William Struth (1920 to 1954)
William Struth was the second Manager of Rangers. His appointment in June 1920 followed the tragic death of his predecessor, William Wilton, on 2 May that year.
Bill Struth was born in Leith and grew up in Edinburgh and Milnathort, Kinross-shire. His sporting aptitude was not in football, but rather in athletics and he became a professional runner, augmenting his earnings as a stonemason with prize money won at competitions around the country, all the time developing his own ideas about fitness.
He had an association with Hearts and a brief stint as trainer there, and then in 1907 successfully applied for the advertised position of Trainer at Clyde. Struth brought his training and fitness methods to the Shawfield club to good effect as in the following five years Clyde twice reached the Scottish Cup Final, then the blue riband of Scottish football.
Rangers approached Struth in 1910 with a view to his replacing the long-serving James Wilson as Trainer, and although clearly interested, Struth politely declined, quite possibly out of concern for Wilson’s position. When the latter died in 1914, Rangers revived their interest and this time Struth accepted, being appointed Trainer in May of that year.
Struth formed a close working relationship with Manager William Wilton, Wilton focussing on the administrative aspects of management whilst Struth put the players through their paces. He worked the players hard, whilst seeking to tailor training to the individual needs of each. He was a stickler for discipline and the maintenance of high standards - players had to be immaculate both on and off the pitch. But beyond that, he was an inspirational character, the type for whom the players would go out and give their all.
Struth had barely arrived at Rangers when the First World War broke out and he with Wilton strove to keep the team together as football sought to provide some sort of normality in those most difficult years 1914-1918.
Wilton and Struth celebrated as an outstanding League Championship success was clinched in April 1920, in the first full season after the War, and they both looked forward to the May weekend break. Alas, on 2 May, 1920 William Wilton drowned in a boating accident at Gourock.
Struth was the natural choice to succeed Wilton as Manager, but the Rangers Board realised that it was unrealistic to expect anyone to combine the twin roles of Manager and Secretary, which Wilton had fulfilled. Struth was appointed Manager, with W. Rogers Simpson taking on the position of Secretary.
From the outset, Struth commanded the respect of his players (“my boys”), for whom nothing but the best would do. He embraced Wilton’s principles and resolved to turn out a fine football team that would be a credit to the blue jersey. He was not a man of tactics, but rather he picked the best players in the best positions, sent them out with some well-chosen words of encouragement and let them get on with it. His first signing was the incomparable Alan Morton.
Struth’s team romped to the League title in his first season as Manager, the beginning of a virtual stranglehold Rangers had on the Championship in the 1920s, winning eight out of ten. The Scottish Cup, however, remained elusive. Since the Cup success of 1903, Rangers had lost in four Finals and had suffered earlier round exits by teams they might reasonably have been expected to beat. Small wonder there was talk of a Scottish Cup hoodoo. The team reached the 1928 Final, where they would meet Celtic in front of a then record crowd of 118,115. Goalless after 55 minutes Rangers were awarded a penalty. Captain Davie Meiklejohn stepped forward and blasted the spot kick past John Thomson in the Celtic goal. Rangers went on to score three more goals without reply - the Cup was won, the hoodoo smashed.
That year also saw the construction of a new 10,500 seat Main Stand which was officially opened by the Lord Provost on 1 January 1929. The magnificent building, now given “listed” status, had facilities surpassing anything else in Scotland at the time, and a Manager’s Office which would be like home to Struth for much of the rest of his life. A dapper dresser, Struth had a wardrobe of suits in his Office and would often be seen in two different suits in the course of a day.
Into the 1930s, Struth was recruiting new talent as some of the old guard departed. One such newcomer was Sam English, a prolific goalscorer whose 44 League goals in his first season 1931/32 remains a Rangers record. His career was scarred by the accidental collision with Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson in the Old Firm match at Ibrox on 5 September 1931, which resulted in the tragic death of the 22 year old Thomson. Sam English suffered torment over the incident for the rest of his life.
The 1930s brought six League titles and five Scottish Cups and saw the arrival of further legends, including Waddell, Woodburn, Shaw, Duncanson, Thornton, Symon and McPhail. Rangers 2-1 victory over Celtic on 2 January 1939 was watched by a record crowd of 118,730. Following the outbreak of the Second World War in September of that year, a regionalised League set-up was put in place, Struth’s team winning the title in all seven seasons of these arrangements, along with five wartime Cups.
Soon after the War, Rangers played host to the touring Russian side, Moscow Dynamo, who had beaten Arsenal, drawn with Chelsea and thrashed Cardiff
on 28 November 1945, a crowd of 90,000 saw Rangers fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2. The cessation of hostilities in 1945 had allowed the return of the national football format in Scotland in season 1946/47, with Rangers winning a double - the League title (their ninth in a row) and the first ever League Cup. Two years later, Struth’s side would go one better and win the first ever domestic Treble, the side of the famous Iron Curtain defence.
Internal strife led in 1947 to changes at Board level at Ibrox, and on 12 June Struth was appointed a Director alongside his role as Manager of Rangers. By this time, Struth was 72 and within the next three years his health was deteriorating. In 1950 he lost his leg below the knee as a result of gangrene. Despite his health issues, his enthusiasm for the job was undiminished, assisted by his captain, George Young, on the field and by Bob McPhail as reserve coach.
The early 1950s brought two seasons without a major trophy and whilst season 1952/53 saw a League and Scottish Cup double, the following season the side was slipping and Struth was ailing. It was clear that after 34 years in the Manager’s office, it was time for Struth to relinquish his post.
