A European Super League and a brief history of competitions at various levels in which Celtic have competed...
The prospect of a European Super League was raised again this week. Regardless of your opinion on this move, such a competition (if Celtic were involved at any level) would be yet another change in the type of tournaments in which the Bhoys appear.
Since Celtic’s first game in 1888, the type of fixtures that the club play have altered significantly, due to the shifting organisation of football. The tournaments that now attract the Celts’ interest look radically different compared to previous years.
The late-1880s world into which Celtic emerged did not yet have a League system. Matches between teams were either friendlies, or part of a range of cup competitions, local, regional and national.
Celtic’s first competitive game was in the 1888 Glasgow Exhibition Cup; the new team reached the final but lost out to Cowlairs. This same season Celtic also got to their first Scottish Cup Final, sadly also losing out (this time to Third Lanark); it would be 892 before this tournament saw Celtic cheers.
It was a local competition which first let the Bhoys claim a trophy. In May 1889, Celtic beat Cowlairs to win the Glasgow North Eastern Cup, a trophy they retained the following year. The Bhoys also won that same year’s Rangers & Clydesdale Harriers competition.
Glasgow events took up a lot of the Celts’ interest; the Glasgow Cup and Glasgow Charity Cup were big days on the footballing calendar. Celtic first won these contests in 1890-91 and 1891-92 respectively. There was also briefly a League Charity Cup too.
It was not just 11-a-side football that attracted the fans. At this time, Celtic (and many other clubs) ran five-a-side tournaments involving first team players. These events drew good crowds and often had interesting prizes for the winners such as clocks and tea services.
However by the 1890s, major changes were coming to Scottish football competitions. Professionalism in England meant a flood of Scots south of the border; many people in Scotland wanted to do likewise and officially pay their, which happened in 1893.
Before this, a Scottish League was introduced. The league meant there were more guaranteed fixtures – as opposed to ad hoc friendlies or only short cup runs – and so would provide the financial stability to help fund player payments.
The first Scottish League took place in 1890-91, won jointly by Dumbarton and Rangers. By 1893, the Bhoys had claimed the title of Champions, something they retained the following year. In time the rise of the League led to a decline in friendly matches.
Interestingly – and also reflecting tensions in the current Super League debate – there was unease between the different organisations involved in running football. The Scottish FA had traditionally been the body which oversaw the sport, now the Scottish League created a rival.
Over the years, league football in Scotland has substantially altered. The addition of a Second Division in 1893 (based on the old Alliance tournament) brought about reform, eventually leading to the rise of promotion and relegation.
Prior to such a system, teams were instead elected into the League. Those finishing near the bottom each year would have to re-apply to remain in the competition, but other clubs could do the same and so this might lead to new sides joining.
There have been other notable changes to the League in the decades since it first began. Now there are four divisions and 12 teams in the top league play each other up to four times a season. There are three points available for a win.
This looks very different from other decades. Until 1994, only two points were given for a league victory in Scotland. Before the mid-1970s, there were also 18 top league teams, a figure which has changed throughout the history of the Scottish League (for instance, there were 22 in the 1920s).
There have been other short-lived leagues in which Celtic have played, alongside the national League too. In the late-1800s and early-100s, Celtic took part in the Glasgow League and Inter-City League, both of which aimed to create some more fixtures and income for competing sides.
Sometimes competition changes have taken place due to non-footballing affairs. The start of World War Two in 1939 led to the Scottish League and Scottish Cup being cancelled; instead a new Scottish War Emergency League was held. This became a Southern League (and League Cup) for the rest of the war.
After World War Two ended, Scottish football began to return to normal, with Celtic competing for the League, Scottish Cup, Glasgow Cup and Charity Cup. Soon another national cup tournament was held, the League Cup (based on the war event).
Celtic would first win this in 1956, before having their most famous domestic final victory in 1957 as Rangers were swatted aside in a 7-1 victory. With there now being a national league and two cup contests, over time, interest would wane in the Glasgow tournaments.
There have also been other domestic tournaments in Scotland. The Drybrough Cup of the 1970s and 1980s brought together the highest four scoring teams from the First Division and Second Division and was held as a season opener. Celtic reached five of these finals, losing all but one.
Another non-footballing occurrence would in time lead to major football reforms – the growing ease with which people could travel and fly around the continent. From the 1950s, clubs began to compete officially against teams from other parts of Europe.
Before this, Celtic tournaments against non-Scottish clubs mainly involved English teams in various one-off tournaments. Some of these moments are the most celebrated in the Bhoys’ history, including the 1953 Coronation Cup, 1938 Empire Exhibition Trophy and 1902 British League Cup.
The rise of European football however would not lead to occasional fixtures; in time it would come to dominate the sport across the continent.
Celtic’s first foray took place in the 1962-63 Inter-City Fairs Cup. The Bhoys lost out to Valencia but now had a taste for travel. The year after, Celtic reached the semi-finals of the Cup-Winners’ Cup although were knocked out by MTK Budapest.
Of course later in the 1960s came Celtic’s greatest day as they claimed the 1966-67 European Cup, before reaching the 1970 final too. This led to a more infamous moment of violence and outrage as Celtic lost to Racing Club in the Intercontinental Cup (which matched the winners of the European Cup and their South American equivalents).
None of the European contests have remained fixed. The European Cup is now the Champions League and the Fairs Cup was replaced by the UEFA Cup, now operating as the Europa League. The Cup-Winners’ Cup was scrapped although a new Conference League has created another third competition.
In addition, there have also been various other international tournaments which have – briefly – captured Celtic interests. In late-2022 the Bhoys went to Australia for the Sydney Super Cup. At other times Glasgow’s green-and-white men have played in notionally competitive games outside of Scotland, including the 1980s Dubai Cup and the 1970s World of Soccer Cup.
The nature of football since its early days has always been about changing fixtures and competitions. Most of these reforms have come about in the face of acrimony and argument. A potential European Super League is no different in this regard.
From Celtic’s perspective, any further changes will be part of a history of appearances in multiple competitions, where locally, nationally or internationally. Whether or not a Europe-wide Super League is a good thing may be beside the point; if it does happen then surely “the Glasgow Celtic will be there”.
Matthew Marr
Follow on Twitter @hailhailhistory
The Bould Bhoys ~ “Glory To Their Name” is the story of Celtic’s First League Title told brilliantly by Matthew Marr in his debut as a Celtic historical author. “Glory To Their Name” will be published by Celtic Star Books in April 2023. The book will be available in hardback and also on Amazon kindle.
