Founded in 1883, the Glasgow Football Association, based in the city of Glasgow, Scotland and affiliated to the national Scottish Football Association, is one of the oldest such bodies in football. In the modern game its influence is limited, the remit being "to represent the interests of the senior football clubs in Glasgow". Those senior clubs competing across the divisions in the Scottish Professional Football League include the two largest and most successful in the country by some distance, Celtic and Rangers (collectively the Old Firm), as well as Partick Thistle, Queen's Park (the oldest football club in Scotland) and Clyde (who have not been based permanently in Glasgow since the 1980s); the three smaller clubs exist in the shadow of their dominant neighbours. A sixth team, Third Lanark, had a strong record until their sudden collapse in the mid 1960s.
The association's most prominent role is the administration of the Glasgow Cup, a tournament for clubs in the city first contested in 1888, which was once a coveted prize but diminished in importance during the 20th century as national and continental football became more popular; from the 1990s it was contested between the member clubs' youth teams, with a 2020 revamp mixing senior teams from the smaller clubs and underage teams from Celtic and Rangers. In addition to the Glasgow Cup, the association aims to "encourage the involvement of local schools and the development of youth football through a variety of other programmes and events".[1] [2] The Glasgow FA looks after the city's senior clubs but not those in lower categories: for example, the West of Scotland Football League contains several Glasgow-based semi-professional clubs (most previously affiliated to the Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region), and the Greater Glasgow Premier AFL is just one of several leagues involving teams from the city under the Scottish Amateur Football Association umbrella.
The seven founders of the organisation at a meeting on 6 March 1883 (formed to compete with the older – 1877 – rival Edinburgh Association) included three of the six senior clubs that would carry on membership into the mid 20th century: Rangers, Clyde and Queen's Park, plus Northern, Partick and Pollokshields Athletic.[3] By the end of 1883, thirteen clubs were members: the initial six plus Battlefield, Cowlairs, Luton, Partick Thistle, South-Western, Third Lanark and Thistle.[4] The obvious absentee from the list is Celtic, which was first conceived in 1887 and began playing the following year; in contrast, Clydesdale were one of the leading clubs who had provided players for Scotland in the 1870s but were defunct by the time of the association's founding.
Glasgow had a representative team which took part in challenge matches against other associations,[5] most notably a series against the Sheffield Football Association which ran from 1874 to 1960, and played an important role in the early development of football due to the contrasting styles, rules and innovations used in two cities that were home to some of the oldest institutions of the game, such as Queen's Park and Sheffield F.C. respectively.[6] The fixture fell out of favour in the late 1940s with new tournaments such as Scottish and English League Cups taking precedence, but was temporarily revived when floodlights were installed at more grounds to accommodate evening matches.[7]
Other matches were played by Glasgow against the London XI in the 1880s,[8] [9] [10] and against Edinburgh/East of Scotland for charity fundraising, particularly in the 1920s,[11] (a one-off match between them as part of the George VI coronation celebrations in 1937 drew 40,000 spectators to Hampden Park)[12] as well as occasional fixtures such as the last editions of the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup against English clubs in the mid-1960s,[13] [14] and a one-off match against a Football League XI for the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1977.[15] [16] [17]
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) handled the selection for matches that involved Glasgow before 1883, but the Glasgow Association inherited management of the team after its formation.[18]
23 wins (123 goals);
Glasgow's score is given first in all cases.
