The Old Firm

Want to know how football matches are deeper than sport? Go to Glasgow. The Old Firm derby, this rivalry isn’t just about football; it’s much deeper than that. There have been riots, fights (on and off the pitch), police interventions and sadly, deaths.

To understand the Old Firm rivalry, you have to understand history. It’s the mid 19th century; many poor and Catholic Irish immigrants have moved to Glasgow, however on the other side, there is a Protestant majority who are fearful of the Catholic immigrants. Irish Marist Brother Walfrid established Celtic Football Club to alleviate poverty in his side of Glasgow by raising money for the charity for which he found. On the other hand, Rangers were found by a group of rowing enthusiasts who saw people playing football and wanted their own club.

Celtic were then identified with working-class, Irish Catholic immigrants and on the other side, Rangers represented the opposite a conservative, middle-class who are Protestant. It’s also deeper than religion; there are political and historical ties. The Old Firm rivalry is a concoction of many complex issues, fueled by social, political, religious and ethnic issues which separate fans of both Glasgow clubs, which has spilled on and off the pitch.

Since the first match between the two Glaswegian clubs took place on May 28, 1888, there have been 401 matches. Rangers have won 159 matches, Celtic won 145 matches and 97 matches have finished as draws. No match sums up the rivalry more than the match on October 17, 1987. After three red cards, two fights on the pitch and 62 arrests in the stands, this match ended in a draw but dubbed the shame game; rightfully so, four players were later charged with “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.”

Many battles have been fought between the two storied clubs but this iteration of the Old Firm is special, Rangers are back in the Scottish top flight after being liquidated in 2012. Since Rangers were kicked out of the top flight both teams have only faced each other twice, both on neutral ground. Rangers were liquidated in 2012 and were demoted to the lowest Scottish division and had to climb back to the first division; after four years in the wilderness, Rangers won automatic promotion to the Scottish Premiership, winning the 2015–2016 Scottish Championship. Celtic has won the Scottish league title every year since Rangers were liquidated and demoted and now there’s a new chapter to be written in the Old Firm rivalry.