# Glasgow Charity Cup

The Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup was a knockout football tournament open to teams from in and around Glasgow and later on in the tournament's history, teams from outwith Glasgow. Invitations were made and sent out by the Glasgow Charity Cup Committee (GCCC) at their discretion, but no criteria were ever published.
Like many domestic competitions in Scottish football, it was dominated by the Old Firm of Rangers and Celtic, with 31 and 28 victories each respectively. In the latter years of the tournament, it ceased being a knockout tournament and became a one-off contest between a Glasgow Select and a team invited from the English League.

## Clubs

The early years of the tournament featured teams from outside Glasgow. The committee often invited teams based on name and popularity.
Half of the eight-team draw for the 1887–88 tournament included Hibernian, Dumbarton, Renton, and Vale of Leven. All four clubs were former Scottish Cup winners from outside the city.

## Charity

After Renton were presented with the trophy by the Lord Provost of Glasgow in 1886, it was revealed a total of £5620 had been raised for local charities since the tournament had been instituted (equivalent to almost £750,000 in 2021 rates). An academic study in 2008 calculated that during its 90-year existence the competition raised funds to the value of £11 million.
A portion of the proceeds from 1887–88 went Edinburgh and Dumbartonshire charities, as teams from these areas competed for the cup too.

## Finals

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Attendance |
| 1876–77 | Queens Park (1) | 4–0 | Rangers | 1st Hampden Park | 10,000 |
| 1877–78 | Queens Park (2) | 1–0 | Vale of Leven | 1st Hampden Park | 3,000 |
| 1878–79 | Rangers (1) | 2–1 | Vale of Leven | 1st Hampden Park | 10,000 |
| 1879–80 | Queen's Park | 1–1 | Rangers | 1st Hampden Park | 6,500 |
| 1879–80 (R) | Queen's Park (3) | 2–1 | Rangers | Kinning Park | 5,500 |
| 1880–81 | Queen's Park | 1–1 | Rangers | 1st Hampden Park | 6,000 |
| 1880–81 (R) | Queen's Park (4) | 3–1 | Rangers | Kinning Park | 10,000 |
| 1881–82 | Vale of Leven | 2–2 | Dumbarton | 1st Hampden Park | 7,000 |
| 1881–82 (R) | Vale of Leven (1) | 1–0 | Dumbarton | 1st Hampden Park | 10,000 |
| 1882–83 | Queen's Park (5) | 4–1 | Rangers | 1st Hampden Park | 8,000 |
| 1883–84 | Queen's Park | 1–1 | Third Lanark | 1st Cathkin Park | 5,000 |
| 1883–84 (R) | Queen's Park (6) | 8–0 | Third Lanark | Titwood Park | 4,000 |
| 1884–85 | Queen's Park (7) | 1–0 | Dumbarton | 2nd Hampden Park | 2,241 |
| 1885–86 | Renton (1) | 3–1 | Vale of Leven | 2nd Hampden Park | 4,000 |
| 1886–87 | Renton (2) | 1–0 | Vale of Leven | 2nd Hampden Park | 10,000 |
| 1887–88 | Renton (3) | 4–0 | Cambuslang | 2nd Hampden Park | 5,000 |
| 1888–89 | Renton | 2–2 | Queen's Park | 2nd Hampden Park | 8,982 |
| 1889 (R) | Renton (4) | 3–1 | Queen's Park | 2nd Hampden Park | 7,380 |
| 1889–90 | Third Lanark (1) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | 2nd Hampden Park | 8,102 |
| 1890–91 | Queen's Park | 1–1 | Northern | 2nd Hampden Park | 2,204 |
| 1891 (R) | Queen's Park (8) | 9–1 | Northern | 2nd Hampden Park | 1,562 |
| 1,562 |||
| 1891–92 | Celtic (1) | 2–0 | Rangers | 1st Celtic Park | 7,000 |
| 1892–93 | Celtic (2) | 5–0 | Rangers | 1st Celtic Park | 5,000 |
| 1893–94 | Celtic (3) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | 1st Ibrox Park | 12,000 |
| 1894–95 | Celtic (4) | 4–0 | Rangers | 1st Cathkin Park | 10,000 |
| 1895–96 | Celtic (5) | 2–1 (aet) | Queen's Park | 1st Ibrox Park | 12,000 |
| 1896–97 | Rangers (2) | 6–1 | Third Lanark | 2nd Hampden Park | 10,000 |
| 1897–98 | Third Lanark (2) | 1–0 | Rangers | 1st Cathkin Park | 8,000 |
| 1898–99 | Celtic (6) | 2–0 | Rangers | 2nd Hampden Park | 20,000 |
