The remarkable story of Celtic’s six-in-a-row from 1905-10

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The Celtic Star

·25 de abril de 2025

The remarkable story of Celtic’s six-in-a-row from 1905-10

Tomorrow’s match versus Dundee United could see Celtic secure their 55th title. Today (25 April 2025) also marks the anniversary of a notable League achievement in Celtic’s past…

Every fan of the club knows about the club’s two nine-in-a-row league runs. However, in the early 1900s, there was another period of sustained league success.

From 1905 to 1910, the Celts each year celebrated being Champions, setting a record that would last for decades. And it was also an era of historic events and controversies for the Bhoys.

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This is the story of Celtic and six-in-a-row.

When Celtic were formed in 1887, there was not yet a Scottish League. Instead, clubs competed for various cups, with the Scottish Cup being the most renowned prize in the country. Even after the League had been established in 1890, the Scottish Cup initially remained Scotland’s premier competition.

However, as the new century arrived, this was changing. Increasingly, the League was seen as the most important event for Scottish clubs. By the time of the 1904-05 season, Celtic had been champions four times, although not since 1898.

The lead up to 1904-05 had been a momentous one for Celtic, full of multiple incidents. August 1903 had seen Celtic switch to the now world-famous Hoops, and also take part in their first ever European tour when they went to Austria and Bohemia.

There were also major problems for the club. May 1904 witnessed a major fire at Celtic Park which destroyed the club’s grandstand and pavilion. This was not insured and left Celtic with a huge repair bill, although bizarrely did not stop sports events being held at the park.

Continues on the next page…

1904-05

Celtic 1904 Champions. Photo The Celtic Wiki

By August 1904, Celtic were again ready to get into action. Having won the 1904 Scottish Cup – the first such final at the current Hampden Park – they hoped to use this as a springboard for league success.

This season included different examples of cup success for the Celts. Although the Bhoys were knocked out the Scottish Cup at the semi-final stage, they did claim the Glasgow Cup and Charity Cup, beating Rangers and Partick Thistle respectively.

However, it was in the League that they would have a truly memorable conclusion. With two games remaining, Celtic and Rangers were almost inseparable at the top of the table. The Bhoys then went to Ibrox.

This game was originally scheduled for 1 January 1905. And in fact, that game was started but had to be abandoned on 70 minutes, with the scoreline reading 0-0. The exit gates had broken and large crowds had rushed in, spilling onto the park.

In February 1905, the match was replayed and victory was essential for Celtic’s title hopes. Four goals later – thanks to doubles from Quinn and Hamilton – and the Celts had a 4-1 victory. Then two weeks later, the Bhoys beat Motherwell 6-2 to finish the season on 41 points.

However, this ended up being the same total as the Ibrox side. In those days, goal difference or similar was not used to separate teams that were tied on points. Instead, a playoff game was the method.

Before this could be played, another match served as a further sign of growing trouble between Celtic and Rangers, the year after the term ‘Old Firm’ was first coined.

Rangers came to Celtic Park for the Scottish Cup semi-final. It saw Jimmy Quinn sent off for kicking an opponent, and fans invaded the pitch on the 80th minute, meaning the fixture was abandoned. Despite the match not being concluded, Rangers were awarded the tie because they had been winning 2-0.

By May 1905, it was time to finally settle the destination of the championship. The two sides met at Hampden Park in a one-off match, which also doubled as a Glasgow League fixture.

So contentious were previous games that Fred Kirkham, an English referee, was brought in to officiate. Kirkham was best known as a domestic and international referee, although he also briefly managed Tottenham Hotspur from 1907 to 1908.

One hour into the match, it was still goalless. And then came ten minutes of excitement. Hamilton and then McMenemy put the Celts two goals ahead, before Rangers’ Robertson halved the deficit.

Despite further chances at both ends, 2-1 proved to be the final score, giving the Bhoys their first twentieth century title, and also first when wearing the Hoops.

Continues on the next page…

1905-06

Celtic Champions 1905. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Into a new season, and once again, Celtic’s cup record was mixed. They were knocked out of the Scottish Cup in the third round, and suffered a 5-3 defeat from Rangers in the Charity Cup. But the Glasgow Cup remained at Celtic Park after a 3-0 defeat of Third Lanark.

This final took place at Hampden, and it was not the only time that Celtic celebrated at that ground. In the end, Celtic’s 1905-06 title was sealed in the same place as their previous championship.

On 10 March 1906, Celtic went to Hampden, this time to face the usual home team, Queen’s Park. The match was an utterly one-sided affair as the Hoops won 6-0, thanks to a Jimmy Quinn hat-trick, as well as goals from Hamilton, McMenemy and Bennett.

