However, despite all the doom and gloom, the nation rallied behind the team, with 11 special trains leaving from Glasgow on the Friday night, and 10 of the 1900 team attending – paid for by their captain RS McColl, owner of the shop chain.
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The team were billeted in the Regent Palace hotel, popular with the Scotland fans, and they stayed in the lounge chatting with supporters till 10pm, when the President of the SFA, Robert Campbell, suggested that team captain, Jimmy McMullan take the players upstairs for a pep talk. The talk was short and to the point: "The President wants us to discuss football but you all know what's expected of you tomorrow. All I've got to say is, go to your bed, put your head on your pillow and pray for rain."
It was a prayer that was to be answered, as through the night the Scottish chances improved. Not only did Bishop, the English captain, fall ill, but London awoke to driving rain. The rain meant a heavy pitch, one where the little Scottish frontmen could twist and turn much quicker than the lumbering England defenders.
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It could not have fallen more kindly for the Scots, McMullan took his time with the ball, allowing frantic nerves to settle, before passing it to Alex James, who began a series of attacking passes across the pitch. The ball switched to Morton on the left, and he raced to the bye line, stopping only to let Alex Jackson make a far post run. The ball landed perfectly on Jackson's head and Scotland had taken the lead within three minutes!
