Celtic’s first major trophy was won on Valentine’s Day 1891

The Celtic Star

·14 février 2025

Celtic’s first major trophy was won on Valentine’s Day 1891

Love is in the air as couples across the land enjoy Valentine’s Day. However, in 1891, Celtic had their own reasons to celebrate on this day when they won what is considered the club’s first major trophy…

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The story of the victory is a fascinating one, and includes numerous other events from the time, which were both historic and controversial.

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After Celtic’s 1887 formation, the club’s opening game came in 1888. In the 1888-89 season, Celtic participated in five different cup competitions, reaching the final of three of them. In one of these contests – the Glasgow North Eastern Cup – May 1889 saw Celtic claim their first trophy. Notable though this was, the North Eastern Cup was only a local tournament and not considered a major event.

In the late-1880s, teams played a mixture of friendlies as well as local, regional and national cup competitions. The Scottish Cup was Scotland’s pinnacle trophy, the one all clubs aspired to win. However, regional events such as the Glasgow Cup, were of significant interest, probably akin now to a League Cup victory.

The ‘Championship of Scotland’

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

As evidence of the Glasgow Cup’s importance, after Celtic had won it and played Hearts, who were Scottish Cup holders, this fixture was described by one newspaper as being a game to decide the “Championship of Scotland.”

Celtic first entered the Glasgow Cup in 1888 and both this season and the following, lost out to Queen’s Park. In season 1890-91, it would be a different story. However, before that season’s Glasgow Cup began, there was a much bigger football story; the formation of a Scottish League.

Pressure had been growing to start a Scottish League

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

For some time, pressure had been growing to start a Scottish League, not least because there was one in England. However, it was a matter of some argument. Whilst many backed this, there was also passionate opposition, not least from people who worried that a League would eventually lead to professionalism (or paying players), which was then illegal in the Scottish game.

Despite these fears, by 1890 it had been agreed to start a Scottish League, and Celtic were a major part of these efforts. The first fixtures kicked off in August 1890. There is actually a debate though about which was Celtic’s first game.

On the face of it, the Bhoys’ maiden league game was a 4-1 defeat to Renton at Celtic Park. However, Renton were thrown out of the League later in the season, meaning their results were annulled. As such, Celtic’s first officially recorded league match was a 5-0 win at Tynecastle versus Hearts.

In the early parts of the season, the Bhoys found themselves on negative points

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The first League season saw different problems, especially for Celtic. In the early parts of the season, the Bhoys found themselves on negative points! This is because they were deducted points for playing an ineligible player, and this effectively ended their hopes of winning the first ever League title.

As this was happening, the Bhoys were also focused on the Glasgow Cup. In the opening round, Celtic were drawn to play southside team, Battlefield. Despite the aggressive sounding name – which, of course, is taken from the 1568 Battle of Langside – it proved to be no battle or difficulty for the Bhoys.

A “goodly number of spectators”

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

One newspaper said that a “goodly number of spectators” were at Celtic Park for the game, which was played on 20 September 1890. They watched Celtic canter to a comfortable 7-1 victory, being 6-0 ahead at half-time. Two of the goals came from Willie Groves although the other scorers were not recorded.

One other notable team in the first round was Glasgow Hibernian. They had been formed in 1889 as a direct rival to Celtic, with some believing that Celtic were not living up to their original aims in terms of charity or religion. Glasgow Hibs had a short life and at the time of their game – which they eventually lost to Summerton Athletic – they had only weeks left before their collapse.

The Celts travelled to Hyde Park in the Springburn area

The Bould Bhoys – Celtic FC 1890/91. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Through to the second round, the Celts were drawn to face Northern, a north Glasgow side. On 11 October 1890, the Celts travelled to Hyde Park in the Springburn area for their match, which was a significantly closer experience than the first round.

Despite Celtic’s early dominance, they could not find the net. They would soon regret this; with ten minutes remaining until the break, Northern took the lead. In the second half, Celtic became more composed in their attacks, and Peter Dowds soon got the equaliser. Later on, Celtic had a quick break from a Northern corner and Willie Groves made it 2-1, which proved to be the final score.

