The Old Firm is the collective name for the two Glasgow football clubs, Celtic and Rangers.The rivalry between them has become deeply embedded in Scottish culture. It has reflected, and contributed to, political, social, and religious division and sectarianism in Scotland. As a result, the fixture has had an enduring appeal around the world.
Between them the two clubs have won 106 Scottish League Championships, League Cups (Rangers with 27 and Celtic with 20).
Interruptions to their ascendancy have occurred rarely, mainly in the two decades after the Second World War from 1946 to 1965 when five other clubs all won the senior league, and in the first half of the 1980s with the challenge of the "New Firm", Aberdeen and Dundee Utd.
In the early 2010s, Rangers had financial issues and its company was liquidated. Subsequently, the team had to apply for entry to the bottom (fourth) tier of the Scottish league, climbing to the top division in four seasons and winning the title again in 2020-1.
(Celtic were champions in each of the intervening nine campaigns but failed to claim the tenth which would have beaten a record set by them in the 1960s/70s and matched by Rangers in the 1980s/90s).
As a result of these circumstances, a proportion of Celtic supporters maintain that the current Rangers is distinct from the pre-2012 club and the rivalry no longer exists under the Old Firm identity, so deliberately avoid using this name, instead using the more generic term Glasgow derby (as does the club itself to appease them). The first derby was on 28th May 1888, won by Celtic 5-2 in a "friendly".
Celtic and Rangers have played each other 428 times in major competitions: Rangers have won 167 matches, Celtic 161 matches, and 100 ended in a draw. Highest score is for Celtic 7-1 on October 19th 1957.
The clubs have large fan bases around Glasgow and Scotland and have supporters clubs in most towns throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland and in many cities around the world. In 2005 the presence of Rangers and Celtic was estimated to be worth £120 million to the Scottish Economy, each year.
The Glasgow rivals met on April 18th 1909 and the match was reported on the 19th April in the Glasgow News. The pictures were taken from that report, following the drawn FA Cup Final replay between Celtic and Rangers.
The first tie attracted 70,000 to Hampden Park and there was an exciting 2-2 draw.
The replay at Hampden attracted 61,000 and at the end of 90 minutes there was still parity1-1. Neither team were sure of what should happen next. Celtic wanted an extra 30 minutes, but the Scottish FA had not counted on that. Rangers didn't fancy extra time, although the Daily Record and Mail newspapers had published that there would be.
Apparently a number of drawn ties in the competition were viewed suspiciously as a "way of raising money". An official walked towards a corner flag and took it out of its slot; this agitated the crowd, who invaded the pitch. Thousands flooded the playing area, as the crowd set fire to the wooden goal posts, nets, pay boxes and so on. 8 fire engines were called and nearly 100 police were supported by another 100 coppers as soon as the skirmish accelerated.
For three hours, the groups confronted each other, hosepipes were slashed (with knives? who carries a knife to football?), 81 policemen were hospitalised, six with serious injuries and only 3 arrests were made. No account of wounded fans!
No third match was arranged and no trophy won! and Celtic couldn't make The Double.
The press blamed everyone, except the FA!
Poor refereeing (apparently), sectarianism and overcrowding were given as reasons for the flare up.
Most recent fixture April 3rd 2022 Rangers 1-2 Celtic. Today's game is a Scottish Cup tie.
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