Andy Mitchell
@andymitchellmedia.bsky.social
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Scottish football historian. Edinburgh. www.scottishsporthistory.com
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Andy Mitchell
Many years ago I bought a little silver buckle at an antique fair. Now I have finally established that its original owner, Hugh McColl, was a football pioneer in Scotland and Chile. Read about his story:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A buckle with a story: Hugh McColl, Scottish football pioneer in Chile
Many years ago I bought this attractive belt buckle at an antique fair, engraved for presentation to Hugh McColl junior by the members of West End Cricket Club for the highest bowling average in...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-buckle-with-a-story-hugh-mccoll-scottish-football-pioneer-in-chile
5 days ago
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Search for stolen rugby caps, 40 years on
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Irish Rugby: Former star's family appeal for return of stolen caps
Ken Goodall's haul of Irish international caps were taken from his home in Londonderry in 1987.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r9dv1480jo
5 days ago
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Many years ago I bought a little silver buckle at an antique fair. Now I have finally established that its original owner, Hugh McColl, was a football pioneer in Scotland and Chile. Read about his story:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A buckle with a story: Hugh McColl, Scottish football pioneer in Chile
Many years ago I bought this attractive belt buckle at an antique fair, engraved for presentation to Hugh McColl junior by the members of West End Cricket Club for the highest bowling average in...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-buckle-with-a-story-hugh-mccoll-scottish-football-pioneer-in-chile
5 days ago
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Disappointing, not a single induction to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame again this year. Sportscotland ignore Sir Alex Ferguson, Doddie Weir, Eve Muirhead, David Coulthard, Catriona Matthew, Paul Lawrie, Eilidh Doyle. Is the Hall of Fame dead?
sportfirst.sportscotland.org.uk/articles/sco...
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Awards represent the very best of Scottish sport
Outstanding sporting achievements from across Scotland were celebrated last night at the Scottish Sports Awards in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket.
https://sportfirst.sportscotland.org.uk/articles/scottish-sports-award-2025
6 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
An Coille Dhubh
7 days ago
🇲🇦🇰🇲 Scotland's World Cup opponents, Morocco, kicked off the African Cup of Nations finals in Rabat with a 2-0 win over Comoros. Ayoub El Kaabi scored Morocco's second with a McTominay-esque overhead kick.
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Andy Mitchell
Sarah Elizabeth Cox
8 days ago
Less than 3 weeks until
#AThousandBlows
season 2! Here's my season 1 'true stories Vs the show' blog. Hezekiah might not be Jamaican He didn't arrive with Alec He wasn't a bareknuckle guy He didn't dream of lion taming Wife WAS white & called Mary &c.
grapplingwithhistory.com/2025/03/11/h...
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Hezekiah Moscow Vs Hezekiah Moscow and A Hundred Thousand Thank Yous
At the time of writing this post – less than three weeks after the release of A Thousand Blows on Disney+ and Hulu – my blog has been viewed 100,600 times by more than 58,500 people aro…
https://grapplingwithhistory.com/2025/03/11/hezekiah-moscow-vs-hezekiah-moscow-and-a-hundred-thousand-thank-yous/
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Andy Mitchell
The Thistle Archive
8 days ago
🆕 TTAM-0048 St Bernard's 'In Memoriam' Card - This little postcard-like oddity belonged to an old St Bernard's supporter whose collection was inherited by
@andymitchellmedia.bsky.social
many years ago; a bit of black humour from the Saints fans! 👉
www.thethistlearchive.net/archive-muse...
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Andy Mitchell
The Thistle Archive
9 days ago
Well well well (!) a more contemporary representation of the St Bernard's badge is now applied to our Thistle Archive, with thanks to
@andymitchellmedia.bsky.social
for digging it out... 👉
thethistlearchive.net/versus-st-be...
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Andy Mitchell
Still time to order these football history books for Christmas!
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B096TN55XY/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1986612449/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1475206844/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085HMV4CS/
12 days ago
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Still time to order these football history books for Christmas!
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B096TN55XY/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1986612449/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1475206844/
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085HMV4CS/
12 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
New book just out: Fifty Scottish Footballers by Alistair Firth and Martin Donnelly. Fascinating project to celebrate the memorials to Scotland caps. £10 from
www.lulu.com/shop/alistai...
