Book Description

The book traces the football career of Jimmy Caskie from 1931 to 1952. He was an exceptionally gifted left-wing player who could also play on the right-wing but as he was not a one-club player he never became a "e;legend"e; at any of the clubs for whom he played. In the course of a career which took him from Corporation pitches in the north of Glasgow to Wembley and further afield at various times he regularly played alongside Bill Shankly, Matt Busby, Gordon Smith and Willie Waddell. As a juvenile player in Glasgow he was described by Sir Alex Ferguson's father as a "e;star"e; and he went on to play with distinction for Ashfield, St Johnstone, Everton, St Mirren, Hibernian and Rangers. He assisted Everton to win the League Championship in 1939, toured North America in the same year with the SFA and was the outstanding player of the touring party, won several trophies while playing as a "e;guest"e; player with Hibernian during the Second World War and represented Scotland in nine war-time internationals against England. In 1945 he came to Ibrox and was a regular at outside-left in the very successful Rangers side of the immediate post-war years.As well as providing a statistical record of Jimmy Caskie's career the book places this against the background of the turbulent times in which football was being played. It deals with such issues as the numbering of players, dual control of games by two referees, concessionary gates for the unemployed during the Depression and the dangers associated with large crowds at games which were not all-ticket. The problems faced by football during the Second World War, such as the "e;guest"e; player system, the controversey surrounding reserved occupations for players and the shortage of kit and balls brought about by rationing, are discussed. Post-war football had its own problems in the shape of severe winter weather which resulted in games being played in fog on frozen, heavily sanded pitches, league reconstruction, a threatened players' strike (in which Jimmy Caskie took a leading part) and disputes with the authorities over industrial absenteeism caused by the playing of games on mid-week afternoons (there were no floodlights) and with the chancellor of the exchequer over gate admission prices and these are also discussed. The circumstances which led to the 1947 boardroom coup at Ibrox and the decision by the SFA not to send a team to Brazil for the World Cup in 1950 despite receiving a specific invitation from FIFA to do so are explained.In short the book highlights the differences between the way football was played and organised before, during and after the Second World War and the modern game.