‘EXCITING incidents at Hampden Park’ claimed our sister title the Glasgow Herald on April 26, 1937.

It was two days after the Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen (this year’s will be played on Saturday, between St Johnstone and Hibs) but the newspaper was not talking about on-the-pitch action.

Instead, the ‘exciting incidents’ happened outside the stadium, as thousands of fans were refused entry.

An astonishing 147,365 fans were inside watching the game – a European record that still stands – but outside, thousands of ‘football enthusiasts’, as the Herald called them, many of whom had travelled from across the country, were not allowed in.

The 1937 Scottish Cup Final. Pic: Herald and Times

The 1937 Scottish Cup Final. Pic: Herald and Times

“There were extraordinary scenes around the park when at about 2.45 – a quarter of an hour before the kick-off – the turnstiles were closed and long queues of disappointed men were turned away,” said the report.

“From long before one o’clock, buses and trams…were crammed with passengers…Hundreds gave up the quest for transport and walked to the ground – a walk of over three miles which in many cases ended in chagrin at being refused admission.

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“Temporary barricades had to be put up to reinforce the gates….there was a great deal of crushing and pushing among the crowds…about 500 people forced their way into the ground through a gate behind the grandstand in Letherby Drive.”

Future Scottish Cup finals would have to be ticketed from now on, added the Herald.

The game was ‘keenly contested’, said the report, and played in ‘the spirit of good-natured rivalry’ and there were ‘three great Hampden roars, denoting the goals that were scored – two for Celtic and one for Aberdeen.’