On Sunday a little piece of Celtic history will be created: it is almost certainly the first time players from the club have ever observed a commemoration for the death of a Monarch.

It is perhaps surprising but only five monarchs have died during Celtic’s 134-year history (Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and now Elizabeth). These events affected Celtic in different ways, including winning famous trophies!

Silences were held in fixtures following the previous deaths (although St Mirren have this morning confirmed that it will be a minute’s applause this weekend). Celtic definitely did not participate in those for Edward VII, George V and George VI, and likely not for Victoria. These were not a deliberate acts but instead a result of the Bhoys not playing when these tributes were held, either due to game cancellations or having already been knocked out the relevant cup competitions.

The length of time that the most recent Queen was in post means that few will remember how football reacts to a Monarch’s death. In spite of a media narrative that suggests public unity, in fact each time before there have been arguments, just like now.

The first occasion a monarch died after Celtic began playing was in 1901, with the death of Queen Victoria (then the longest reigning monarch in British history). Victoria died on Tuesday 22 January 1901. Unlike the most recent Queen’s death this did not automatically lead to football being cancelled. Instead there was a more mixed response.

The first full set of fixtures planned after Victoria’s death was on Saturday 26 January. The decision – in Scotland at least – was that all senior games should be played, although many other matches were cancelled. In England there was a slightly different situation. Most games went ahead as planned although others – especially those in London – were postponed until after the Queen’s funeral.

Outwith football, events were not dissimilar to those seen in 2022. Schools were closed for the funeral, as were many workplaces. There was even orders that blinds should be shut in windows in all homes.

Reflecting some of the stranger responses to a monarch’s death, one Scottish newspaper even noted a suggestion that an extra month be added to the year (taking days from the other months) and named after Queen Victoria.

When the games in Scotland took place it mainly involved Scottish Cup ties. Some accounts of those matches describe players wearing black armbands or observing a pre-match silence although there is no clear evidence that this happened in all games.

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Celtic’s fixture proved to be a huge anti-climax. The Bhoys were to play Kilmarnock in the cup – except the referee did not turn up! A telegram was sent to the match official saying rain had left the pitch “unplayable” but it should have read “playable”.

It was claimed that this telegram was Willie Maley’s mistake. One newspaper reported unhappy fans as saying “Murder … will out” and demanding their money back, or at the very least tickets for the rearranged cup game. Instead of the Celtic Park cup contest which had been hoped for, a friendly match was played. Newspaper accounts make no mention of any minute’s silence. The Bhoys won 2-1 thanks to goals from Divers and McMahon. When the cup game was eventually played in February it was an easy 6-0 home win.

Whilst games had been permitted after Queen Victoria’s death, this was not the case in the run-up to her funeral, which was held on Saturday 2 February. All matches – including a Scotland versus Ireland game – were postponed until the Queen’s service had been held. Flags were to be flown at half-mast and all grounds closed.

The Scottish Referee reported that football – and indeed all other sports – would not take place “out of respect to the venerated memory of ‘Victoria the Pure’.” The same article indicated that many clubs were not happy with the postponements – particularly the financial effects of this – but added that teams “must none the less readily and loyally honour” these plans.

Interestingly the death of Queen Victoria – and the subsequent Coronation of her successor, Edward VII – led to Celtic winning British football’s first ‘Coronation Cup’. The Ibrox Disaster of 1902 – where a stand collapsed at Scotland versus England game – led to a special contest being held by Rangers to raise funds for costs associated with this.

Rangers and Sunderland – the respective champions of their country – and Celtic and Everton as league runners-up entered a four-team competition called the British League Cup. The prize was the Glasgow Exhibition Cup won by Rangers in 1901. Confusingly – to add a third name into the mix – this was unofficially known as the Coronation Cup as it coincided with King Edward VII’s crowning.

Celtic put behind the disappointment of 1901 – when they lost the Exhibition Cup to Rangers – to beat Sunderland and then the Ibrox side to claim the trophy, and title of ‘Coronation Cup’ winners. The match was played at Cathkin Park and the Bhoys were 3-2 victors, after extra time. Several newspapers did not realise extra time would be played so wrongly reported the game as being a 2-2 draw.

