Thursday, January 1 – 1942
The Scottish FA has refused St. Mirren permission to play Jimmy Gorman, the Sunderland full-back, against Greenock Morton at Paisley to-day. St. Mirren has been informed that the Association will not countenance a man leaving his work to play in one match.
In defining this principle, which is being applied in the cases of other players who wished to help Scottish club to-day, the Scottish FA does not suggest that Gorman, or others, would have left work in order to play.
Mr. G.G. Graham, Scottish FA secretary, states, “Soldiers have to obtain the consent of their C.O. before they can turn out. English civilians, in most cases, had their holiday on Christmas Day, and we do not want to do anything which might lead to a man having time off to play football.
(Birmingham Daily Post, 01-01-1942)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 