1936 was a successful year for Carlton. Of the 22 matches played, 10 were won and only 4 lost. It also saw the start of a highly successful opening partnership between Carlton’s “6-hitting doctor”, J.E. Phillips and the club’s Sussex-born professional Thomas Crosskey.

Dr Phillips finished the 1936 season on top of the batting averages with 60.41 with Crosskey next on 30.12.

By far the largest crowd seen at Grange Loan that season came to watch not one of the hard-fought local derbies with Grange, Watsonians or Edinburgh Academicals but a specially arranged match with Heart of Midlothian FC.

The teams line up before the match at Grange Loan

The match is thought to have been arranged with the assistance of Crosskey, who played professional football for Hearts at the time. Crosskey played for Hearts in the match and his teammates included Andy Anderson and Tommy Walker who scored 26 and 32 respectively.

Carlton escaped with a draw on the night and skipper, N.L. Stevenson, recounts the story in his book ‘Play’:

“A very interesting and enjoyable game, which attracted the biggest attendance of the season to Grange Loan, was played against a team drawn from past and present members of the Heart of Midlothian football club. To the delight of the crowd the footballers put up a very good show - a much better show, I feel safe in stating, than we should have put up, had we been invited to Tynecastle Park to meet the Hearts at their own game “

Scorecard