The History of Glasgow Rangers Football Club

One of Scotland’s Most Successful and Celebrated Teams

May 7, 2009

Glasgow Rangers have been a dominant force in Scottish Football for well over 100 years winning the Scottish League title on 51 occasions.

In 1872, four people, Moses McNeil, Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath founded Glasgow Rangers, naming the Football Club after an English Rugby Club having seen the name ‘Rangers’ in a book.

That same year, the club played their first ever ‘friendly’ game at Glasgow Green, drawing 0-0 with Callander Football Club, before playing another friendly that year resulting in an 11-0 victory against Clyde. This game was the first to witness the team playing in Rangers famous blue kit.

Glasgow Rangers, also known as the ‘Gers, were officially founded in 1873 when the club held their first annual meeting and staff members were elected. However, they missed the deadline to join Scottish Football Association and so did not take part in the inaugural Scottish Cup, instead having to play a season of friendly fixtures.

After eventually joining the Scottish Football Association, Rangers reached their first Scottish Cup Final in 1877 but were beaten.

The first ever Old Firm match against fierce city rivals Glasgow Celtic took place in 1888, the year Celtic were formed, but Rangers were beaten 5-2 thanks largely to Celtic’s team being made up of a number of ‘guest’ players from Hibernian.

The Scottish Football League was established for the 1890-91 season, with Rangers selected as one of the ten original members to take part. Their first ever league game took place on the 16th August 1890 and resulted in a 5-2 victory over Heart of Midlothian. By the end of the season, Rangers had finished joint top with Dumbarton Football Club, so a play-off game was organised at Cathkin Park to decide who would be crowned champions. The game finished in a 2-2 draw, so the first league title was shared between the two clubs, the only time this has happened.

The clubs first Scottish Cup victory occurred in 1894 when they beat rivals Celtic 3-1 in the final and by the turn of the century, Rangers had secured two league titles and three Scottish Cups.

Rangers continued to be a dominant force in Scottish football in the early 1900’s, winning the League Title a further sevn times and the Scottish Cup once before 1920.

A New Era of Dominance Begins as Rangers win 14 League Titles in 20 Years

This was the year that heralded a new era in Rangers history and despite clinching the league, the death of manager William Wilton overshadowed this achievement. His assistant William Struth took over and helped the club to an unrivalled supremacy that lasted 20 years before football was suspended due top the Second World War in 1939. In this time, Struth had led Rangers to 14 League Titles and 6 Scottish Cups.

With the resumption of football following the War, Rangers continued to collect silverware on a regular basis clinching the League Championship 10 times, Scottish Cup 9 times and Scottish League Cup on 7 occasions before the 1970’s.

The club was in mourning in 1971 when 66 supporters were killed during a New Year’s Day Old Firm game with Celtic. As the 80,000 strong crowd left after the 1-1 draw, many fell down a stairway at the Copland Road end of the ground and were crushed.

A year later, Rangers were able to celebrate happier times when they achieved their first European trophy when they beat Dynamo Moscow to win the European Cup Winners Cup.

Glasgow Rangers Football Club Win the Scottish Championship 9 Times In A Row

Domestically, further League Titles and Cup’s headed Ibrox’s way, but in 1989 Rangers won their first of a historic 9 consecutive League Titles, equalling the record previously held by arch rivals Celtic. Graeme Souness led the club to the first three titles, with Walter Smith guiding them to the next six before Celtic took the league off them in 1998.

Rangers missed out on winning the UEFA Cup in 2008 when they were beaten by Zenit St Petersburg.

The copyright of the article The History of Glasgow Rangers Football Club in European Football is owned by Phil Benson. Permission to republish The History of Glasgow Rangers Football Club in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.