Oldest Ibrox photo, Celtic’s Grant stand – Celtic 23 Rangers 3 – “A forcible tap with his cranium”

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The Celtic Star

·7 March 2026

Oldest Ibrox photo, Celtic’s Grant stand – Celtic 23 Rangers 3 – “A forcible tap with his cranium”

For the second time in just over a week, Celtic today return to Glasgow’s southside. This time, the Bhoys are in Scottish Cup action and hope to go one better than last Sunday’s 2-2 draw…

Reo Hatate scores at Ibrox. theRangers 2 Celtic 2. Sunday 1st March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

It’s more than 125 years since the Celts first played at this Ibrox – and that was also a Scottish Cup fixture. It was a tale of various Scottish football firsts – and led to a notable ‘last’ too. In addition, it’s a story of how Celtic’s first visit marked two celebrations for the Bhoys.

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Like Celtic Park, the current Ibrox is not the first venue to have this name. In their early years, Rangers played in different locations before moving to the original Ibrox. They did so in 1887, the same year that Celtic would be formed.

By the late-1800s, the Light Blues wanted a new home. The first Ibrox was smaller than the second Celtic Park, which had opened in 1892. Size – and more modern settings – meant the east end ground was more likely to be chosen to host lucrative international fixtures and finals too.

In another echo of Celtic Park, Rangers identified land very close to their original home; work commenced on this constructing a new ground. By December 1899 it was ready. The home side won the first game at the venue, beating Hearts 3-1.

The oldest photograph of Ibrox

After opening the second Ibrox, the first competition featuring Celtic and Rangers came off the field. Rangers had a new home but Celtic Park had also this season seen the construction of a new stand. This was generally known as the ‘Grant Stand’ after James Grant, the man who financed it.

The Grant Stand at Celtic Park

The Grant Stand at Celtic Park. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The two stadiums went head-to-head to be chosen as the location for that season’s Scotland versus England fixture. This match was the highlight of the footballing calendar and guaranteed to attract large crowds – meaning big gate receipts.

Celtic 23 Rangers 3

Despite Rangers’ belief that their new ground would swing votes in their favour, an SFA meeting chose Celtic Park. It was an emphatic result: delegates voted 23 to three in favour of the for the green-and-white ground.

Celtic’s Jack Bell scored for Scotland at Celtic Park. Photo The Celtic Wiki

RS McColl

When the game was eventually played, Scotland also cheered a big victory as they crushed the ‘Auld Enemy’ by four goals to one, including one from Celtic’s Jack Bell. The other three came from Queen’s Park’s Robert Smyth McColl. He was better known for his chain of shops, R.S. McColl.

Robert “Bob” Smyth McColl was one of the greatest footballers of his day

A “Battle Royale”

On 24 February 1900, Celtic travelled to Ibrox for the first time. Anticipation was high before kick-off. Some reporters predicted a 50,000-strong crowd, while others suggested the match might resemble a “Battle Royale.”

Early on, those who attended may have felt underwhelmed. The opening half passed without a goal – but the second half would be very different.

Eight minutes after the restart, the home support erupted when Alec Smith found the net. From there, Rangers looked likely to score again and book their place in the final. Instead, defender Jock Drummond handled the ball as it neared the by-line, gifting Celtic a penalty.

Judging by reports from Rangers’ earlier matches at the new ground, this appears to have been the first penalty awarded at Ibrox – to any team, including Rangers themselves. Given the views some Celtic fans hold about refereeing at that stadium, this is a bizarre fact!

Celtic’s Johnny Campbell scored the first ever penalty at Ibrox

Celtic’s Johnny Campbell scoredthe first ever penalty at Ibrox. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Johnny Campbell converted the spot-kick, shifting momentum towards Celtic. They pushed forward, and soon Jack Bell added another, putting the men in green 2-1 ahead.

As the clock ticked down, Celtic looked destined for the final. But a last-minute strike from John McPherson levelled the tie, forcing a replay the following month.

Another consequence of the match was that Celtic ended Rangers’ perfect competitive home record at their new stadium. Although Rangers had lost a friendly to Everton, every Scottish side visiting Ibrox up to that point had been beaten. Celtic claimed yet another ‘first’.

Johnny Hodge scored for Celtic. Photo The Celtic Wiki

“A forcible tap with his cranium”

In March, it was Rangers’ turn to head east. They travelled to Celtic Park for the semi-final replay – and departed after a heavy defeat. Within five minutes, Jack Bell surged down the wing and crossed to the far post, where John Hodge applied “a forcible tap with his cranium” to give Celtic the lead.

Although Rangers created a few opportunities, the first half was dominated by relentless Celtic attacks. As one journalist observer put it: “[Celtic] seemed to feel that they had their opponents on toast, and, by Jingo! they had.”

Sandy McMahon doubled Celtic’s advantage

Sandy McMahon scored twice. Image by Celtic Curio

Still, the Bhoys struggled to extend their lead until just before half-time, when Sandy McMahon doubled the advantage. And any hopes Rangers had of rescuing the tie after the interval were quickly extinguished.

John Divers scored Celtic’s third. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Early in the second half, another header – this time from John Divers – made it 3-0 and effectively settled the contest. David Russell later added a fourth, sealing a commanding 4-0 win and a place in the Scottish Cup Final.

David Russell (back row 7th from left) scored for Celtic . Photo The Celtic Wiki

Celtic beat Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup Final

That final proved dramatic and memorable. Celtic faced Queen’s Park – at the time the most decorated club in the competition. The Hampden side endured a miserable afternoon.

In a goal-filled encounter, they were beaten 4-3 by Celtic. It remains Queen’s Park’s most recent appearance in a Scottish Cup Final, despite still being the tournament’s third most successful club.

The Celts’ first Ibrox experience proved to be a big day that set up the Celts for silverware – and created different pieces of Scottish football history. Here’s hoping that today’s game proves to be just as fruitful for the men in green-and-white.

C’mon Celts!

Matthew Marr

To find out the full story of Celtic’s first League title, you can buy Matthew Marr’s debut book, ‘The Bould Bhoys! Glory to their name’. It’s available now in our sale over on Celtic Star Books and is the ideal late Christmas present for yourself.

Click on image to order for just £10 plus p&p.

Follow Matthew on Twitter @hailhailhistory

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order