Scottish FA pre-war tours to North America

[EastJunior]

I know there is information out there with regards to the squad, results, venues, line-ups and attendances etc, but are there any written accounts of these tours contemporary or otherwise? as beyond the bare stats, there's not much out there (although to be fair, I have not checked archive newspapers as yet).

[ScottishFA]

There is a chapter on the 1935 tour in Alan Breck's Book of Scottish Football (1937), and although mainly pictorial it does give a good flavour of the atmosphere of the tour.

There is also a chapter on the 1949 tour in The Boys' First Book of Scottish Soccer (1949) written by Alec Young of the Edinburgh Evening Telegraph. Just three pages, no photos this time, but again a useful overview - including the snippet that Sammy Cox bashed his toe with a baseball bat and had to miss the next fixture.

[EastJunior]

Excellent thanks, I'll keep my eye out for copies of these.

[bluedragon]

Alan Breck (AY Young) of the Evening Times also accompanied the 1939 tour to North America. He took his own film, parts at least were shot in colour, of the tour that covered activities both on and off the field. The film was called “All in the Game”. It appears he was hoping to arrange to get it released in cinemas later.

The start of the Second World War put paid to his plan. However, along with George Graham, SFA secretary, he travelled the length and breadth of Scotland in the early years of the War showing the film in local town halls and to service audiences in aid of war-time charities. George Graham provided the commentary.

I wonder if this film is still in existence.