13 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
Richard Coudrais
13 days ago
[Sport à lire] Le 15 décembre 1995, il y a trente ans aujourd’hui, l’arrêt Bosman était promulgué par la Cour européenne. Une révolution dans le monde du football, mais une victoire amère pour Jean-Marc Bosman, l’homme à l’origine de l’affaire…
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MON COMBAT POUR LA LIBERTÉ (Jean-Marc Bosman) - Sport à lire
Sport à lire - “Mon combat pour la liberté” de Jean-Marc Bosman (Solar 2025). 232 pages. 140x225mm (19,90€). Disponible dans toutes les bonnes librairies et sur le site de l’éditeur Solar.
https://www.sport-a-lire.fr/mon-combat-pour-la-liberte-jean-marc-bosman/
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New book just out: Fifty Scottish Footballers by Alistair Firth and Martin Donnelly. Fascinating project to celebrate the memorials to Scotland caps. £10 from
www.lulu.com/shop/alistai...
13 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
Tony Collins
16 days ago
The Scots revolutionised football, but did Scotland invent soccer? It's complicated... The new episode of 'Rugby Reloaded' unravels the tangled origins of the round-ball game north and south of the border:
on.soundcloud.com/jfgUfdyTeFiE...
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209. Did Scotland Invent Football?
This week's episode looks at how soccer emerged in Scotland in the mid-1800s. By the early 1880s not only was Glasgow the world capital of football, but Scottish players playing for English clubs had
https://soundcloud.com/rugbyreloaded/209-did-scotland-invent
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Andy Mitchell
Outside Write (Chris Lee) ⚽️
16 days ago
#OnThisDay
12 Dec 1872 🏴 Third Lanark Athletic Club was formed out of a Scottish regiment The club won 1x Scottish League title🏆 and 2x Scottish Cups🏆🏆 ‘The Thirds' played here at Cathkin Park, Glasgow, until folding in 1967. The stadium still exists as a unique public park.
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Andy Mitchell
Happy birthday football!🎂 201 years ago today, on 11 December 1824, the world's first football club was founded in Edinburgh. The players hired a field, bought a ball, set up goalposts and continued to play regularly for almost two decades. More:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
17 days ago
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The full story of the world's first football club, founded
#OTD
in 1824 in Edinburgh, is told in this ground-breaking book. Price now just £10, post free, and available worldwide:
www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-First...
17 days ago
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Happy birthday football!🎂 201 years ago today, on 11 December 1824, the world's first football club was founded in Edinburgh. The players hired a field, bought a ball, set up goalposts and continued to play regularly for almost two decades. More:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
17 days ago
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reposted by
Andy Mitchell
Stuck for a Scottish football book as a Christmas present? My Who's Who contains comprehensive biographies of every one of the 615 internationalists who represented Scotland between 1872 and 1939. Every review on amazon is five stars!
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
19 days ago
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Stuck for a Scottish football book as a Christmas present? My Who's Who contains comprehensive biographies of every one of the 615 internationalists who represented Scotland between 1872 and 1939. Every review on amazon is five stars!
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
19 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
UNITED24 Media
20 days ago
⚡️ @UEFA fined Ukraine for a “Russia is a terrorist state” banner while still sending millions in solidarity funds to Russian clubs. 🧵 1/5 ⬇️
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Good to see Rod Stewart taking an interest in football history!
www.fifamuseum.com/en/explore/f...
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Sir Rod Stewart graces FIFA Museum in ZurichFIFA Museum
The official website of the FIFA Museum in Zurich, Switzerland.
https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/explore/fifamuseumplus/blog/sir-rod-stewart-graces-fifa-museum-in-zurich
20 days ago
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The world could be a dangerous place in the 1930s! I'm loving these Safety First cigarette cards, especially the advice not to read while walking - just replace newspaper for smartphone. Nothing about the dangers of smoking, curiously enough.
22 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
Scottish Refugee Council
22 days ago
Christmas is a time for giving, appreciating & reflecting on what matters most. For those starting again in Scotland the reality is very different. Give a loved one a meaningful gift: donate in their name to help someone start again in safety. Order a £5 e-gift here:
ow.ly/Brg850XA5r7
🧡
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I'm always interested to get feedback on my books, but this email I got the other day just sounded a bit 'off' even though it purported to come from a genuine author. I contacted her to check: turns out its an AI-generated scam of some sorts, despite being well written and plausible. Worrying.
22 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
David Ross
23 days ago
Today, in "things you never thought you'd ever hear said"
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#OTD
4 December 1815, the Carterhaugh Ba' Game - an early Scottish football event, part of the 'primordial soup' of ball games that ultimately led to the modern sports of association and rugby football.
www.fifamuseum.com/en/explore/f...
