Aithne ga sireadh do laoch ball-coise a bha fuireach aig tuath
150 bliadhna bhon chiad gheama ball-coise eadar-nàiseanta, tha iarrtas ann 'son barrachd aithne dha seòid 1872 agus an dìleab ann an saoghal a' bhuill-choise. Nam measg bha fear a rinn a dhachaigh ann an Inbhir Nis.
B' e là math geamhraidh a bh' ann am Partaig is sluagh mòr air cruinneachadh aig Pàirc Criogaid Taobh Siar na h-Alba.
Chan e criogaid a bha air an tàladh air an 30mh den t-Samhain 1872 ge-tà, ach ball-coise.
Ged a bha geamaichean neo-oifigeil air a bhith ann roimhe, b' e seo a' chiad turas a chluicheadh Alba an aghaidh Shasainn gu ceart - toiseach ball-coise eadar-nàiseanta.
Bha Alba air a riochdachadh air fad le buill bho sgioba iomraiteach Queen's Park. Seo mar a dh'aithris Morning Advertiser Lunnainn an naidheachd:
This match, which has created a vast amount of interest amongst football players who adopt the association code was played on Saturday afternoon at Glasgow.
Soon after commencing, the Scotchmen, headed by Weir, Rhind and Kerr, sent the ball forward into the English territory, the whole team working well together, and the warfare was carried on in the English lines.
Lean an cogadh is cothroman aig gach taobh. Bha aithris Evening News Ghlaschu rudeigin taobhach:
Mackinnon got the ball out and clearly backed by Rhind, dodged his opponents till well on the English goal, but alas for the vanity of human wishes, Barker put the ball well up the field.
Rhind, who with Mackinnon and R Smith playing well together, brought the tears to Southern Eyes.
Air a' cheann thall, chrìochnach an geama 0-0 is na pàipearan ag ràdh gur e "exciting and satisfactory match" a bh' ann, fiù 's ged nach robh tadhal ann. Bha caibideal ùr air tòiseachadh ann an eachdraidh a' bhuill-choise.
Mar a shaoileadh, bha ceanglaichean ann leis a' Ghàidhealtachd. Rugadh fear de sgioba na h-Alba, Joseph Taylor, ann an Dùn Omhain, is bha e air farpais roimhe aig Cruinneachadh ainmeil Chòmhghail. Bha feadhainn eile san sgioba le dualchas Gàidhealach.
Ach bha ceangal eile ann tro fhear Alexander Rhind. 'S e an duine a bha air deòir a chur ann an sùilean nan Sasannach.
Rugadh is a thogadh Rhind ann an Obar Dheathain mus deach e a Ghlaschu. San leabhar aige First Elevens, The birth of international football, tha an eachdraiche ball-coise Andy Mitchell ag innse gun robh "Rhind san àite cheart aig an àm cheart, oir ron sin bha e san dàrna sgioba aig Queen's Park". Cha do chluich e airson Alba ach aon turas.
Air a' cheann thall, dhèanadh Alexander Rhind is a theaghlach an dachaigh ann an Inbhir Nis.
'S e fear-gnothaich a bh' ann agus mòran eòlach air. Dh'innis Courier Inbhir Nis ann an 1912: "Mr Alex Rhind, commercial traveller is very well known in the north".
Dh'fhuirich an teaghlach aig diofar amannan air Rathad Rangemore, Rathad Attadail, agus Rathad Loch Aillse.
Taighean car spaideil mar a bhiodh aig fear-gnothaich, tha fios, is iad uile cuideachd faisg air Sràid Telford, dachaigh chluba ball-coise Chaledonian.
Thèid dualchas an aghaidh nan creag, mar a tha an sean-fhacal ag innse dhuinn, is landaig dithis de mhic Alex Rhind, James - no Jimmy - is Robert, ann an sgioba Chaley.
Bha na balaich math cuideachd. "The Rhinds were the pick of the lot. Their every movement was cool and calculated", dh'aithris Courier Inbhir Nis ann an 1913, is an People's Journal ag ràdh "The two Rhinds were the outstanding forwards in the game".
Lean Robert athair a-steach gu sgioba Queen's Park. Ann am beachd iris an Scottish Referee: "He has much of his respected father's traits".
Is bha Jimmy math gu leòr 'son aire Spurs a ghlacadh - fon mhanaidsear acasan Peadar MacUilleam à Inbhir Nis - agus 'son tairgse fhaighinn bho Obar Dheathain.
Às dèidh dha sguir a chluich, bha Jimmy Rhind na rùnaire air Caledonian. Tro mhac-chèile a bha na cheann-suidhe air a' chluba ceithir tursan, bha dàimh teaghlaich a' leantainn ann am ball-coise Inbhir Nis sìos tron 20mh linn.
Ach tha dìleab Alexander Rhind is an fheadhainn eile a chluich ann am Partaig bho chionn 150 bliadhna gu math nas fharsainge na sin.
Chaochail Alex ann an 1923 is tha e air a thìodhlaiceadh ann an cladh Thom na h-Iùbhraich.
Chan eil sìon anns an àite shìtheil far a bheil e fo fhòid 'son innse gun do chluich e ball-coise idir, gun luaidh gun robh e am measg nan gaisgeach a thòisich ball-coise eadar-nàiseanta.
Tha an eachdraiche ball-coise Iain Caimbeul Whittle am measg na tha ag iomairt airson clach a chur air càrn nan cluicheadairean a rinn eachdraidh ann an 1872.
"Bu chòir gu dearbha fhèin e, dha Alex Rhind agus an feadhainn eile a bha air a' phàirc an là sin. Bhiodh dìreach plàc sìmplidh freagarrach", dh'innis Iain.
Is tha Mgr Caimbeul Whittle a' cumail a-mach gum biodh e gu math freagarrach aithne a thoirt air gaisgich 1872 an-dràsta - nuair a tha 150 bliadhna ann bhon gheama - is Cupa na Cruinne a' dol air adhart aig an dearbh àm.
"'S e mo bheachd-sa, mura b' e geama 1872 agus an spionnadh a bh' ann am fireannaich òga leithid Alex Rhind, cha bhiodh Cupa na Cruinne mar a tha e againn. 'S dòcha gur e farpais rugbaidh a bhiodh ann na àite.
"Stèidhich geama 1872 is mar a chaidh Cupa na h-Alba a chruthachadh sa bhad àite sònraichte aig ball-coise ann an cridhe dhaoine bhon chlas-obrach ann an Alba. Sgaoil e agus thug Albannaich ball-coise timcheall an t-saoghail, ga stèidheachadh mar spòrs na cruinne.
"Chan eil agad ach coimhead ri liosta nan dùthchannan a tha a' cluich ann an Qatar, bhon Chuimrigh gu Iapan, 'son faicinn mar a chuir Albannaich ri fàs a' gheama", thuirt e.
