1922 SCOTTISH CUP ANNIVERSARY WEEK FACTS | 11/04/22

As we approach the 100^th Anniversary of Morton’s Scottish Cup win this Friday, we’re going to give you some facts throughout the week about Morton’s 1922 success. Here are today’s….

• Only two Morton players have scored in Scottish Cup Finals; both were veterans, both were wing-halves and both did so from direct free kicks against Rangers.

• Right-half Jimmy Gourlay was 34 years old when his shot from 20 yards beat the Rangers’ wall and keeper William Robb in 12 minutes of the 1922 Final. It was the goal that won the Cup, and the first ever goal scored direct from a free kick in a Scottish Cup Final.

• Fast Forward to 1948, and Morton netted their second Cup Final goal direct from a free kick after only 2 minutes of the 1948 Final; Rangers keeper Bobby Brown was beaten by a near 40 yard effort from Morton’s 33-year old left-half and skipper Jimmy Whyte. Whyte’s shot from wide on the left touch-line got caught in the Hampden swirl and deceived the goalie. It was the first such goal since Jimmy Gourlay’s  26 years earlier. But there was no happy ending as Rangers equalised, and won the replay 1-0 after extra time.

• It was not until 1985, and the 100^th Scottish Cup, that another goal was scored in the Final direct from a free kick. This came from Celtic’s Davie Provan against Dundee United. Obviously not a Morton player, but he did hail from Inverclyde!