Bill Struth facts for kids
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Struth's portrait in the Ibrox Trophy Room
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Struth | ||
| Date of birth | 16 June 1875 | ||
| Place of birth | Leith, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 21 September 1956 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Teams managed | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1914–1920 | Rangers (assistant) | ||
| 1920–1954 | Rangers | ||
William Struth (born 16 June 1875 – died 21 September 1956) was a famous Scottish football manager. He is known as one of the most successful managers in the history of Scottish and British football.
Struth was the second manager of Rangers Football Club. He led the team for an amazing 34 years, from 1920 to 1954. During his time, he won 30 major trophies. This included a record 18 Scottish league championships, 10 Scottish Cups, and two Scottish League Cups.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
William Struth was born in Leith, Edinburgh. He was the oldest child of William Struth, a stonemason, and Isabella Cunningham. He grew up in Edinburgh and Milnathort.
Before football, Struth worked as a stonemason. He was also a professional runner until he was in his thirties. In the early 1900s, he started helping to train players at his local club, Heart of Midlothian.
Moving to Glasgow
In 1908, Struth moved to Glasgow. He became the trainer at Clyde. He worked there for three seasons. During this time, he worked with Alex Maley. Alex was the brother of Celtic manager Willie Maley.
Becoming Rangers Manager
Struth joined Rangers in 1914. He started as the assistant manager. In 1920, when he was 45, he became the main manager. This happened after the previous manager, William Wilton, sadly passed away in a boating accident.
Years of Success
Struth went on to win the league title 18 times as manager. He won 14 of these titles in just 19 years before the Second World War. This included winning five titles in a row between 1927 and 1931.
Under Struth, Rangers achieved their first league and cup double in 1928. They won the Scottish Cup that year, ending a 25-year wait. He also led Rangers to their first treble in 1949. This made him the first Scottish manager to win this special honour.
If you include wartime and local competitions, Struth won a total of 73 trophies. This makes him the most decorated manager in British football history.
Struth's Strict Style
Struth was known for being very disciplined. He made sure his team always looked smart. Players had to wear a collar and tie for training. bowler hats were also a must for Rangers players.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1947, Struth became a director at Rangers. After retiring as manager in 1954, he was made vice-chairman. In 1952, he had part of his leg removed due to illness.
He passed away on 21 September 1956, at 81 years old. He is buried in Craigton Cemetery, which is near Ibrox Stadium.
Honouring a Legend
In 2005, Rangers' chairman Sir David Murray unveiled a bronze bust of Bill Struth. It is located in the Main Stand at Ibrox. This stand is now called the "Bill Struth Main Stand" to honour his huge contribution to Rangers Football Club.
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nation | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Win % | ||||
| Rangers |  Scotland |
28th May 1920 | 15th June 1954 | 1,655 | 1,134 | 296 | 224 | 4,059 | 1,604 | +2,427 | 68.52 |
| Total | 1,655 | 1,134 | 296 | 224 | 4,059 | 1,604 | +2,427 | 68.52 | |||
Managerial Honours
Club
- Rangers
- Scottish League (18): 1920–21, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53
- Scottish Cup (10): 1927–28, 1929–30, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53
- Scottish League Cup (2): 1946–47, 1948–49
Individual
- 6th most decorated manager of all time (30 trophies)
Images for kids
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The grave of Bill Struth, Craigton Cemetery.