Bill Struth resigned on 30th April 1954.
by David Plews
William Struth (1920 to 1954)
William Struth was the second Manager of Rangers. His appointment in June 1920 followed the tragic death of his predecessor, William Wilton, on 2 May that year.
Bill Struth was born in Leith and grew up in Edinburgh and Milnathort, Kinross-shire. His sporting aptitude was not in football, but rather in athletics and he became a professional runner, augmenting his earnings as a stonemason with prize money won at competitions around the country, all the time developing his own ideas about fitness.
He had an association with Hearts and a brief stint as trainer there, and then in 1907 successfully applied for the advertised position of Trainer at Clyde. Struth brought his training and fitness methods to the Shawfield club to good effect as in the following five years Clyde twice reached the Scottish Cup Final, then the blue riband of Scottish football.
Rangers approached Struth in 1910 with a view to his replacing the long-serving James Wilson as Trainer, and although clearly interested, Struth politely declined, quite possibly out of concern for Wilson’s position. When the latter died in 1914, Rangers revived their interest and this time Struth accepted, being appointed Trainer in May of that year.
Struth formed a close working relationship with Manager William Wilton, Wilton focussing on the administrative aspects of management whilst Struth put the players through their paces. He worked the players hard, whilst seeking to tailor training to the individual needs of each. He was a stickler for discipline and the maintenance of high standards - players had to be immaculate both on and off the pitch. But beyond that, he was an inspirational character, the type for whom the players would go out and give their all.
Struth had barely arrived at Rangers when the First World War broke out and he with Wilton strove to keep the team together as football sought to provide some sort of normality in those most difficult years 1914-1918.
Wilton and Struth celebrated as an outstanding League Championship success was clinched in April 1920, in the first full season after the War, and they both looked forward to the May weekend break. Alas, on 2 May, 1920 William Wilton drowned in a boating accident at Gourock.
Struth was the natural choice to succeed Wilton as Manager, but the Rangers Board realised that it was unrealistic to expect anyone to combine the twin roles of Manager and Secretary, which Wilton had fulfilled. Struth was appointed Manager, with W. Rogers Simpson taking on the position of Secretary.
From the outset, Struth commanded the respect of his players (“my boys”), for whom nothing but the best would do. He embraced Wilton’s principles and resolved to turn out a fine football team that would be a credit to the blue jersey. He was not a man of tactics, but rather he picked the best players in the best positions, sent them out with some well-chosen words of encouragement and let them get on with it. His first signing was the incomparable Alan Morton.
Struth’s team romped to the League title in his first season as Manager, the beginning of a virtual stranglehold Rangers had on the Championship in the 1920s, winning eight out of ten. The Scottish Cup, however, remained elusive. Since the Cup success of 1903, Rangers had lost in four Finals and had suffered earlier round exits by teams they might reasonably have been expected to beat. Small wonder there was talk of a Scottish Cup hoodoo. The team reached the 1928 Final, where they would meet Celtic in front of a then record crowd of 118,115. Goalless after 55 minutes Rangers were awarded a penalty. Captain Davie Meiklejohn stepped forward and blasted the spot kick past John Thomson in the Celtic goal. Rangers went on to score three more goals without reply - the Cup was won, the hoodoo smashed.
That year also saw the construction of a new 10,500 seat Main Stand which was officially opened by the Lord Provost on 1 January 1929. The magnificent building, now given “listed” status, had facilities surpassing anything else in Scotland at the time, and a Manager’s Office which would be like home to Struth for much of the rest of his life. A dapper dresser, Struth had a wardrobe of suits in his Office and would often be seen in two different suits in the course of a day.
Into the 1930s, Struth was recruiting new talent as some of the old guard departed. One such newcomer was Sam English, a prolific goalscorer whose 44 League goals in his first season 1931/32 remains a Rangers record. His career was scarred by the accidental collision with Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson in the Old Firm match at Ibrox on 5 September 1931, which resulted in the tragic death of the 22 year old Thomson. Sam English suffered torment over the incident for the rest of his life.
The 1930s brought six League titles and five Scottish Cups and saw the arrival of further legends, including Waddell, Woodburn, Shaw, Duncanson, Thornton, Symon and McPhail. Rangers 2-1 victory over Celtic on 2 January 1939 was watched by a record crowd of 118,730. Following the outbreak of the Second World War in September of that year, a regionalised League set-up was put in place, Struth’s team winning the title in all seven seasons of these arrangements, along with five wartime Cups.
Soon after the War, Rangers played host to the touring Russian side, Moscow Dynamo, who had beaten Arsenal, drawn with Chelsea and thrashed Cardiff
on 28 November 1945, a crowd of 90,000 saw Rangers fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2. The cessation of hostilities in 1945 had allowed the return of the national football format in Scotland in season 1946/47, with Rangers winning a double - the League title (their ninth in a row) and the first ever League Cup. Two years later, Struth’s side would go one better and win the first ever domestic Treble, the side of the famous Iron Curtain defence.
Internal strife led in 1947 to changes at Board level at Ibrox, and on 12 June Struth was appointed a Director alongside his role as Manager of Rangers. By this time, Struth was 72 and within the next three years his health was deteriorating. In 1950 he lost his leg below the knee as a result of gangrene. Despite his health issues, his enthusiasm for the job was undiminished, assisted by his captain, George Young, on the field and by Bob McPhail as reserve coach.
The early 1950s brought two seasons without a major trophy and whilst season 1952/53 saw a League and Scottish Cup double, the following season the side was slipping and Struth was ailing. It was clear that after 34 years in the Manager’s office, it was time for Struth to relinquish his post.
Bill Struth resigned on 30th April 1954.
by David Plews
