Last Updated: February 2026
The Old Firm Derby: How Religion, Politics, and Irish Immigration Created Football’s Most Intense Rivalry
When Celtic and Rangers meet on the pitch, it’s more than just a football match. It’s the culmination of over a century of religious tension, political division, and cultural identity battles that have defined Glasgow – and Scotland – since the late 19th century.
The Old Firm Derby isn’t just Scotland’s biggest fixture. It’s one of world football’s most heated confrontations, where green and white hoops face royal blue in a clash that transcends sport. Between them, their dominance is absolute. But their rivalry runs far deeper than trophy cabinets.
This is the story of how Irish Catholic immigration, Protestant Unionism, sectarian tension, and political upheaval forged a rivalry that would split a city, and define Scottish football forever. From four teenagers forming Rangers in 1872, to Brother Walfrid founding Celtic to feed the poor in 1887, to liquidation, resurrection, and modern-day battles for Glasgow’s soul, this is the Old Firm.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Key Facts
Quick context before you watch:
- Founded: Rangers — March 1872 (formed by four teenagers); Celtic — 6 November 1887 (founded by Brother Walfrid)
- First Old Firm match: 28 May 1888 — Celtic won 5–2
- European honours: Celtic — European Cup winners 1967 (first British club); Rangers — Cup Winners’ Cup 1972
- Signing policy: Rangers maintained an unofficial “no Catholics” policy until the signing of Mo Johnston in 1989
- Ibrox disaster (1902): Wooden stand collapse — 25 fatalities and hundreds injured
- Financial collapse: Rangers entered liquidation in 2012, dropped to the Scottish football fourth tier, and returned to the Premiership in 2016
- Social impact: Violent incidents in Glasgow increase significantly on Old Firm match weekends
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Rangers: Founded by Four Teenagers (1872)
West End Park Origins
In March 1872, four young men – brothers Peter McNeil (17) and Moses McNeil (16), Peter Campbell (15), and William McBeath (15) – had a conversation whilst walking through West End Park (now Kelvingrove Park) in Glasgow. They decided to form a football club.
The name “Rangers” came from Moses McNeil, who had seen “Swindon Rangers” mentioned in an English Rugby Football Annual. They played their first match in May 1872, a goalless friendly against Callander at Flesher’s Haugh on Glasgow Green, wearing street clothes and using a second-hand ball. Their second match saw them don light blue shirts for the first time, defeating Clyde 11-0.
Early Success & Tragedy
Rangers quickly established themselves. They became founding members of the Scottish Football League in 1890, finishing joint-top in the inaugural 1890-91 season alongside Dumbarton – the only time in league history joint honours were awarded after a playoff draw.
By 1899, Rangers had moved to Ibrox Stadium. But tragedy struck on 5 April 1902 during a Scotland vs England fixture. One of the new wooden stands collapsed, killing 25 spectators and injuring hundreds more. The disaster financially crippled Rangers, forcing them to sell their best players to fund stadium reconstruction. Celtic would capitalise on this misfortune, dominating Scottish football for the next decade.
No Religious Foundation
Crucially, Rangers had no religious or political affiliation at their founding. The four founders were Protestant by upbringing, but so was most of Scotland. Rangers wasn’t created as a “Protestant club”—that identity would develop later, in response to Celtic’s explicitly Irish Catholic roots and Glasgow’s changing demographics.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Celtic: Brother Walfrid’s Mission (1887)
Irish Immigration and Poverty
The late 19th century saw Glasgow’s population swell with Irish Catholic immigrants fleeing the Great Famine (1845-1852) and subsequent economic hardship. By the 1880s, thousands of impoverished Irish families lived in Glasgow’s East End, facing severe discrimination in Protestant-majority Scotland.
These immigrants were marginalised, struggling with poverty, prejudice, and the threat of forced religious conversion. Local Scottish Presbyterian churches operated soup kitchens, but many required the poor to renounce Catholicism in exchange for food, a practice known as “taking the soup.”
