page_title: History of Celtic F.C. (1887–1994)
section_title: Early years (1887–1897)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Celtic F.C. (1887–1994) / Early years (1887–1897)
caption_attribution_description: English: Andrew Kerins (1840–1915), known by his religious name "Brother Walfrid", an Irish Marist Brother and founder of Celtic Football Club.
context_page_description: Celtic Football Club has always competed in the highest level of football in Scotland, currently the Scottish Premiership. The club was constituted in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic play home games at Celtic Park, having moved there from their original ground in 1892. The club quickly established itself as a dominant force in Scottish football, winning six successive league titles during the first decade of the 20th century. A fierce rivalry developed with Rangers, and the two clubs became known as the Old Firm.
  Under manager Jock Stein, in 1967 Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup, which had previously been the preserve of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish clubs. Celtic is one of only two clubs to have won the trophy with a team composed entirely of players from the club's home country; all of the players in the side were born within 30 miles of Celtic Park in Glasgow.
  Celtic won nine successive league titles from 1966–1974, then a world record. The club continued to enjoy domestic success throughout the 70s and 80s, despite the rise of the so-called New Firm of Aberdeen and Dundee United.
context_section_description: Celtic Football Club was formally constituted at a meeting in St. Mary's church hall in East Rose Street (now Forbes Street), Calton, Glasgow, by Irish Marist Brother Walfrid on 6 November 1887, with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the East End of Glasgow by raising money for the charity Walfrid had instituted, the Poor Children's Dinner Table. Walfrid's move to establish the club as a means of fund-raising was largely inspired by the example of Hibernian who were formed out of the immigrant Irish population a few years earlier in Edinburgh. Walfrid's own suggestion of the name 'Celtic' (still pronounced Seltik, the standard pronunciation in the 19th century), was intended to reflect the club's Irish and Scottish roots, and was adopted at the same meeting. The club has the official nickname, "The Bhoys". However, according to the Celtic press office, the newly established club was known to many as "the bold boys". A postcard from the early 20th century that pictured the team, and read "The Bould Bhoys", is the first known example of the unique spelling. The extra 'h' imitates the spelling system of Gaelic, where the letter B is often accompanied by the letter H.
  On 28 May 1888, Celtic played their first official match against Rangers and won 5–2 in what was described as a "friendly encounter". Neil McCallum scored Celtic's first ever goal. The derby between the two rivals became inescapably linked with the slogan: the Old Firm.  The actual origins of the term are unclear; some believe it relates to a newspaper comment made that the players in their first meeting got on so well that they appeared to be "old firm friends", whilst others believe it to be a cynical observation of the commercial benefits that the two clubs enjoyed as their rivalry grew.
  Celtic's first kit consisted of a white shirt with a green collar, black shorts, and emerald green socks. The original club crest was a simple green cross on a red oval background.  In 1889 the club adopted a strip of white and green vertical stripes before finally taking up the now famous green and white hoops in 1903.
  While Brother Walfrid had only charitable motives for the club, others saw huge financial potential. John Glass, a Scottish builder with Donegal family connections and Pat Welsh, a tailor who had left Ireland 20 years previously, observed the coming of professionalism in England in 1885 and correctly assumed that Scotland would follow.  In August 1888, without the knowledge of Brother Walfrid or the club committee, Glass signed eight of Hibs’ best players, having offered them cash inducements. The consequences for Hibernian were catastrophic due to the loss of so many players. They went into immediate decline and went out business by the end of the season, although quickly reformed and managed to re-establish themselves in Scottish football.
  In 1889 Celtic reached the final of the Scottish Cup, this was their first season in the competition, but lost 2–1 to Third Lanark in the final. They also reached the final of the local Glasgow North Eastern Cup and beat Cowlairs 6–1 in the final. Celtic again reached the final of the Scottish Cup in 1892, but this time were victorious after defeating Queen's Park 5–1 in the final which was held at Rangers' stadium, Ibrox Park. Sandy McMahon and John Campbell both scored twice in the game, helping Celtic win their first major honour. Several months later the club moved to its new ground, Celtic Park, and in the following season won the Scottish Football League for the first ever time. On 26 October 1895, Celtic set the League record for the highest home score when they beat Dundee 11–0.
caption: Brother Walfrid, founder of Celtic F.C.
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