| 1899–1900 | Rangers (3) | 5–1 | Celtic | 2nd Hampden Park | 15,000 |
| 1900–01 | Third Lanark | 0–0 | Celtic | Gilmorehill | 12,000 |
| 1900–01 (R) | Third Lanark (3) | 3–0 | Celtic | Gilmorehill | 7,000 |
| 1901–02 | Hibernian (1) | 6–2 | Celtic | 2nd Hampden Park | 8,000 |
| 8,000 |||
| 1902–03 | Celtic (7) | 5–2 | St Mirren | 1st Cathkin Park | 14,000 |
| 1903–04 | Rangers (4) | 5–2 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1904–05 | Celtic (8) | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Ibrox Park | 12,000 |
| 1905–06 | Rangers (5) | 3–2 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 26,000 |
| 1906–07 | Rangers (6) | 1–0 | Celtic | Ibrox Park | 35,000 |
| 1907–08 | Celtic (9) | 3–0 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 31,000 |
| 1908–09 | Rangers (7) | 4–2 | Celtic | Celtic Park | 25,000 |
| 1909–10 | Clyde (1) | 1–1 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | 20,000 |
| 20,000 ||||
| 1910–11 | Rangers (8) | 2–1 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1911–12 | Celtic (10) | 0–0 | Clyde | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 25,000 ||||
| 1912–13 | Celtic (11) | 3–2 | Rangers | Celtic Park | 30,000 |
| 1913–14 | Celtic (12) | 6–0 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | 8,000 |
| 1914–15 | Celtic (13) | 3–2 | Rangers | Ibrox Park | 30,000 |
| 1915–16 | Celtic (14) | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1916–17 | Celtic (15) | 1–0 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 35,000 |
| 1917–18 | Celtic (16) | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 30,000 |
| 1918–19 | Rangers (9) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 50,000 |
| 1919–20 | Celtic (17) | 1–0 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 45,000 |
| 1920–21 | Celtic (18) | 2–0 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 55,000 |
| 1921–22 | Rangers (10) | 3–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 43,000 |
| 1922–23 | Rangers (11) | 4–0 | Queen's Park | Ibrox Park | 35,000 |
| 1923–24 | Celtic (19) | 2–1 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 27,000 |
| 1924–25 | Rangers (12) | 1–0 | Clyde | Ibrox Park |
| 1925–26 | Celtic (20) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | Ibrox Park | 24,000 |
| 1926–27 | Partick Thistle (1) | 6–3 (aet) | Rangers | Hampden Park | 18,599 |
| 1927–28 | Rangers (13) | 3–1 | Queen's Park | Celtic Park | 27,000 |
| 1928–29 | Rangers (14) | 4–2 | Celtic | Firhill Park | 25,288 |
| 1929–30 | Rangers (15) | 2–2 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 35,667 |
| Hampden Park |||||
| 1930–31 | Rangers (16) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 26,000 |
| 1931–32 | Rangers (17) | 6–1 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | |
| 1932–33 | Rangers (18) | 1–0 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1933–34 | Rangers (19) | 1–0 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 36,000 |
| 1934–35 | Partick Thistle (2) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 16,550 |
| 1935–36 | Celtic (21) | 4–2 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 43,000 |
| 1936–37 | Celtic (22) | 4–3 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 21,000 |
| 1937–38 | Celtic (23) | 2–0 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 40,000 |
| 1938–39 | Rangers (20) | 0–0 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | 29,448 |
| Hampden Park ||||
| 1939–40 | Rangers (21) | 1–1 | Clyde | Hampden Park | 12,924 |
| Hampden Park ||||
| 1940–41 | Rangers (22) | 3–0 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1941–42 | Rangers (23) | 3–1 | Clyde | Hampden Park | |
| 1942–43 | Celtic (24) | 3–0 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| 1943–44 | Rangers (24) | 2–1 | Clyde | Hampden Park | 38,549 |