| Date | Venue | Att. | Score | class=unsortable | Glasgow goalscorers | class=unsortable | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bramall Lane (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 2–2 | Frederick Anderson, Jerry Weir | [22] | ||
| 2 | Hamilton Crescent (H) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–0 | D. McLeish, Willie Miller | |||
| 3 | Bramall Lane (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–0 | Peter Andrews (2) | [23] | ||
| 4 | Hampden Park (I) (H) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–0 | John Hunter | [24] | |||
| 5 | Bramall Lane (A) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–2 | ||||
| 6 | Hampden Park (I) (H) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–1 | James Richmond (2), Harry McNeil, George Ker | [25] | ||
| 7 | Sheaf House (A) | 4,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 1–0 | Eadie Fraser | [26] | ||
| 8 | Hampden Park (I) (H) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–0 | J. Erskine, Eadie Fraser, George Ker | [27] | ||
| 9 | Bramall Lane (A) | 12,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–3 | A. Wylie | [28] [29] | ||
| 10 | Hampden Park (I) (H) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–2 | John Kay (2), Woodville Gray, William Harrower | ||||
| 11 | Bramall Lane (A) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–1 | |||||
| 12 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 9–1 | Willie Turner (4), William Harrower (2), Davie Allan (2), Bob Christie | [30] [31] | |||
| 13 | Bramall Lane (A) | 2,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 2–2 | D. McIntyre, William Tait | |||
| 14 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 2,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 10–3 | William Sellar (3), James Allan (3), John Marshall (2), John Lambie, Own goal | [32] | ||
| 15 | Bramall Lane (A) | 7,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–2 | Billy Johnstone (2), Tom Robertson | [33] | ||
| 16 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 8–1 | Jimmy Oswald, John Buchanan (2), J. Britton, John Marshall (2), Willie Berry, James McLaren | [34] | ||
| 17 | Bramall Lane (A) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–1 | Jimmy Hamilton, Thomas Wyllie (2) | [35] | ||
| 18 | Bramall Lane (A) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 3–4 | Jake Madden, Alan Maxwell, John McPherson | [36] | ||
| 19 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 4,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–2 | William Sellar (2), Sandy McMahon, John Harvey | |||
| 20 | Bramall Lane (A) | 3,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 3–3 | John Allan (2), scrimmage | [37] | ||
| 21 | Olive Grove | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–7 | Hugh McCreadie, Willie Paul | [38] | ||
| 22 | Cathkin Park (I) (H) | 3,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–1 | William Lambie, John Proudfoot, Willie Paul | |||
| 23 | Bramall Lane (A) | 2,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–5 | James Allison | |||
| 24 | Cathkin Park (I) (H) | 9,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 0–0 | none | [39] [40] | ||
| 25 | Bramall Lane (A) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–2 | Alec Crawford | |||
| 26 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–0 | Thomas Bowie, Robert McColl (2), William Stewart | |||
| 27 | Bramall Lane (A) | 4,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–3 | John McPherson | |||
| 28 | Shawfield (H) | 4,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 1–1 | Hughie Wilson | [41] | ||
| 29 | Hillsborough (A) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–0 | Finlay Speedie, Johnny Campbell | |||
| 30 | Ibrox (H) | 3,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–0 | [42] | |||
| 31 | Bramall Lane (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 0–2 | none | [43] | ||
| 32 | Meadowside (H) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 1–0 | Archie Kyle | [44] | |||
| 33 | Hillsborough (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–3 | Jimmy McMenemy, Archie Kyle | [45] | ||
| 34 | Meadowside (H) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 2–2 | Archie Kyle, Jimmy Speirs | [46] | ||
| 35 | Bramall Lane (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 0–2 | none | [47] | ||
| 36 | Firhill (H) | 5,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 0–1 | none | [48] | ||
| 37 | Hillsborough (A) | 3,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 2–2 | Alec Bennett, James Bowie | [49] | ||