These two points meant that the Bhoys were now too far ahead for nearest challengers Hearts to catch. This was suitable revenge after the Edinburgh men had knocked Celtic out of the Scottish Cup.

For the second time in their history, and more than a decade after first doing this, Celtic had won two successive league titles.

Continues on the next page…

1906-07

Celtic Champions 1906/07. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The start of the 1906-07 season showed again the strange relationship which existed in this era between Celtic and Rangers. They were increasingly bitter rivals – especially the fans – and yet positive links remained too.

The Bhoys opened the season with a trip to Ibrox for a benefit game for Rangers’ Finlay Speedie. Such games were common between the sides at this time. Rangers won 4-2 but the main issue of the day was a serious injury to Celtic goalkeeper Davie Adams, who would be out of action for some time.

As a result, Rangers loaned their reserve ‘keeper Tom Sinclair to Celtic. And Sinclair ended up setting a Celtic record that stood alone for more than a century when he kept clean sheets in Celtic’s six opening league games, and eight games in total including two Glasgow Cup ties.

This helped Celtic en route to claiming their third Glasgow Cup in a row, although again they lost in the Charity Cup. Their Scottish Cup experience proved to be historic, part of a momentous four days for the Hoops.

Jimmy Hay was appointed Celtic’s captain in 1906, and he wanted to mark this with more silverware. After winning the Glasgow Cup, the next trophy available was the Scottish Cup.

On 20 April 1907, the Bhoys went to Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final. In front of them stood the current holders, Hearts. 50,000 watched what proved to be a simple victory for Celtic. Two goals from Peter Somers and a penalty from Willie Orr ensured the Bhoys won their fifth Scottish Cup.

Four days later, history was made. Celtic went to Glasgow’s west end to play Partick Thistle at Meadowside. Victory would ensure that Celtic were champions for the third successive time. In this case, goals from Bennett and Quinn gave Celtic the points they needed.

This was a notable Scottish football moment as the first time that a team had completed the League and Scottish Cup double, although it would not be the last time. Perhaps disappointingly, only 4000 had attended this Wednesday night fixture to see history being made.

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1907-08

The Celtic team pose with three cups they won in season 1907-08. The Charity Cup, The Scottish Cup and the Glasgow Cup.Back row from left: T.White, J Kelly, T.Colgan, J. McKillop, J Grant, M Dunbar,Middle Row: Manager Willie Maley, Jim Young, P Somers, Jimmy McMenemy, Davy Adams, Mitchell, Weir, R Davis.Front row: D Hamilton, D McLeod, W Loney, J Hay, Jimmy Quinn, Alec McNair. Photo The Celtic Wiki

After the highs of 1906-07, Celtic wanted to continue their momentum into season 1907-08. It’s fair to say that they did exactly this.

The campaign started with another Celtic-Rangers benefit game, this time for the Bhoys’ Willie Loney. They would face Rangers several more times, including three matches to settle the Glasgow Cup Final, which Celtic won. However, multiple replays would shortly become a major issue between the two clubs.

With one piece of silverware in the trophy room, Celtic now turned their attention to the Scottish Cup. By the time the final came round in April 1908, it was only St Mirren who could stop the Hoops retaining the trophy.

60,000 watched on as the Paisley men collapsed, falling to a 5-1 hammering by the Celts. A double from Bennett and other goals from Quinn, Somers and Hamilton made the Celtic fans cheer. And a week later, they would again have even more to celebrate.

Celtic returned to Glasgow’s southside, this time going to Ibrox. A green-and-white win would mean that Celtic were again not simply Champions, but Treble winners too. And by the end of the 90 minutes, that’s exactly what happened, with Bennett’s first half goal settling the match.

Even with three prizes in the bag, Celtic were far from finished. By the end of May 1908, a fourth success had been added to this season’s roll of honour. Back at Hampden Park, Celtic beat Queen’s Park by three goals to nil, and again claimed the Glasgow Charity Cup.

Season 1907-08 was a truly remarkable one for Celtic. The Bhoys entered four contests – the League, Scottish Cup, Glasgow Cup and Charity Cup – and won all of them. It was surely the best season in the club’s history up to that point, and arguably still stands out as a massive moment.

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1908-09

Celtic Champions 1909. Photo The Celtic Wiki

With memories of the previous season still fresh, Celtic again had high hopes for the coming months. Whilst 1908-09 brought success, it was not on the same scale as the year before. In fact, one of those trophies would not be won by anyone.

By the end of the season, Celtic had lost two cup finals. The Glasgow Cup went to Third Lanark, who beat Celtic in a second replay, and it was Rangers who left Celtic Park with the Charity Cup. But the most infamous of all the finals came in the Scottish Cup.