Brother Walfrid’s Solution
Brother Walfrid (Andrew Kerins), an Irish Marist Brother from County Sligo, founded Celtic Football Club on 6 November 1887 at a meeting in St Mary’s Church Hall, East Rose Street, Calton, Glasgow. His stated purpose: raise money for “Poor Children’s Dinner Tables” to feed Catholic children without religious coercion.
The name “Celtic” honoured the club’s Irish and Scottish Celtic heritage. The nickname “The Bhoys” (originally “the Bold Boys”) developed from Celtic’s Gaelic roots.
The Charitable Myth?
Here’s where it gets complicated. Club accounts from 1893 show not one penny was donated to the food halls Walfrid supposedly established the club to support. Historians suggest Celtic was more about symbolism than sustenance – wealthy Catholic businessmen using football to express Irish identity and ease their consciences about poverty, whilst turning a profit. By 1893, Celtic had become a public limited company paying handsome dividends to directors.
Whether genuine charity or commercial enterprise cloaked in altruism, Celtic became the rallying point for Glasgow’s Irish Catholic community almost immediately.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
The First Meetings and Early Rivalry (1888-1904)
First Encounter: 28 May 1888
The first meeting between Celtic and Rangers took place on 28 May 1888 in a friendly match. Celtic won 5-2 before a crowd of approximately 2,000. The rivalry was born.
Two years later, the Scottish Football League launched for the 1890-91 season. Rangers (founding members) finished joint-top with Dumbarton. Celtic joined the league the following season, moving from their original ground to Celtic Park. In the 1892-93 season, Celtic pipped Rangers to the title by one point, securing their first Scottish championship.
The “Old Firm” Label Emerges (1904)
The term “Old Firm” was first coined around the 1904 Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers. The phrase referenced the lucrative commercial relationship between the clubs – their matches consistently drew massive crowds and generated enormous revenue. They were a profitable “firm” together, even as bitter rivals.
The 1909 Hampden Riot
Financial incentives dominated early narratives. In 1909, supporters of both clubs rioted together at Hampden Park after the Scottish Cup Final ended in a second replay draw. Fans claimed a “money-spinning fix”, accusing officials of deliberately forcing replays to maximise gate receipts. The violence united both sets of supporters against authorities, showing the rivalry wasn’t yet the sectarian battleground it would become.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
How Sectarianism Took Hold (1900s-1920s)
The Harland and Wolff Factor (1912)
The sectarian dimension crystallised in 1912 when Harland and Wolff, the Belfast shipbuilders, established operations in Glasgow. They brought hundreds of Ulster Protestant workers who relocated from Northern Ireland, continuing the company’s anti-Catholic hiring practices.
These workers adopted Rangers as their football team, strengthening ties between Rangers, Protestantism, and British Unionism. Meanwhile, continued Irish Catholic immigration reinforced Celtic’s identity as the club of the Irish diaspora.From this point, a line was drawn: Catholics supported Celtic, Protestants and Unionists supported Rangers. Sectarianism in Scottish football was born.
Political Dimensions
The rivalry mirrored broader conflicts: Celtic became associated with Irish nationalism, Irish Republican sympathies, and support for Irish Home Rule and eventual independence. Rangers, meanwhile, aligned with British Unionism, loyalty to the Crown, and Ulster Protestant identity. Football became a proxy war for competing national identities.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
The Golden Eras: European Glory (1960s-1970s)
Celtic’s Lisbon Lions (1967)
Under legendary manager Jock Stein (who took over in March 1965 from long-serving manager Jimmy McGrory, Celtic’s all-time record goalscorer who had managed the club since 1945), Celtic experienced a golden era. The pinnacle came in 1967 when Celtic won every competition they entered, including the European Cup.
On 25 May 1967 at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Celtic defeated Inter Milan 2-1, becoming the first British club to win the European Cup. The team, nicknamed the Lisbon Lions, were all born within 30 miles of Celtic Park. This infuriated Rangers supporters.
