Football in Glasgow

Rangers vs Motherwell by Neil Scott

After the successful hosting of the 2002 Champions League Final and 2007 Uefa Cup final, Glasgow has established itself as a destination for football pilgrims from across the world. In the Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers, the city boasts two of the most illustrious teams in football history and, whilst the reputation of Scottish Premier League (SPL) has diminished somewhat in recent years, the fans are still as passionate as ever.

History weighs heavily on Scottish football with sectarian enmities, traced back hundreds of years, finding release in the Old Firm derby. Tickets for Celtic/Rangers games are very difficult to get without paying a lot, but you should be able to pick up a ticket for all other home games for around -£25.

Celtic are based in the East of the city, at Celtic Park in Parkhead. They are known as the Bhoys and still revel in the freeplaying football that won them the European Cup in 1967.

Their rivals, Rangers, play at Ibrox Stadium in the West of the city and are known as the Gers. They’ve dominated the Scottish league in recent years with a robust style of play inspired by their manager, Walter Smith.

In the North West of the city, you is Partick Thistle, a small but valiant club, who play at Firhill, near the Firth and Clyde Canal. Partick Thistle are known as the “Jags” and are popular amongst anti-sectarians and the student population of Glasgow.

Last, but not least, is Queen’s Park, one of the oldest clubs in the world. They are famous for being the only amateur team in the Scottish League (reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi, to play for the sake of playing). They play at Hampden, which is also the Scottish national football stadium.

It is at Hampden that you visit the Scottish Football Museum, learning more about the history of the game and Scotland’s place in it (including a scale reconstruction of Archie Gemmill’s goal against Holland in the 1978 world cup).

Other Scottish league clubs nearby include:
Clyde FC, Albion Rovers, Motherwell, Hamilton Academicals, Airdrie United, Ayr United and the two Edinburgh teams, Hearts and Hibernian.