page_title: History of Celtic F.C. (1887–1994)
section_title: Willie Maley years (1897–1940)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Celtic F.C. (1887–1994) / Willie Maley years (1897–1940)
caption_attribution_description: English: Celtic - Championship, Cup and Glasgow Cup Winners 1917-1918
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: In 1897 the club became a Private limited company and Willie Maley was appointed as the first 'secretary-manager'. Having been a club that initially relied on buying in experienced players, Maley instead concentrated on developing young talent mainly from the Junior ranks.  This proved a success as Celtic went on to dominate Scottish football in the first decade of the 20th century, winning the Scottish League Championship six times in a row between 1905 and 1910. In both 1907 and 1908 Celtic also won the Scottish Cup, this was the first time a Scottish club had ever won the Double.  During this time, players such as Alec McNair, Jimmy Quinn, 'Sunny' Jim Young, Peter Somers, Alec Bennett, Davie Hamilton, Jimmy McMenemy and goalkeeper Davey Adams provided the backbone of Celtic's team.
   The turn of the decade saw several key players either retire or leave Celtic for other clubs. This coincided with a slight decline in the club's fortunes as Rangers racked up three consecutive league titles between 1911 and 1913.  Celtic however continued to enjoy success in the Scottish Cup, with Cup Final wins over Hamilton in 1911, Clyde in 1912 and Hibernian in 1914.  'Sunny' Jim Young was at the peak of his powers and captain of the side, whilst the slightly built Patsy Gallacher belied his frail appearance with exhilarating skill on the wing.  With the emergence of Gallacher along with others such as Peter Johnstone and Andy McAtee complementing long-time stalwarts such as Young, McNair and McMenemy, Celtic regained the League Championship at the end of April 1914 to complete their third League and Cup Double.
  The Ferencváros Vase (also known as The Budapest Cup) was won by Celtic on a European tour in 1914.  Celtic played Burnley in Budapest as Ferencváros had agreed to award a trophy to the winner.  However, the match was a bad tempered affair and ended in a draw, with both teams refusing to play extra time. A replay couldn't be organised in Budapest as Celtic were travelling back to Glasgow. After winning the coin toss to play the game at home, Burnley played host to Celtic. The visitors won 2–0 and part of the gate money was sent to the Hungarian Charity Fund, however Celtic were not presented with the trophy, which had been sold to raise funds for the war effort.  Seventy four years later, in 1988, Celtic were celebrating their centenary and Ferencváros remembered they 'owed' the club a trophy. In the absence of the original trophy they brought a decorative white porcelain vase, fashioned in the traditional shape of a football cup, to Glasgow. It was presented at Celtic's centenary championship winning match against Dundee in April 1988.
  During World War I, Celtic won the league four times in a row. During this run of league championships, Celtic went 62 matches unbeaten from 20 November 1915 until 14 April 1917, a record in British football that stood for 100 years, until broken by Celtic themselves in November 2017.  However, Celtic's time during World War I was mixed, although they enjoyed great success on the pitch. Football was not as important; attendances fell, player's salaries were reduced and there was increased pressure to complete the fixture list. On one occasion in 1916, during their 62 match unbeaten run, Celtic had to play two matches on the same day against Raith Rovers and Motherwell, and won both 6–0 and 3–1 respectively. Recruitment drives were also held at football matches and on one occasion an exhibition of trench warfare was held at Celtic Park. Several Celtic players also fought during the war; reserve player William Angus won the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the field and fan-favourite Peter Johnstone, who had made over 200 appearances for Celtic, died at the Battle of Arras in 1917.
  The period during the war saw the death of Brother Walfrid, who died on 17 April 1915 at 74 years of age.  He was buried in a Marist graveyard in Dumfries.  Maley referred to Brother Walfrid's death in his annual report to shareholders, stating he had been "... the last of the leading founders of the Celtic club.." and
caption: The Celtic side of 1908 were Scottish League champions and winners of the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup, Scottish Cup and Glasgow Cup
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