First British team to play in Europe

[theonlywayisup]

Off course I knew we were the first, but did not realise that Aberdeen FC should have been there instead of us.

http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/200706...212158_1055020

Is this link a fair representation of what actually happened?

[Kato]

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Off course I knew we were the first, but did not realise that Aberdeen FC should have been there instead of us.

http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/200706...212158_1055020

Is this link a fair representation of what actually happened?

No. Aberdeen were never invited. There's a BBC link out there which claims this but the guy has his story wrong.

Hibs were intialy invited by L'Quipe a French sports magazine. There was a hullabaloo about who should govern the tourney so FIFA took it over and re-sent invitations to play, Hibs again being invited. So Hibs were in fact invited twice. The following season it was agreed the League winners would enter the competition.

EDIT

The article is a little confusing saying the SFA didn't pay much attention to the tourney but Harry Swan, in his capacity of SFA President lobbyed for Hibs? How can they have it both ways?

L'Quipe didn't go through national governing bodies, they invited the clubs directly. Hibs were well known boox-office in Europe at the time so the invite came our way.

[dave62]

I think Aberdeen were the previous seasons champions and if the qualification rules were the same as they are now the Dons would have been it rather than us, but as Kato says, teams didn't qualify as such and were invited instead. As Hibs had toured Europe and further afield on a regular basis we were generally seen as trend setters and were the obvious team from Scotland to invite.

I'm sure I read somewhere that one of Lawrie Reilly's few regrets at Hibs was that the European Cup didn't start five or so years earlier as he was convinced Hibs would have won it. Maybe someone can put me right on this.

I think Chelsea were also invited, but the FA wouldn't let them play as they didn't think this new competition would amount to much.

[Jonnyboy]

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I think Aberdeen were the previous seasons champions and if the qualification rules were the same as they are now the Dons would have been it rather than us, but as Kato says, teams didn't qualify as such and were invited instead. As Hibs had toured Europe and further afield on a regular basis we were generally seen as trend setters and were the obvious team from Scotland to invite.

I'm sure I read somewhere that one of Lawrie Reilly's few regrets at Hibs was that the European Cup didn't start five or so years earlier as he was convinced Hibs would have won it. Maybe someone can put me right on this.

I think Chelsea were also invited, but the FA wouldn't let them play as they didn't think this new competition would amount to much.

Think it was Gordon Smith who said it

[dave62]

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Think it was Gordon Smith who said it

Thanks Jonnyboy. Memory's not what it used to be.

[Dashing Bob S]

Apparently the Europeans couldn't find Aberdeen on the map. Dreadful show.

[Kato]

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I'm sure I read somewhere that one of Lawrie Reilly's few regrets at Hibs was that the European Cup didn't start five or so years earlier as he was convinced Hibs would have won it. Maybe someone can put me right on this.

The competition had been mooted by L'Quipe as far back as then.

I think Chelsea were also invited, but the FA wouldn't let them play as they didn't think this new competition would amount to much.

Chelsea pulled out on their own as they thought it may result in a fixture pile-up but you're right the FA weren't too keen. The Chelsea Chairman acted as Hibs rep at the announcement of the tourney in Paris, Harry Swan being at Wembley representing the SFA as Scotland were away to England the same day.

[tamig]

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Think it was Gordon Smith who said it

Lawrie thought the same. He told me some great stories of Hibs overseas tours when I used to drink regularly in his pub. And he did believe the league winning sides of a few years earlier could have beaten any team from anywhere.

[Jonnyboy]

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Lawrie thought the same. He told me some great stories of Hibs overseas tours when I used to drink regularly in his pub. And he did believe the league winning sides of a few years earlier could have beaten any team from anywhere.

Aye, the five all thought the same and I reckon they were maybe right

[iwasthere1972]

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Apparently the Europeans couldn't find Aberdeen on the map. Dreadful snow.

Fixed it for you.