Clyde in the quarter-finals

Three weeks later – and in the aftermath of Renton being thrown out of the Scottish League – the quarter-finals of the Glasgow Cup were scheduled. Celtic were once again at home, this time facing their close neighbours, Clyde. In the days before professional referees, clubs provided officials for other games; the Celtic v Clyde game was to be officiated by Rangers’ representative, John Cameron.

Clyde made the short journey to the original Celtic Park on 1 November 1890. It proved to be another simple Celtic match. By half-time, the Bhoys led 2-0 thanks to goals from Peter Dowds and Johnny Madden. In the second half, those two men were again on the scoresheet (along with one unnamed player) and the match finished 5-0, putting the Celts into the semi-finals.

Partick Thistle in the semi-final

The Bould Bhoys by Matthew Marr, available on Celticstarbooks.com

This semi took place on 22 November 1890. The low crowd was reflective of the fact that there was terrible weather that day. Still, 2000 fans made their way to Celtic Park to watch the Bhoys welcome Partick Thistle to Glasgow’s east end. One newspaper report later stated “The game started in a torrent of rain and in the presence of about 2000 spectators, who bore the blast bravely.”

Celtic played into the wind in the first half, which caused the Bhoys real problems and led to them falling behind. However, by half-time, strikes from Barney Crossan gave them an interval advantage. With the weather now favouring them, Celtic pushed on after the break. Three more goals (two from Johnny Campbell and one from Peter Dowds) made it 5-1 and ensured Celtic were in the final.

Celtic faced Third Lanark in the final

The Bhoys’ opponents for the Glasgow Cup Final were Third Lanark. The Warriors’ route to the final had been more convoluted than Celtic’s. They had eased past Thistle and then Queen’s Park, before needing three replays to overcome Rangers, before finally beating Cambuslang in the semi.

Owing to weather and replay issues, the final took place almost three months after Celtic’s semi-final. Held on 14 February 1891, both clubs headed to the second Hampden Park, which is at the site of the modern day Cathkin Park. It was a popular game, with at least 10,000 being in attendance.

Celtic led at the interval

Third Lanark started well and for a period it looked as though Celtic’s losing record in finals was to be extended. However, despite playing into the wind, the Bhoys soon settled. A period of sustained pressure towards the Thirds’ goal resulted in the deadlock being broken; some accounts said it was an own-goal, whilst others credited Peter Dowds. Either way, Celtic led at the interval.

Peter Dowds scored in the final. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Now with the wind advantage, the green-and-white stripes began to control the game. Dowds definitely scored the next one, putting his team two ahead. Despite some chances for Third Lanark, the Celtic goal remained unbroken, before two goals from Johnny Campbell confirmed their simple 4-0 triumph.

Johnny Campbell scored twice in the Glasgow Cup Final on Valentine’s Day 1891. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The players and their fans celebrated; “The Irish were very voluble”

The players and their fans celebrated; “The Irish were very voluble” noted one journalist. However, unlike the modern era when trophies are handed out on the pitch, this was not the case in the 1890s. Firstly, a dinner was held that night at the Alexandra Hotel in Glasgow City Centre. Both teams came along to enjoy the evening. But even this did not see Celtic get the cup.

Portrait of John Glass – Celtic Founding Father. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Instead, the following week, another dinner was held. This took place in the Royal Restaurant in West Nile Street, although it was better known as Moir’s due to its owner. In later years, this was owned by William McKillop, one of Celtic’s founding fathers. At the dinner, Celtic President John Glass was handed the trophy, and all the players were given ‘badges’ (which is what medals were then described as being).

Greater things stood in front of Celtic

Greater things stood in front of Celtic. By the following year, the Bhoys had claimed their first ever Scottish Cup, and by 1893 they would also first celebrate being league champions. But the 1891 Glasgow Cup victory was notable as the first time Celtic marked their footballing arrival with a major trophy. All in all, Valentine’s Day 1891 was truly a day for the Celts to love.

Matthew Marr

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Matthew Marr with his debut Celtic book, Glory to their name, which tells the story of Celtic’s first ever title win. Photo The Celtic Star

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