Rangers’ European Response (1972)
Rangers had to wait until 1972 for their own European trophy. They defeated Dynamo Moscow 3-2 at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, lifting the European Cup Winners’ Cup at their third attempt.
Managers Who Defined Eras
Rangers:
- Bill Struth (1920-1954): Most successful Rangers manager — 18 league titles
- Scot Symon (1954-1967): Continued success with multiple titles and cups
Celtic:
- Jock Stein (1965-1978): 10 league titles, 1967 European Cup, 9 consecutive titles (1966-1974)
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
The Troubles and Intensification (1960s-1998)
Northern Ireland’s Shadow
Starting in the late 1960s and continuing until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, The Troubles – a violent political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland – cast a dark shadow over the Old Firm.
The conflict centred on Northern Ireland’s status within the United Kingdom, pitting Irish Republicans against British Unionists. The sectarian dimension – Catholic vs Protestant – directly paralleled the Old Firm divide. Old Firm matches became symbolic battlegrounds.
The Violence Statistics
An activist group monitoring sectarian activity reported that during Old Firm weekends, violent attacks increased ninefold over normal levels in Glasgow. Deaths occurred. In 1995, Mark Scott was murdered for walking past the wrong pub after an Old Firm match. In the 2001 League Cup semi-final, a Rangers fan was stabbed by a Celtic supporter and died.
The 1980 Scottish Cup Final saw a pitched battle on the field between fans after Celtic’s 1-0 victory, fuelled by alcohol. One fan was struck with a meat cleaver.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Mo Johnston: Breaking the Sectarian Barrier (1989)
Rangers’ Unofficial Policy
For decades, Rangers adhered to an unofficial policy of not signing Catholic players. It wasn’t written down, but it was understood. This wasn’t tradition – it was discrimination.
The Groundbreaking Signing
In 1989, new Rangers manager Graeme Souness shattered this policy with the controversial signing of Mo Johnston, a former Celtic star who was Catholic. The signing sparked outrage among fans of both clubs – Rangers fans burned scarves and season tickets; Celtic fans felt betrayed by their former hero.
Souness declared the sectarian policy obsolete. From this point, Rangers began signing Catholic players regularly.
Rangers’ Nine-in-a-Row (1989-1997)
The Johnston signing kicked off Rangers’ most dominant era. They won nine consecutive league titles between 1989 and 1997: the first three under Graeme Souness, the subsequent six under Walter Smith.
High-profile signings – Trevor Steven, Brian Laudrup, Paul Gascoigne – brought glamour whilst English clubs were banned from European competition due to hooliganism. Rangers capitalised brilliantly.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Modern Era and Rangers’ Liquidation (2012)
Celtic’s Response (1990s-2000s)
Celtic fought back under managers Wim Jansen (who stopped Rangers winning 10-in-a-row in 1998) and Martin O’Neill (2000-2005). Star players like Pierre van Hooijdonk, Paolo Di Canio, and club legend Henrik Larsson brought quality to Celtic Park.
Liquidation and Demotion (2012)
In 2012, years of financial mismanagement forced Rangers into liquidation. The club was demoted to the bottom tier of Scottish football (Third Division, now League Two). For the first time in over a century, the Old Firm Derby vanished from the top flight.
The Return and Steven Gerrard’s Triumph (2016-2021)
Rangers returned to the Premiership in 2016, but Celtic had built a dynasty, winning nine consecutive titles (2012-2020). Then Steven Gerrard arrived as manager.
In the 2020-21 season, Rangers ended Celtic’s dominance in emphatic fashion, clinching their 55th league title whilst going unbeaten throughout the entire season – denying Celtic a historic 10th consecutive championship. The Old Firm was back in full force.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Why the Old Firm Matters Today
The Old Firm Derby remains one of world football’s most intense rivalries, regularly cited by players who’ve experienced it as fiercer than El Clásico, the Milan Derby, or any other fixture.
Brian Laudrup (who played in the Milan Derby and Serie A) said the Old Firm topped them all. Henrik Larsson (who experienced El Clásico with Barcelona and De Klassieker in the Netherlands) made similar comments.
