Rangers v Moscow Dynamo 1945 - The Caskie Affair

Ronnietheranger

Ronnietheranger

Well-Known Member
After some discussion about our former left winger Jimmy Caskie on the 'Classic Rangers Picture Thread' I came across an interesting article 'The Caskie Affair'. It's a lengthy piece, the link is below hopefully it works.


Briefly, it discusses the famous Rangers v Moscow Dynamo match on November 28th 1945 (as well as the tour in general) and the fact that the Soviets almost refused to take part in the tie due to the aforementioned Jimmy Caskie's name appearing on the Rangers team sheet. Caskie & Torry Gillick had both signed for Rangers and were registered Rangers players on Monday 26th November. The Dynamo officials would not accept Caskie's participation as his name had not appeared on an earlier list of players who might play. Gillick's name was apparently on the list as he had been 'guesting' for Rangers that season (remember this was just a couple of months after war's end). In the end Rangers waived their right to play Caskie and Charlie Johnstone who had played in 7 of Rangers last 15 matches took the field at outside left for The Rangers on that famous day. I found it an interesting read as I had never heard of the disagreement, the book 'Rangers - The New Era' mentions it briefly but makes no mention of the fact that the game was in danger of being called off because of it.
 
EH47 said:
Whingeing Commies...
Click to expand...
There may be more truth to your comment than you realize. The author of the article does mention that the entire travelling Dynamo party were 'treated' to an audience with none other than Josef Stalin and the head of the NKVD (Soviet secret police) at which Stalin impressed upon them the importance of winning all of the tour matches.
 
Ronnietheranger said:
There may be more truth to your comment than you realize. The author of the article does mention that the entire travelling Dynamo party were 'treated' to an audience with none other than Josef Stalin and the head of the NKVD (Soviet secret police) at which Stalin impressed upon them the importance of winning all of the tour matches.
Click to expand...


Old Joe Stalin was a brutal, relentless, mass murderer, probably responsible for massively more deaths of his own countrymen than the Nazis ever inflicted, and his crimes against the peoples of the USSR, and by extension the cirizens of the former Soviet Bloc countries, continued years after the war and up till his death.
The Soviet regime's continuation of mass executions of any form of dissident behaviour carried on well after his death. Of course, whilst this was going on, Lefties of the Labour Party and various trades unions enthusiastically endorsed the communist regime choosing to overlook the genocide that was going on while marching for CND and the likes.
I have absolutely no doubt the Dynamo players, like other Soviet sportsmen and women, were well aware that their every move was being watched.
 
Ataturk said:
George Orwell’s famous essay The Sporting Spirit was written about Dynamo’s tour of Britain.

George Orwell: The Sporting Spirit

The Sporting Spirit, the article of George Orwell. First published: December 1945 by/in Tribune, GB, London
www.orwell.ru

‘The Glasgow match, someone else informs me, was simply a free-for-all from the start.’
Click to expand...
Willie Allison, in 'Rangers The New Era' and in his unique style, describes Dynamo's second goal 'When, following pushing and elbow work, body-checking and so forth, they glided through to score again, it was the Red Square to Broomloan Road on a Russian victory'. It was a different game back then for sure.
 
Really interesting post from the op. When I started to be taken to games back in the 1950's, friendlies were taken very seriously by the clubs concerned. I hadn't before heard about the 'Caskie incident' but it tells me that the Russians were definitely over here on serious business. Our own 'friendly' tour of the USSR in the earrly 60's was also treated in the same way.
 
Great post Ronnie! Not a lot was known about this. My father was at the iconic game. I knew there was some concern about the game going ahead but never knew the circumstances.

These friendlies were indeed taken incredibly serious!

My father and his Russian friend both served in the British Merchant Navy during the war, survived being torpedoed on 3 occasions and when the war was over both attended the game together. Both cheering on The Rangers of course.

Found a picture on the Classic Rangers Pics thread which has them both on it. Now framed and on the wall!
 
Ronnietheranger said:
After some discussion about our former left winger Jimmy Caskie on the 'Classic Rangers Picture Thread' I came across an interesting article 'The Caskie Affair'. It's a lengthy piece, the link is below hopefully it works.


Briefly, it discusses the famous Rangers v Moscow Dynamo match on November 28th 1945 (as well as the tour in general) and the fact that the Soviets almost refused to take part in the tie due to the aforementioned Jimmy Caskie's name appearing on the Rangers team sheet. Caskie & Torry Gillick had both signed for Rangers and were registered Rangers players on Monday 26th November. The Dynamo officials would not accept Caskie's participation as his name had not appeared on an earlier list of players who might play. Gillick's name was apparently on the list as he had been 'guesting' for Rangers that season (remember this was just a couple of months after war's end). In the end Rangers waived their right to play Caskie and Charlie Johnstone who had played in 7 of Rangers last 15 matches took the field at outside left for The Rangers on that famous day. I found it an interesting read as I had never heard of the disagreement, the book 'Rangers - The New Era' mentions it briefly but makes no mention of the fact that the game was in danger of being called off because of it.
Click to expand...
Great wee post that pal.. Enjoyed reading that.
 
EH47 said:
Old Joe Stalin was a brutal, relentless, mass murderer, probably responsible for massively more deaths of his own countrymen than the Nazis ever inflicted, and his crimes against the peoples of the USSR, and by extension the cirizens of the former Soviet Bloc countries, continued years after the war and up till his death.
The Soviet regime's continuation of mass executions of any form of dissident behaviour carried on well after his death. Of course, whilst this was going on, Lefties of the Labour Party and various trades unions enthusiastically endorsed the communist regime choosing to overlook the genocide that was going on while marching for CND and the likes.
I have absolutely no doubt the Dynamo players, like other Soviet sportsmen and women, were well aware that their every move was being watched.
Click to expand...

 
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