Cameron McLaughlin came on with a good tale about Raith Rovers, which I had not heard.
First of all, though, he teased me with the question . . . “Which Scottish football team went on a European tour and were on a boat that sank. However, they went on to win all their games?”
After swiftly ‘giving up’, Cameron revealed it was the Kirkcaldy outfit.
“They were on a boat called Highland Loch, which was taking the players to Spain in July 1923 for a pre-season tour,” he revealed.
“They were all safely rescued and then went on to play around a half-dozen games undefeated.”
With no more detail being offered, it was off to the files for me.
There I found cuttings that suggested the Highland Loch did not actually sink but was grounded on a sandbank near Corruedo in north-west Spain.
The passengers were all safely taken off and went to Vigo.
The ship was later refloated and eventually reached Vigo.
Scores on that tour were . . .
Vigo 0, Raith Rovers 1 (Jennings).
Vigo 1, Raith Rovers 3 (Jennings, James, Ritchie).
Victoria LPCI 0, Raith Rovers 4 (Hilley 2, James, Morris).
Gran Canaria 1, Raith Rovers 5 (Jennings 5).
Victoria 0, Raith Rovers 2 (Jennings 2).
Marino 1, Raith Rovers 2 (Cowie, Hilley).
The players who represented Raith Rovers on that tour were . . . Brown, Inglis, McDougall, Barton, Morris, Collier, Hilley, Bell, Miller, Jennings, James, Ritchie, Cowie.
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