Diminished But Not Gone
Overt sectarianism has diminished in 21st-century Glasgow. Religious adherence is falling, mixed marriages are common, and the old certainties have faded. Both clubs joined anti-sectarianism projects in 2005. The majority of supporters don’t engage in sectarian behaviour. But serious incidents still occur, and a vocal minority dominates headlines.
A City Still Divided
Every Old Firm match is a battle for dominance in Scotland – a fight for identity, pride, and the heart of Glasgow. The cultural and political divides that shaped this rivalry for over a century endure, even as their sharpness softens.
Two clubs. Two histories. One unrelenting rivalry. The Old Firm Derby is far more than a game – it’s everything.
Watch the Full Old Firm Derby Documentary
Rangers vs Celtic – Complete History of the Rivalry
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do Celtic and Rangers hate each other?
The rivalry stems from Glasgow’s religious and cultural divide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Celtic was founded in 1887 by Irish Catholic immigrants to support their impoverished community, whilst Rangers (founded 1872) became associated with Protestant Unionism by the 1910s. This sectarian split, combined with political tensions over Irish independence versus British loyalty, created deep-seated animosity that persists today, though in diminished form.
What does ‘Old Firm’ mean?
The term ‘Old Firm’ originated around 1904, referencing the lucrative commercial relationship between Celtic and Rangers. Their matches consistently drew massive crowds and generated enormous revenue – they were a profitable ‘firm’ together, even as bitter rivals. The name stuck and now represents the entire rivalry.
When was the first Old Firm Derby?
The first meeting between Celtic and Rangers took place on 28 May 1888 in a friendly match. Celtic won 5-2 before a crowd of approximately 2,000 spectators. This was just seven months after Celtic’s founding in November 1887.
Who founded Celtic and why?
Brother Walfrid (Andrew Kerins), an Irish Marist Brother from County Sligo, founded Celtic on 6 November 1887 at St Mary’s Church Hall in Glasgow. His stated purpose was to raise money for ‘Poor Children’s Dinner Tables’ to feed impoverished Irish Catholic children without forcing religious conversion. However, club accounts from 1893 show no money was actually donated to food halls, suggesting the charitable mission may have been more symbolic than substantive.
Who founded Rangers?
Rangers was founded in March 1872 by four teenagers: brothers Peter McNeil (17) and Moses McNeil (16), Peter Campbell (15), and William McBeath (15). They decided to form a football club whilst walking through West End Park (now Kelvingrove Park) in Glasgow. The name ‘Rangers’ came from Moses McNeil seeing ‘Swindon Rangers’ in an English Rugby Football Annual.
Was Rangers always a Protestant club?
No. Rangers had no religious or political affiliation at their founding in 1872. The four founders were Protestant by upbringing, but so was most of Scotland. Rangers’ association with Protestantism and Unionism developed gradually, particularly after 1912 when Belfast shipbuilders Harland and Wolff brought hundreds of Ulster Protestant workers to Glasgow who adopted Rangers as their team.
What was Rangers’ sectarian signing policy?
For decades, Rangers adhered to an unofficial policy of not signing Catholic players. It wasn’t written down, but it was understood and enforced. This discriminatory practice ended in 1989 when manager Graeme Souness signed Mo Johnston – a Catholic and former Celtic player – in a groundbreaking and controversial move. Rangers have signed Catholic players regularly ever since.
What happened at Ibrox in 1902?
On 5 April 1902, during a Scotland vs England fixture at Ibrox Stadium, one of Rangers’ new wooden stands collapsed. Twenty-five spectators were killed and hundreds more injured. The disaster financially crippled Rangers, forcing them to sell their best players to fund stadium reconstruction. Celtic capitalised on Rangers’ weakness, dominating Scottish football for the next decade.
Who are Celtic’s Lisbon Lions?
