Allison Trophy

The Allison Challenge Trophy was an annual football match between an Edinburgh Select XI (a combination of Hearts and Hibs players) and a leading English Football League club.

Allison Trophy
Organising bodyEdinburgh Charities Committee
Founded1944 (1944)
Abolished1963 (1963)
RegionEdinburgh
Number of teams2
Last championsEdinburgh Select (12th title)
Most successful club(s)Edinburgh Select (12 titles)

History

The Edinburgh Charities Committee invited a top English club each year to play an Edinburgh Select XI, which consisted of players from Hibernian and Heart of Midlohian, with all proceeds going to worthy causes. They alternated between Easter Road and Tynecastle Park as the match venue.[1]

The trophy was donated by Mr William S. Allison, who was then chairman of the Edinburgh Charities Day Committee, ahead of the first meeting between Edinburgh and English opposition on August 5, 1944.[2]

Hearts XI matches

Prior to the Edinburgh Select XI matches, Tynecastle Park hosted charity matches between Heart of Midlothian XI and invited opposition while World War II was ongoing.

A charity match between Heart of Midlothian and Arsenal was played on August 2, 1941, with the purpose of raising money for the Scottish National War Memorial.[3][4][5]

Another match in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund and other war charities was played between a Hearts Select XI, which featured players of other Scottish and English clubs (including Stanley Mortenson and Billy Liddell) against a Royal Air Forces XI on August 7, 1943.[3][6][7]

Similar events

The Festival Cup was contested for by an Edinburgh Select XI against German giants Bayern Munich in 1985. Edinburgh won 3–2 in the charity match at Tynecastle Park in front of a crowd of 10,000. The Select featured players from Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, and Meadowbank Thistle.[8][9]

A testimonial match for retired Hearts legend John Cumming was played against a North East XI. The North East XI was made up of players from Dundee, Dundee United, and St Mirren (Aberdeen were unavailable). An attendance of 6,000 saw Edinburgh beaten 3–4 on May 11, 1980.[10]

Results
Season Home Team Score Away Team Venue Att Ref[3]
1944 Edinburgh Select XI 3–4 Aston Villa Tynecastle 30,000 [2][11]
1945 4–0 Huddersfield Town 30,000 [12]
1946 2–3 Aston Villa [13]
1947 4–5 Derby County Easter Road 42,000 [14][15]
1948 1–1 Blackpool Tynecastle [16]
1949 2–3 Wolves Easter Road 46,077 [17][18]
1950 1–1 Newcastle United Tynecastle 45,000 [19][20]
1951 1–2 Liverpool Easter Road 35,000 [21][22]
1952 3–2 Portsmouth Tynecastle [23]
1953 3–2 Wolves Easter Road 39,000 [24][25]
1954 3–2 Bolton Wanderers Tynecastle 45,000 [26][27]
1955 1–1 Newcastle United Easter Road [28][29]
1956 2–1 Birmingham City Tynecastle [30][31]
1957 1–3 Preston North End Easter Road 40,000 [32][33]
1958 2–2 Liverpool Tynecastle 28,000 [34][35]
1959 4–3 Newcastle United Easter Road [36][37]
1960 3–2 Chelsea Tynecastle 34,000 [38]
1961 4–7 Burnley Easter Road 14,000 [39]
1962 2–4 Burnley Tynecastle [40]
1963 7–0 Dunfermline Athletic Easter Road [41][42]

Total titles
Winners Trophy Wins Total
Won Shared
Edinburgh Select XI 8 4 12
Aston Villa 2 0 2
Burnley 2 0 2
Liverpool 1 1 2
Newcastle United 0 2 2
Derby County 1 0 1
Preston North End 1 0 1
Wolves 1 0 1
Blackpool 0 1 1

References
  1. "Vs Scottish clubs". Derby County Memories. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  2. "TYNECASTLE SHOW A SELL-OUT". Sunday Post. 30 July 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Full list of Edinburgh Charities Day Matches". SFAQs. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  4. "HEARTS-ARSENAL A SURE SUCCESS". Daily Record. 30 July 1941. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Sporting Tit-Bits". Musselburgh News. 1 August 1941. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "R.A.F. and Edinburgh Charities Benefit". The Scotsman. 9 August 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "PROCEEDS OF HEARTS-R.A.F. Match". The Scotsman. 16 September 1943. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Hibs and Hearts men combine for Festival match". The Scotsman. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) Press Reader.
  9. "Passionate Derbies: Hearts v Hibs". Football Whispers. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. "JOHN CUMMING TESTIMONIAL - SUNDAY MAY 11th 1980". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  11. "ASTON VILLA WIN". The Scotsman. 7 August 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "£3740 FOR CHARITIES". The Scotsman. 23 August 1944. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "SELECT XI ON TOP HUDDERSFIELD TOWN BEATEN IN CHARITY MATCH (1st story) / £3000 FROM CHARITY FOOTBALL (2nd story)". The Scotsman. 6 August 1945. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "VICTORY CUP COMPETITION". Coatbridge Express. 8 August 1945. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Games Played on Wed 07 Aug 1946". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  14. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1947". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  15. "Carter A "Pearl Beyond Price "". Derby Daily Telegraph. 4 August 1947. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "STEEL GIVE SCOTS LESSON". Daily Mirror. 4 August 1947. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Games Played on Sat 07 Aug 1948". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  17. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1949". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  18. "Curtain-Raiser at Easter Road". The Scotsman. 8 August 1949. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "Wolves Were Scots' Masters". Dundee Courier. 8 August 1949. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  19. "Games Played on Sat 05 Aug 1950". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  20. "Honours Even at Tynecastle". The Scotsman. 7 August 1950. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "Spotted At Ibrox-One-Time "Free" Stars V. Scots Select". Daily Record. 7 August 1950. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  21. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1951". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "MATCH DETAILS FRIENDLY". LFC History. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  22. "TWO FOR LIDDELL". Sunday People. 1 August 1951. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  23. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1952". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  24. "Games Played on Sat 01 Aug 1953". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  25. "BAULD SCORES LATE WINNER FOR SCOTS IN SEE-SAW GAME". Sports Argus. 1 August 1953. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  26. "Games Played on Sat 07 Aug 1954". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  27. "Look Who's at the Match!". Dundee Courier. 9 August 1954. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  28. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1955". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  29. "How to put some pep into the preseason matches". Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian. 8 August 1955. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  30. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1956". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  31. "BLUES LOOK SO FIT SAY SCOTS". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 6 August 1956. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
    "HIGH FEE FOR RING". Sports Argus. 11 August 1956. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  32. "Games Played on Sat 03 Aug 1957". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  33. "Tribal Dance Heralds North End". Lancashire Evening Post. 2 August 1957. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "NORTH END TOO STRONG FOR UNHAPPY SCOTS". Lancashire Evening Post. 5 August 1957. Retrieved 11 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  34. "Games Played on Sat 02 Aug 1958". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "MATCH DETAILS FRIENDLY". LFC History. 2 August 1958. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  35. "Harrower And Morris Star In Edinburgh". Liverpool Echo. 4 August 1958. Retrieved 15 July 2021. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
  36. "Games Played on Sat 01 Aug 1959". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  37. "Edinburgh Select v Newcastle United, 1 August 1959". SFQAs. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  38. "Games Played on Sat 06 Aug 1960". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
    "Programme Cover, 1960 Edinburgh Select vs Chelsea". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  39. "Games Played on Sat 05 Aug 1961". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  40. "Games Played on Sat 04 Aug 1962". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  41. "Games Played on Sat 03 Aug 1963". London Hearts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  42. "Results, Season 1963/1964". Pars Database. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
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