A rare gold plated winner's medal for the football competition at the International Exhibition Glasgow 1888, the obverse inscribed INTERNATIONAL EXHIB

A rare gold plated winner's medal for the football competition at the International Exhibition Glasgow 1888, the obverse inscribed INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION GLASGOW 1888, the reverse inscribed FOOTBALL COMPETITION, WON BY, COWLAIRS, SEPTR. The football competition at the International Exhibition ran between 1st August and 6th September. The final tie was between Cowlairs and Celtic and was played at the Exhibition Grounds, located approximately where the tennis courts are now in Kelvinside Park. A review of the match appeared in The Scotsman, Friday 7th September 1888, page 4: 'Judging from the vast crowd which assembled on the Recreation Grounds in the evening, great interest was manifested in the final tie of the football tournament. The game, however, was not so closely contested as had been anticipated, the Cowlairs proving the victors by two goals as against nothing scored by the Celtic. This is the first reverse the Celts have encountered since the formation of their team [played their first official match v Rangers 28th May 1888].' Cowlairs progress to the final, during which they did not concede a single goal, saw them beat Thistle 9-1, Clyde 5-0 and St Mirren 1-0.