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The origins of Association Football Part 2 - The Carterhaugh Ba Game of 1815FIFA Museum
The official website of the FIFA Museum in Zurich, Switzerland.
https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/explore/fifamuseumplus/blog/The-origins-of-Assoc
24 days ago
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Andy Mitchell
ScotsFoundedFootball
28 days ago
2 of 4 This has been a labour of love and is a result of their quest to find the graves of every Scot who played for the Nation. How do you buy it? Simples.
tinyurl.com/3dy926bx
Get on to Lulu and have a wee look. Christmas giving is starting to look that little bit easier.
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Fifty Scottish Footballers
Fifty Scottish Footballers offers a vivid and poignant exploration of Scotland’s early international footballers, told through the places where their stories end. Born from a decade of painstaking res...
https://tinyurl.com/3dy926bx
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Andy Mitchell
ScotsFoundedFootball
28 days ago
1 of 4
#scotsfoundedfootball
Today is a good day for Football History. A new book is out. ‘Fifty Scottish Footballers’ by Alistair Firth and Martin Donnelly. Both colleagues from the Scots Football Historians’ Group. Both assiduous cataloguers of the Nation’s sporting history.
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Andy Mitchell
ScotsFoundedFootball
29 days ago
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#scotsfoundedfootball
OTD a football match began in Glasgow. One which would change sporting history. Inspired by the coaching of Robert Gardner, a TEAM of Scots from many parts of the nation took on a team picked by a London Association struggling to make its way.
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140 years ago this week in 1885 the word 'soccer' first appeared in print to describe association football - unless anyone can come up with an earlier example! The exact origins of 'soccer' and 'rugger' remain obscure, here's why:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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The mysterious origin of 'soccer' – what happened in 1885?
It's a word which was invented in the Victorian era as the short form of association football and has spread around the world, but the origins of 'soccer' remain shrouded in obscurity. For a...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/the-mysterious-origin-of-soccer-what-happened-in-1885
about 1 month ago
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Emma Clarke, pioneering footballer with the British Ladies FC, died 100 years ago today, 27 November 1925. She has a fascinating story, this is what I wrote about her:
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A case of mistaken identity – Emma Clarke and the British Ladies Football Club
Emma Clarke has been hailed as 'the first black woman footballer' for her exploits with the British Ladies Football Club in 1895. There have been feature articles about her in national media,...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-case-of-mistaken-identity-emma-clarke-and-the-british-ladies-football-club
about 1 month ago
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A new experience in 50+ years of watching football. Am in Madeira, about to watch Maritimo v Penafiel in Portugal second division. Kick off delayed by 20 minutes as both touchlines are having to be repainted 🧐
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about 1 month ago
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Well, at least one Dane has qualified for the World Cup. Panama, who topped their group last night, are managed by Thomas Christiansen. (And yes, I know he is naturalised Spanish)
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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Seems like a good time to crack open this wee bottle which I've been saving since 1998.
#Scotland
about 1 month ago
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Andy Mitchell
The Herald
about 1 month ago
Today's front page 🏴
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Oh Scotland. Magnificent.
about 1 month ago
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Andy Mitchell
Sarah Elizabeth Cox
about 2 months ago
At risk of sounding desperate (also, WHY ARE ALL THE JOURNOS STILL ON X) - if you're a TV / history writer or podcaster and fancy doing something on Season II of
#AThousandBlows
and the true history of 1880s boxing and boxers, get in touch. Disney PR aren't likely to put me forward for things again.
add a skeleton here at some point
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Andy Mitchell
ScotsFoundedFootball
about 1 month ago
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#scotsfoundedfootball
5 years ago, I wrote about an article by Andy Mitchell
@andymitchellmedia.bsky.social
A masterly work which is much more important than people realise
tinyurl.com/kc3xmpbj
by I came to it via Richard McBrearty’s masterful analysis ‘Glasgow Before the Explosion’.
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The man who owned ‘the first football in Glasgow’ - a hidden history of the 1860s
The first football match in Scotland under Association rules was played in Glasgow on 1 August 1868 between Queen's Park and Thistle. But while the foundation and history of Queen's Park is well...
https://tinyurl.com/kc3xmpbj
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Andy Mitchell
Ahead of Scotland's World Cup showdown against Denmark, here's the story of the Scot who helped to establish football in Copenhagen. I think they owe us one...
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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The Scottish football pioneer who made his mark in Denmark
One of the pioneers of Danish football was a man from Dundee who was top scorer in the country's first football league. James Young Smart , a player and administrator with Strathmore FC, went to...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/the-scottish-football-pioneer-who-made-his-mark-in-denmark
about 1 month ago
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Andy Mitchell
Sara Sheridan
about 1 month ago
This is a great project: a reverse advent calender to donate to an Edinburgh foodbank this Xmas. Have a keek:
edinburghfoodproject.org/reverse-adve...