In this era, penalty kicks had not been invented, and so drawn finals went to replays. The usual practice was that extra time was only used in the second replay. This caused suspicions amongst fans that games would be deliberately drawn so replays could take place and more money be raised.

On 10 April 1909, Celtic were again in the Scottish Cup Final, hoping to win it for a third successive season. Their opponents were Rangers. The first match ended 2-2; Celtic had taken the lead but ultimately needed a late equaliser to stay in the tie.

Then came the replay, which was held one week later. Again, tens of thousands went to Hampden, although the crowd was smaller than the week before. This time, Rangers took the lead until an equaliser from Jimmy Quinn made it 1-1, which was the final score.

At this point, chaos descended. Fans had believed that there would be extra time, but instead another replay was needed. This was too much for supporters, and a massive riot began. It saw huge destruction at Hampden, including arson and cutting up the pitch. There were also attacks on the police and fire brigade.

By the time the police had cleared the scene, the scale of the devastation became clear. When the SFA met to discuss the matter on the following Monday; both clubs said they did not want another replay. Instead, the cup was withheld for that year, and Celtic hopes of a third double came to an end.

Despite these shocking events, Celtic could at least still claim their fifth successive title. On the final day of the league season, Celtic went to Douglas Park in Hamilton. The Bhoys were only a point clear of nearest challengers Dundee and so needed a victory to confirm their position as champions.

A first-half goal from Hamilton – that is Celtic’s player David, not Hamilton Accies! – relaxed the Bhoys, and a second half shot from McMenemy doubled the advantage. Despite a very late goal from the home men, with almost the last kick of the ball, Celtic claimed victory, and thus their fifth title in a row.

In a momentous season, this was another huge achievement for the Bhoys.

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1909-10

In terms of cup finals, season 1909-10 was a very different experience from what had gone before.

Neither Celtic or Rangers made the final of the Charity Cup, the first time in almost two decades that neither of the Old Firm featured. Also, the Scottish Cup – which again went to a second replay! – was at least settled, with Dundee eventually beating Clyde.

In the Glasgow Cup though, Celtic again celebrated. In October 1909, Celtic again met Rangers in a Hampden final. Once more, perhaps fearing complaints, an English referee was appointed. He oversaw a 1-0 win for the Hoops, thanks to a second half Jimmy Quinn goal.

In the League, Celtic were once again in the hunt for the honours, although were being pushed all the way by Falkirk. With two games to go, Celtic had a chance to seal the title. On 25 April 1910 – 115 years ago, and Willie Maley’s 42nd birthday – Hibs came to Glasgow’s east end.

Celtic’s top of the table advantage meant they needed only one point from their remaining two games to be Champions. Despite the prospect of a sixth successive title, fan interest was limited and only 3000 attended the match.

Those at the game had no goals to cheer or jeer. The match finished 0-0, and Celtic were champions again. This was the only title of the six that was sealed at Celtic Park.

Despite the low key nature of victory, this six-in-a-row league run was a momentous achievement, a record that would stand in Scotland until Celtic themselves beat it in 1972.

In season 1910-11, Rangers were Champions. Celtic’s run of six successive titles came to an end. In recognition of this remarkable run, the Scottish League presented Celtic with a special shield to mark this.

When it comes to successive League titles, Celtic fans first thoughts will always go to nine-in-a-row. The Celts did this for a second time from 2012 to 2020, but the 1966-74 run will always have a more famous place in history, owing to Celtic’s European success in this era.

However, the six-in-a-row run of 1905-1910 is also something that deserves a more prominent place in the Celtic story. Not only was this a world record, it was an achievement not beaten in Scotland for more than six decades.

As well as featuring some memorable – and infamous – events, it also includes some of the most celebrated players in Celtic’s history, including men such as Jimmy Quinn, Jimmy McMenemy and Alec McNair, and was overseen by Willie Maley, the club’s longest serving manager.

So all hail Celtic, six-in-a-row Champions! And hopefully title winners this Saturday too.

Matthew Marr

If you want to learn more about Celtic history, follow Hail Hail History on Twitter/X. You can also take part in a FREE Celtic history walking tour. Visit celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com for more information.

Click on cover to order a hardback copy

Matthew’s debut Celtic book titled ‘The Bould Bhoys – Glory to their name’ was published by Celtic Star Books last year and is available to order HERE. This brilliant book is also available on Amazon Kindle for just £3.49 and includes all photo sections that appear in the hardback edition.

Matthew Marr with his debut Celtic book, Glory to their name, which tells the story of Celtic’s first ever title win. Photo The Celtic Star

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books.