Old Firm
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
The Old Firm is the name given to the relationship between two football teams in Scotland, Rangers and Celtic.
[change] Head to head record
| Competition | Played | Rangers | Draw | Celtic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish League | 288 | 112 | 82 | 94 |
| Scottish Cup | 46 | 16 | 8 | 22 |
| League Cup | 45 | 23 | 2 | 20 |
| Totals | 379 | 151 | 92 | 136 |
1888-1999 statistics obtained from RSSSF. Remaining stats obtained from Soccerbase
[change] History
The Old Firm have a lot of history, possibly dating back to around 1888, Celtic's first match, which was against Rangers, when a newspaper report stated that both sets of players "got on so well that you would believe that they were old firm friends." However, William J. Murray states that the term comes from the commercial benefits of the two clubs' rivalry, which were viewed with distaste in some parts in the early days of the game [1]
The two clubs are the most successful in Scotland, having won between them 63 Scottish Cups and 93 Scottish Premier League championships (as of 2007).[2] The two clubs normally compete four times a year in the SPL and are regularly drawn against each other in the two Scottish cup competitions.
The clubs' have large support bases around Glasgow, but also have supporters clubs in most towns throughout Scotland and in many cities around the world. The presence of Rangers and Celtic has been estimated to be worth £120 million to the Scottish economy.[3]
[change] References
- ↑ Murray, William J. (1984). The Old Firm: sectarianism, sport, and society in Scotland. Edinburgh: J. Donald Publishers; Atlantic Highlands, N.J.. ISBN 0-85976-121-5.
- ↑ Old Firm. Rangers official website. Retrieved on 5 September 2006.
- ↑ "Old Firm on the ball for economy", BBC News Online, 2005-06-29. Retrieved on 2005-06-29.
