Old Firm

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Lore & Background

The term 'Old Firm' likely comes from a satirical cartoon in The Scottish Referee prior to the 1904 Scottish Cup final or a reference to the clubs being original members of the Scottish Football League formed in 1890. At the turn of the 21st century, they jointly registered the term as a trademark, renewed as late as 2021. The rivalry intensified after Rangers' Ibrox disaster in April 1902, which forced them to sell players, allowing Celtic to win six successive titles between 1905 and 1910. In 1912, Ulster Protestant workers moving from Belfast adopted Rangers as their team due to Harland and Wolff's new Glasgow yard, linking the club to British Unionism while Celtic became a symbol for Irish Catholic identity.

In Their Own Story

Matches between the two have drawn global attention, but they also carry heavy costs. In the 2010–11 season, Strathclyde Police spent £2.4 million on seven derbies, while the clubs contributed only £0.3 million. Violent attacks increase ninefold on Old Firm weekends according to activists monitoring sectarian activity. Following Rangers' financial liquidation in 2012 and their subsequent drop to the fourth tier, many Celtic supporters argue the original rivalry under the 'Old Firm' identity no longer exists, preferring the term 'Glasgow derby.' However, the competition remained fierce; when Rangers returned to the top flight, they won the 2020–21 title to prevent Celtic from achieving a tenth consecutive championship.

Reader's Guide

As of 10 May 2026, the clubs have met 452 times in major competitions with 172 wins each and 108 draws. Both teams maintain large fan bases across Scotland and globally, with their combined presence estimated to be worth £120 million to the Scottish economy annually in 2005. While they jointly joined a project to tackle bigotry in 2005, serious incidents still occur, though most supporters do not engage in sectarianism. The fixture remains a central pillar of Scottish football, where one club has won every league title since 1985–86.

Did You Know?

• As of 10 May 2026, Celtic and Rangers have played each other exactly 452 times in major competitions.
• Between 1946 and 1965, five other clubs managed to win the Scottish League, interrupting the Old Firm's usual dominance.
• Rangers' Ibrox stadium collapsed in April 1902 during a Scotland v England fixture, killing 25 people and forcing the club to sell players to rebuild.
• In the 2010–11 season alone, Strathclyde Police incurred costs of £2.4 million for seven derbies, with the clubs contributing only £0.3 million.
• Celtic was founded in 1887 to deliver resources to a poverty-stricken Irish Catholic population in East Glasgow, while Rangers had been established 15 years earlier in 1872.