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.
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.
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 5 August 1944. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
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 2 August 1941, with the purpose of raising money for the Scottish National War Memorial. (via) British Newspaper Archive. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
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 7 August 1943. (via) British Newspaper Archive. (via) British Newspaper Archive.
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. (via) Press Reader.
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 11 May 1980.
Results
Season Home team Score Away Team Venue Att Ref 1944 Edinburgh Select XI 3–4 Aston Villa Tynecastle 30,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1945 4–0 Huddersfield Town 30,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1946 2–3 Aston Villa 1947 4–5 Derby County Easter Road 42,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1948 1–1 Blackpool Tynecastle 1949 2–3 Wolves Easter Road 46,077 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1950 1–1 Newcastle United Tynecastle 45,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1951 1–2 Liverpool Easter Road 35,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1952 3–2 Portsmouth Tynecastle 1953 3–2 Wolves Easter Road 39,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1954 3–2 Bolton Wanderers Tynecastle 45,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1955 1–1 Newcastle United Easter Road (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1956 2–1 Birmingham City Tynecastle (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1957 1–3 Preston North End Easter Road 40,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1958 2–2 Liverpool Tynecastle 28,000 (via) British Newspaper Archive. 1959 4–3 Newcastle United Easter Road 1960 3–2 Chelsea Tynecastle 34,000 1961 4–7 Burnley Easter Road 14,000 1962 2–4 Burnley Tynecastle 1963 7–0 Dunfermline Athletic Easter Road
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
External links