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Reverse Advent Calendar 2025 - Edinburgh Food Project
Reverse Advent Calendar With Christmas rapidly approaching, foodbanks are bracing themselves for a tough festive season. With rising food costs and the cold weather setting in, many people in Edinburg...
https://edinburghfoodproject.org/reverse-advent-calendar/?ref=edinburghminute.com
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Ahead of Scotland's World Cup showdown against Denmark, here's the story of the Scot who helped to establish football in Copenhagen. I think they owe us one...
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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The Scottish football pioneer who made his mark in Denmark
One of the pioneers of Danish football was a man from Dundee who was top scorer in the country's first football league. James Young Smart , a player and administrator with Strathmore FC, went to...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/the-scottish-football-pioneer-who-made-his-mark-in-denmark
about 1 month ago
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Andy Mitchell
The Scottish Football Kick-Off
about 2 months ago
🏴⚽️ Your morning round up of the latest Scottish football news. Hampden to host six EURO 2028 games. Bill Foley sells his 25% stake in Hibs. SWNT squad announced. Scotland Under-19s draw 2-2 with Latvia. Glasgow City draw 1-1 in Europe. 📰
www.scottishfootballkickoff.co.uk/p/the-kick-o...
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⚽ The Kick-Off - Thursday 13th November 2025
Hampden to host six EURO 2028 games. Bill Foley sells his 25% stake in Hibs. SWNT squad announced. Scotland Under-19s draw 2-2 with Latvia. Glasgow City draw 1-1 in Europe.
https://www.scottishfootballkickoff.co.uk/p/the-kick-off-thursday-13th-november?r=599cl2
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Andy Mitchell
Graham Ruthven
about 2 months ago
There was such a big opportunity for FIFA to not do this when every other sport/entertainment event in the US is. To not do dynamic pricing. To not fleece ordinary fans. To make the World Cup accessible and genuinely grow the game. Instead Gianni got dollar signs in his eyes.
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Andy Mitchell
David Ross
about 2 months ago
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1969 Celtic beat Benfica 3-0 in the European Cup (lost 2nd leg by same score & won on a coin toss), Attendance 74,894 & as old Wullie Shakespeare said thereby hangs a tale. Never one to miss out on the main chance Celtic chairman Bob Kelly issued a public sale of tickets before a reserve game
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Andy Mitchell
Over a decade ago, I wrote this blog about Danish footballer Carl Hansen and his wartime experiences. I suggested his book would be a great project for translation and I'm delighted that Ian Hogg has taken up the challenge and produced a free ebook!
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A Danish football drama in Scotland, just waiting to be translated
An interesting little project for a Danish speaker would be a translation of these books by Carl Hansen into English. The Danish international joined Rangers in 1921 and spent three years in...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-danish-drama-waiting-to-be-translated
about 2 months ago
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Over a decade ago, I wrote this blog about Danish footballer Carl Hansen and his wartime experiences. I suggested his book would be a great project for translation and I'm delighted that Ian Hogg has taken up the challenge and produced a free ebook!
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
loading . . .
A Danish football drama in Scotland, just waiting to be translated
An interesting little project for a Danish speaker would be a translation of these books by Carl Hansen into English. The Danish international joined Rangers in 1921 and spent three years in...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-danish-drama-waiting-to-be-translated
about 2 months ago
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Andy Mitchell
BSSH
about 2 months ago
The venue for the 2026 British Society of Sports History has just been announced. It will be held at the John McIntyre Centre, University of Edinburgh, from 26 to 28 August 2026. See below for more details..
www.sportinhistory.org/articles/edi...
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Edinburgh Venue for the 2026 BSSH Annual Conference
Welcome to the British Society of Sports History website. Our purpose is to promote the study of the history of sport.
https://www.sportinhistory.org/articles/edinburgh-venue-the-2026-bssh-annual-conference
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Andy Mitchell
Great to have helped get this historic Scottish football trophy back on display in its home town, Musselburgh.
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A historic Musselburgh football trophy returns
One of Musselburgh's earliest football trophies, the Simpson Shield , has come home after turning up at auction recently. I was lucky enough to be the winning bidder and have sold it on to...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-historic-musselburgh-football-trophy-returns
about 2 months ago
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Great to have helped get this historic Scottish football trophy back on display in its home town, Musselburgh.
www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-histo...
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A historic Musselburgh football trophy returns
One of Musselburgh's earliest football trophies, the Simpson Shield , has come home after turning up at auction recently. I was lucky enough to be the winning bidder and have sold it on to...
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog/a-historic-musselburgh-football-trophy-returns
about 2 months ago
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