| 1944–45 | Rangers (25) | 2–1 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 50,000 |
| 1945–46 | Rangers (26) | 2–0 | Third Lanark | Hampden Park | |
| 1946–47 | Rangers (27) | 1–0 | Celtic | Ibrox Park | 40,000 |
| 1947–48 | Rangers (28) | 2–0 | Celtic | Hampden Park | 69,000 |
| 1948–49 | Partick Thistle (3) | 2–1 (aet) | Celtic | Hampden Park | |
| 1949–50 | Celtic (25) | 3–2 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 81,000 |
| 1950–51 | Rangers (29) | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 30,000 |
| 1951–52 | Clyde (2) | 2–2 | Third Lanark (4) | Hampden Park | 25,000 |
| Hampden Park ||||
| 1952–53 | Celtic (26) | 3–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 41,156 |
| 1953–54 | Third Lanark (5) | 1–0 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 18,040 |
| 1954–55 | Rangers (30) | 3–1 | Queen's Park | Hampden Park | 15,552 |
| 1955–56 | Third Lanark (6) | 4–2 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 15,000 |
| 1956–57 | Rangers (31) | 2–1 | Queen's Park | Ibrox Park | 22,000 |
| 1957–58 | Clyde (3) | 4–0 | Rangers | Hampden Park | 18,000 |
| 1958–59 | Celtic (27) | 5–0 | Clyde | Hampden Park | 20,000 |
| 1959–60 | Rangers (32) | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Hampden Park | 8,296 |
| 1960–61 | Celtic (28) | 1–1 | Clyde (5) | Hampden Park | 12,061 |
| 12,061 |||
| 1961–62 | Not held - moved from end-of-season event in May 1961 to start-of-season event in August 1962. | Not held - moved from end-of-season event in May 1961 to start-of-season event in August 1962. | Not held - moved from end-of-season event in May 1961 to start-of-season event in August 1962. | Not held - moved from end-of-season event in May 1961 to start-of-season event in August 1962. | Not held - moved from end-of-season event in May 1961 to start-of-season event in August 1962. |
| 1962–63 | Manchester United (1) | 4–2 | Glasgow Select | Hampden Park | 82,000 |
| 1963–64 | Glasgow Select (1) | 2–1 | Manchester United | Hampden Park | 48,576 |
| 1964–65 | Glasgow Select (2) | 4–3 | Tottenham Hotspur | Hampden Park | 58,768 |
| 1965–66 | Chelsea (1) | 3–0 | Glasgow Select | Hampden Park | 36,000 |
| 1966–67 | Glasgow Select (3) | 1–1 | Leeds United (1) | Hampden Park | 15,000 |
| 15,000 |||
| 1967–68 | Glasgow Select v Arsenal was scheduled for August. Poor conditions and continuous conflicts with rescheduling meant tie was never played. | Glasgow Select v Arsenal was scheduled for August. Poor conditions and continuous conflicts with rescheduling meant tie was never played. | Glasgow Select v Arsenal was scheduled for August. Poor conditions and continuous conflicts with rescheduling meant tie was never played. | Glasgow Select v Arsenal was scheduled for August. Poor conditions and continuous conflicts with rescheduling meant tie was never played. | Glasgow Select v Arsenal was scheduled for August. Poor conditions and continuous conflicts with rescheduling meant tie was never played. |

## Performance by club

| Club | Wins | Last win | Runners-up | Last final lost |
| Rangers | 32 | 1960 | 19 | 1958 |
| Celtic | 28 | 1961 | 14 | 1949 |
| Queen's Park | 8 | 1891 | 20 | 1957 |
| Third Lanark | 6 | 1956 | 8 | 1946 |
| Clyde | 4 | 1961 | 6 | 1959 |
| Renton | 4 | 1889 | — | — |
| Partick Thistle | 3 | 1949 | 7 | 1960 |
| Glasgow Select | 3 | 1966 | 2 | 1965 |
| Vale of Leven | 1 | 1882 | 4 | 1887 |
| Manchester United | 1 | 1962 | 1 | 1963 |
| Hibernian | 1 | 1902 | — | — |
| Chelsea | 1 | 1965 | — | — |
| Leeds United | 1 | 1966 | — | — |
| Dumbarton | — | — | 2 | 1885 |
| Cambuslang | — | — | 1 | 1888 |
| Northern | — | — | 1 | 1891 |
| St Mirren | — | — | 1 | 1903 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | — | — | 1 | 1964 |