowie
CH Frank Dunlop
LH George Taylor
OR Alex Kiddie
IR George Hamilton
CF Stan Williams
IL Archie Baird
OL Willie McCall
Rangers:
GK John Shaw
RB Dougie Gray
LB Jock Shaw
RH Charlie Watkins
CH George Young
LH Scot Symon
OR Willie Waddell
IR Willie Thornton
CF Billy Arnison
IL Jimmy Duncanson
OL Jimmy Caskie

References

  1. ^ Kevin Stirling (27 January 2014). "League Cup History 1946". Aberdeen F.C. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Rangers 2–3 Aberdeen". FitbaStats. 11 May 1946. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Match Report: Aberdeen 3–2 Rangers". AFC Heritage Trust. 11 May 1946. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  4. ^ Aberdeen Win Deserved, The Glasgow Herald, 13 May 1945
  5. ^ Aberdeen League Cup Success | Last-minute Goal Beats Rangers, The Scotsman, 13 May 1945, via London Hearts Supporters Club