Whereas Queen Victoria had reigned for almost 64 years, the next monarch’s death came much sooner. In 1910, King Edward VII died and once more the process of commemoration began. This time football was much less affected by these events. The King died on 6 May 1910, and this was after most of the season’s fixtures had been completed, meaning public attention had turned to other sports.

One unfortunate newspaper writer in England – surely in an article written before the King’s death but published afterwards – stated that “King Football is dead as a door nail, and King Cricket has commenced to reign.”

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The King’s death also raised questions still evident in 2022 about anti-Catholic aspects in appointing a new monarch. In 1910, John Redmond MP – an Irish nationalist that had previously attended Celtic games – complained about anti-Catholic language in the Accession Oath taken by the new king, George V.

The week before King Edward died Celtic had made history by winning the championship for a then record-breaking sixth time in a row, an achievement for which the Bhoys later received a special shield from the Scottish League.

Celtic’s final game before King Edward’s death was much less successful. On 2 May 1910, a 1-0 defeat by Third Lanark knocked the Celts out of the Glasgow Charity Cup and ended their season. Edward VII died on a Friday and whilst many events were then cancelled, football went ahead as planned the next day. According to one newspaper, “Drooping flags and mourning bands worn by the players” reflected national events. However Celtic’s season was already finished so they did not participate.

The Glasgow Charity Cup semi-finals took place, with Celtic’s conquerors Third Lanark beating Queen’s Park 2-0 whilst Clyde overcame Rangers 1-0. Clyde went on to win the trophy the following Saturday, 8-3 on corners after a 1-1 draw.

In Edinburgh the local Charity Cup was also played. Hibs triumphed 1-0 over Hearts, and then won the competition the next week by beating Leith Athletic 2-0. Numerous other charity matches were played on Saturday 14 May. The Southern Counties contest was won by Dumfries who were assisted by Willie Kivlichan of Celtic. He was best known for playing for Celtic and Rangers as well as being the Celtic doctor that treated John Thomson when he was killed in 1931.

As with the 2022 decision to cancel matches, the 1910 decision to play games was not universally popular. The Scottish Referee published an article defending this, saying:

“It could not escape notice that while the sports programme on Saturday was swept pretty clean by the sorrowful news of the King’s death, the football was played in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The reason why this was done was because the matches which had been arranged for the afternoon were in charity’s cause, all three games being one or other of the two leading Scottish Charity Cup competitions. As no profit falls to the clubs, the fact should disarm criticism.”

By the time King Edward’s funeral was held – on Friday 20 May – football games were finished. But there was still one timing clash which affected the Bhoys: the Celtic Sports Day.

In Celtic’s early years – although football was obviously the main priority – numerous other sports events were organised by the club, including athletics and cycling. The 1910 event took place the day after the King’s funeral. Tickets were sold throughout the ‘mourning’ period and, as ever, a good crowd attended.

It was more than a quarter of a century until the next death of a British monarch: Edward VII died on Monday 20 January 1936; his funeral was held just over a week later on 28 January.

The first set of fixtures due to take place after the King’s death were Scottish Cup ties on Saturday 25 January (three days before the funeral). Some newspapers had reported that football would be cancelled on the Saturday but this proved to be wrong. All matches were to go ahead as planned, although no games were allowed in Scotland on the day of the funeral (unlike in England).

A letter from the Secretary of the Scottish FA – George Graham – was sent to newspapers and clubs outlining other arrangements which would take place to acknowledge the King’s death. These included flags being “at half-mast” and “crepe armlets, which shall be worn by players, referees and linesmen”. In addition a “period of silence” was to be held before kick-off and – if any bands were in attendance – “suitable music … and the national anthem” too.

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Although the Saturday cup matches were allowed to go ahead, poor weather ended up stopping many of these contests. Numerous games – including Berwick Rangers’ visit to Celtic Park – were called off. These matches were rescheduled for the following Wednesday. However Berwick Rangers, worried about their ability to arrange a midweek team, reached a deal with Celtic to “scratch” (withdraw) from the cup, meaning the Bhoys moved straight into the next round. Celtic once again did not observe any silence.

