Celtic's 62 game unbeaten run

On November 13th 1915 Celtic were defeated 2-0 by Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle. The following week they beat Kilmarnock 2-0 at Celtic Park. This was the beginning of a 62 match unbeaten run.  

So, the story of this remarkable run begins and ends with Kilmarnock:

CELTIC BEATEN AT LAST

Kilmarnock accomplished at Parkhead on Saturday what they nearly achieved at home a few weeks ago; they are the first to defeat Celtic in the present League campaign, and thus put an end to a sequence of victories extending from the middle of December, 1915, until the pr.esent time. It was fitting that a team renowned for consistency should be defeated by opponents who have been more consistent than any other team when opposing the champions. If Sinclair were slightly at fault in the first game in allowing McMenemy to equalise when but three minutes remained for play, Kilmarnock’s regular custodian made no such mistake in the return engagement. The shooting of the Celtic forwards was not particularly deadly, and it was in leaving his goal to deal with corner kicks almost innumerable that Blair excelled. The winners were somewhat fortunate to score as they did twice in the first half, doubly so to find their opponents miss opportunities much more frequent and less difficult. But the losers had no room for complaint, save on their own incapacity at goal. They were at home, on a perfect pitch, with wind and sun minor and equal handicaps to both teams. The winners goals were scored before the interval, so there was nothing of a snatch victory about Kilmarnock’s successful venture. The mistake made by McNair in passing back to his goalkeeper would not have been fatal had the home forwards shown their usual judgement and taken advantage of much better openings that fell to Smith and Culley. The pity is that the champions’ first defeat was incurred in their last home engagement; a reverse at an earlier stage would have enlivened a competition that has long ceased to attract by reason of its being a competition in name only. 

The Glasgow Herald  23.04.17

1873

 We have previously alluded to the position of the Queen's Park club as a de facto governing body within Scottish football.

It comes as no surprise, then, to find that when steps were taken to actually form a Scottish Football Association that Queen's Park were the originators of the scheme. 

It all began with a proposal for a knock out competition along the lines of the FA Cup. On February 8th 1873 the committee of Queen's Park instructed the secretary, Archibald Rae to write to all Scottish clubs proposing a cup competition.

The resulting meeting on 13th March, 1873, was attended by representatives of  the following clubs (along, of course, with Queen's Park themselves):

 Clydesdale

Founded 1872, dissolved 1881, based in Kinning Park in south Glasgow (later home to Rangers).

Vale of Leven

Founded 1872, dissolved 1929, from Alexandria in West Dunbartonshire (to the west of Glasgow).In 1876 they became the first club to defeat Queen's Park ever! One of the first teams to seriously challenge the dominance of Queen's Park. Won the cup in 1877, 1878 and 1879.

Rovers FC

1873-78. Played at The Queen's Park , a public park in which Queen's Park had originally played. Rovers expressed an interest in the venture, but are not listed as founding members of the SFA.

Dumbreck

1871-79, based at Glasgow's Ibroxhill.

3rd Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers

Founded in 1872, the Cathkin Park club survived until 1967. Their military connections were by then a distant memory. Cup winners in 1889 and 1905.

Eastern
Active from 1873-85 Eastern were another 'public park' team based in Glasgow.

Granville 
1872-78. This was Granville's only entry into The Scottish Cup. 3 of the players in Scotland's first international XI were members of the club (as well as being members of Queen's Park).

The resolution passed on March 13th was:

The clubs here represented form themselves into an association for the promotion of football according to the rules of The Football Association and that the clubs connected with this association subscribe for a challenge cup to be played for annually, the committee to propose the laws of the competition.

The first elected officials were: 

President: Archibald Campbell (Clydesdale) 

Hon. treasurer: Mr. William Ker (Queen's Park)

Hon.secretary: Archibald Rae (Queen's Park) 

Committee:James Turnbull (Dumbreck), Don. McFarlane (Vale of Leven), Eben Hendry (Clydesdale), W. E. Dick (Third Lanark), John Mackay (Granville), James McIntyre (Eastern), Robert Gardner (Queen's Park), and William Gibb (Clydesdale).

 A special mention is due to :

Kilmarnock

One of the oldest clubs in Scotland, founded in 1869, Kilmarnock were technically not founder members. They did, however, send a letter to the meeting giving their support to the proposals . They had to wait a while for their cup successes, which came in 1920, 1929, and 1997.

These 9 clubs were joined by the following 7 for the first round of the the first edition of the Scottish FA Cup in October 1873.

Alexandra  Athletic
1873-84- based in the East End of Glasgow.

Callander
1872-74- a short lived Glasgow club who were Rangers' first ever opponents.

Dumbarton
1872- present. Currently in the second tier of Scottish football. Appeared in 6 Cup Finals in the 19th century , winning in 1883.

Renton
1872-1922.  The Dunbartonshire club were one of the big names in 19th century game.  Played in 5 Cup Finals in the 19th Century, winning in 1885 and 1888. They were World Champions in 1888.

Blythswood
1872-79. From Kelvinside in Glasgow.

Southern
1872-75. Scratched from their only ever Scottish FA Cup match.

Western
1873-78. Another Glasgow suburban team.