The Lisbon Lions were Celtic’s 1967 European Cup-winning team, all born within 30 miles of Celtic Park. On 25 May 1967 at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, they defeated Inter Milan 2-1, becoming the first British club to win the European Cup. Manager Jock Stein led the team, which also won every other competition they entered that season.
What were The Troubles and how did they affect the Old Firm rivalry?
The Troubles (late 1960s to 1998) were a violent political and sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland over its status within the United Kingdom, pitting Irish Republicans against British Unionists. The conflict’s Catholic vs Protestant dimension directly paralleled the Old Firm divide. Celtic supporters increasingly identified with Irish Republicanism, whilst Rangers fans aligned with Ulster loyalism. Sectarian violence in Glasgow erupted during derby weekends, with violent attacks increasing ninefold over normal levels.
What happened to Rangers in 2012?
In 2012, years of financial mismanagement forced Rangers into liquidation. The club was demoted to the bottom tier of Scottish football (Third Division, now League Two). For the first time in over a century, the Old Firm Derby vanished from the top flight as Celtic dominated the Premiership in Rangers’ absence. Rangers returned to the top flight in 2016.
When did Rangers return to the Scottish Premiership?
Rangers returned to the Scottish Premiership in 2016 after working their way back through the lower divisions following liquidation in 2012. They initially struggled to challenge Celtic, who had won four consecutive titles in Rangers’ absence. However, under Steven Gerrard’s management, Rangers won the 2020-21 title unbeaten, ending Celtic’s bid for a historic 10th consecutive championship.
Is sectarianism still a problem in the Old Firm?
Overt sectarianism has diminished significantly in 21st-century Glasgow. Religious adherence is falling, mixed marriages are common, and both clubs joined anti-sectarianism projects in 2005. The majority of supporters don’t engage in sectarian behaviour. However, serious incidents still occur with a vocal minority, and violent attacks increase ninefold during Old Firm weekends according to activist groups monitoring sectarian activity.
Why is the atmosphere at Old Firm matches so intense?
The atmosphere reflects over a century of religious, cultural, and political tensions. Celtic Park and Ibrox Stadium become cauldrons of noise, passion, and identity expression. Players who’ve experienced the world’s biggest derbies – El Clásico, Milan Derby, De Klassieker – consistently rank the Old Firm as the most intense. The history, the sectarian dimension (though diminished), and Glasgow’s divided identity create an unmatched atmosphere.
Who is Brother Walfrid?
Brother Walfrid (born Andrew Kerins on 18 May 1840 in County Sligo, Ireland) was an Irish Marist Brother who founded Celtic Football Club on 6 November 1887. He fled Ireland aged 15 during the Great Famine. His stated goal was raising money to feed impoverished Irish Catholic children in Glasgow’s East End. He died on 17 April 1915 aged 74. A bronze statue of him was unveiled outside Celtic Park in 2005.
What happened in the 1909 Hampden riot between Celtic and Rangers?
In 1909, the Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers ended in a second replay draw. Supporters of both clubs rioted together at Hampden Park, claiming a ‘money-spinning fix’, accusing officials of deliberately forcing replays to maximise gate receipts. The violence united both sets of fans against authorities, showing the rivalry wasn’t yet the deeply sectarian battleground it would become.
Who was Mo Johnston and why was his signing for Rangers so controversial?
Mo Johnston was a Catholic Scottish striker and former Celtic player who became the first high-profile Catholic to sign for Rangers since before World War I when Graeme Souness brought him to Ibrox in 1989. The signing broke Rangers’ unofficial sectarian policy and sparked outrage among fans of both clubs. It marked a watershed moment in the rivalry’s history.
What is ‘taking the soup’?
‘Taking the soup’ refers to Irish Catholics being forced to renounce their religion in exchange for food from Protestant soup kitchens during and after the Great Famine. In Glasgow’s East End in the 1880s, local Scottish Presbyterian churches operated similar schemes. Brother Walfrid founded Celtic partly to provide food to Catholic children without religious coercion, though historians debate whether this was genuine charity or commercial enterprise cloaked in altruism.