The Celts’ next match after the King’s death was held on Saturday 1 February, four days after the funeral. By this time memorials and tributes had already been observed and so Celtic were not affected. However it proved a sad day on the field for the Celts as 28,000 fans saw Hearts win 1-0 at Tynecastle.

The next change of monarch took place later in 1936 but for very different reasons – and without any silences. The new King Edward VIII wanted to marry an American woman, Wallis Simpson, who had been divorced. As a result he was forced to abdicate his throne, and the crown passed to King George VI.

George VI served as King for just over 15 years before his death in February 1952, when he was replaced by his daughter, Queen Elizabeth. King George died on a Wednesday and a full set of football fixtures was scheduled for three days later (Saturday 9 February).

Once more football was not cancelled – in England or Scotland – in spite of the monarch’s death (although clubs could choose to do so if both sides agreed). The one exception to this was that no games were to be played in London until after the funeral.

Instead similar memorials as observed on previous occasions were to take place: players would wear “black armlets” and a “one-minute silence” was held before the games. It was also suggested that music be played, with some Scottish clubs playing both ‘Abide with me’ and ‘God save the Queen’. Yet again, Celtic were not involved in these memorials. This was because it was Scottish Cup weekend and Celtic had been knocked out of the tournament in the previous round (losing 2-1 to Third Lanark after a replay).

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From a financial perspective it was not hard to understand why football did not stop. Thousands of fans still chose to attend the matches, and cancelling Saturday games which then needed a re-arranged midweek date was an expensive decision. For instance a Raith Rovers versus Dundee fixture at this time, which should originally have happened on a Saturday, was moved to a Wednesday. The expected 15,000 crowd for the Saturday match fell to only 4500 when it was finally played.

This decision to play football was not universally popular. One Scottish newspaper carried an article which pointed out that other sports – such as rugby and racing – had been cancelled. The writer finished his rant by decreeing that “May football draw nothing but shame from the last demonstration of decency.”

King George’s funeral was held on a Friday (15 February) and football proceeded as normal the following day, without the need for more silences and tributes. Celtic hosted Stirling Albion in a league match and despite winning were described as “unimpressive” by the Glasgow Herald.

In reality in February 1952 there were far more pressing matters for Celtic to consider than the monarch; their future as Scottish football team was in serious doubt. The New Year’s Day game with Rangers in 1952 had been marked by fan violence. One suggestion to prevent reoccurrences in future was to stop Celtic flying the Irish tricolour at Celtic Park. Such a proposal opened up a battle with the Bhoys.

READ THIS…Celtic FC and The Flag That Flies On High

Celtic chairman Bob Kelly furiously rejected this idea, and rightly highlighted the club’s historic Irish connections. Strangely one of his main supporters was John Wilson of Rangers whereas Hibs’ Harry Swan helped lead this anti-Irish charge. Celtic were now threatened with closure of the ground or even being suspended from football. Kelly made it clear he would not back down. This strong stance surprised and undermined the SFA position, and they were forced to back down.

Celtic’s tricolour remained proudly in place.

Whilst Celtic had not been directly involved in commemorations for the dead king in 1952, the following year a famous event connected to this took place. Celtic had won an unofficial ‘Coronation Cup’ in 1902 after Queen Victoria’s death. Now they would enter an official contest.

In 1953, to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation, a special eight-team tournament was played in Glasgow, featuring four Scottish sides and four clubs from England. Celtic – during a poor spell in the club’s history – were not expected to win this contest.

READ THIS…Given that Celtic won the first two Coronation Cups, will the British Establishment try again?

Instead the Bhoys saw off Arsenal in the quarter-finals (winning 1-0) before repeating this achievement when they beat Manchester United 2-1 in the semi-final. In the final – as the song famously records – they beat Hibs 2-0, with Hampden being “covered in green, white and gold”.

And now, for only the fifth time in Celtic’s history, the topic of a monarch’s death is again raised. Sunday’s match with St Mirren – as well as all other Scottish games – will replicate commemorations of previous years, including minute’s silences or applauses and black armbands.

The Celtic players who line up for this memorial will be making club history when they do so. It is likely the first time this has happened, and definitely the first time in more than 120 years.  This is also true for those fans in attendance, although the respective responses to the commemoration from both of these groups may yet prove to be very different.

Guest column by @hailhailhistory