| 38 | Cathkin Park | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–2 | Willie Reid | [50] | ||
| 39 | Bramall Lane (A) | 7,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 1–1 | Andy McAtee | [51] | ||
| 40 | Ibrox (H) | 8,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 3–0 | Willie Reid, Jimmy Galt, Patsy Gallacher | [52] | ||
| 41 | Hillsborough (A) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–2 | Willie Reid | [53] | ||
| 42 | Firhill (H) | 7,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–1 | Andy Fyfe (3), Adam McLean | |||
| 43 | Bramall Lane (A) | 25,000[54] | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 1–1 | Jimmy Kinloch | [55] | ||
| 44 | Firhill (H) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 5–0 | Adam McLean, Jimmy Kinloch, James McAlpine, Harry Rae, Alec Reid | [56] | ||
| 45 | Hillsborough (A) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–1 | Jimmy Kinloch, Tommy McInally | [57] | ||
| 46 | Hampden Park (H) | 14,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 5–0 | Tommy McInally (3), Robert Gillespie, Patsy Gallacher | [58] [59] | ||
| 47 | Bramall Lane (A) | 18,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 1–1 | Bobby McKay | [60] | ||
| 48 | Firhill (H) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–1 | Bill Johnstone (2) | [61] | ||
| 49 | Hillsborough (A) | 12,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–4 | Jimmy Simpson | |||
| 50 | Hampden Park (H) | 13,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 5–1 | Stewart Chalmers (2), Davie Ness, James McAlpine, Jimmy Fleming | [62] [63] | ||
| 51 | Bramall Lane (A) | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 0–2 | none | [64] | |||
| 52 | Hampden Park (H) | 8,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–1 | John Simpson (2), George Brown, James Crawford | [65] | ||
| 53 | Hillsborough (A) | 10,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–7 | Jim Murray, John Torbet | [66] | ||
| 54 | Ibrox (H) | 6,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–1 | Own goal,[67] Neil Dewar (3) | [68] | ||
| 55 | Bramall Lane (A) | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–3 | Billy Boyd, Johnny McKenzie (2), Hugh O'Donnell | [69] | |||
| 56 | Firhill (H) | 8,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–4 | James Crawford, Alex Venters | [70] | ||
| 57 | Hillsborough (A) | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–3 | George Hay | [71] | |||
| 58 | Hampden Park (H) | 7,800 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–2 | Alex McSpadyen | |||
| 59 | Belle Vue (Doncaster) (A) | 7,971 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 2–1 | Edwin Watson (2) | [72] | ||
| 60 | Ibrox (H) | 2,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 1–5 | Tom Robertson | [73] [74] | ||
| 61 | Bramall Lane (A) | 22,500 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–4 | Jimmy Walker (2) | |||
| 62 | Shawfield (H) | 20,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 4–5 | Bert Cromar, Tommy Ring, Charlie Tully, Jimmy Ward | [75] | ||
| 63 | Hillsborough (A) | 23,032 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 2–3 | Bert McCann, Bobby Collins | |||
| 64 | Shawfield (H) | 13,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 2–2 | Tommy Ring, Bobby Craig | |||
| 65 | Bramall Lane (A) | 10,986 | align=center bgcolor=lightpink | 0–3 | none | |||
| 66 | Firhill (H) | 22,000[76] | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 4–0 | Ian McMillan, Davie McParland, John Coyle, Matt Gray | [77] | ||
| 67 | Hillsborough (A) | align=center bgcolor=lightyellow | 1–1 | Matt Gray | [78] | |||
| 68 | Celtic Park (H) | 7,000 | align=center bgcolor=lightgreen | 5–0 | Matt Gray, Davie McParland, George Smith (2), Alex Harley | [79] |
Glasgow's score is given first in all cases.
| Date | Venue | Att. | Score | Glasgow goalscorers | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hampden Park (I) (H) | 5,000 | 4–0 | John Kay, Frank Shaw, William Harrower, W. Pringle | [81] | ||
| 2 | Kennington Oval (A) | 3,500 | 2–3 | Woodville Gray (2) | [82] | ||
| 3 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 5,000 | 6–2 | William Anderson (2), William Sellar, John Marshall, William Harrower, Charles Campbell | [83] | ||
| 4 | Kennington Oval (A) | 2,000 | 5–2 | William Sellar (2), G. Miller (2), J. Brown | [84] | ||
| 5 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 4,000 | 2–2 | Charles Heggie, John Marshall | [85] | ||
| 6 | Kennington Oval (A) | 0–3 | none | ||||
| 7 | Hampden Park (II) (H) | 2,000 | 5–1 | John McPherson, James McPherson, George Hector (2), Willie Paul | [86] | ||
| 8 | Kennington Oval (A) | 3–2 | [87] |