Scottish Football Sells Its Soul To Mammon

Posted on by JamesHamilton

.. and it was a long time ago, too: here are a couple of ads from Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches by the immortal David Drummond Bone (1890):

********************

The Trainer of the Rangers Football Team writes:
The Trainer of the Rangers Football Team writes:
“SIR,–I use HERBULINE extensively, and find it of great value. I
have never been disappointed in my results from using it. It is
superior to any preparation I have hitherto tried, and I strongly
advise those in want of a safe, reliable liniment to give it a
trial.–I am, yours respectfully,
“IBROX, _February 6th, 1890_. JOHN TAYLOR.”
Neuralgia and Tic cured by HERBULINE in 20 Minutes.
Lumbago             ”        ”    ”     24 Hours.
Toothache           ”        ”    ”     Momentary.
Cold Feet           ”        ”    ”     5 Minutes.
Rheumatism          ”        ”    ”     24 Hours.
HERBULINE is superior to Mustard for Poulticing. Salient points–clean,
easily applied, a more endurable heat. No liability to chill after
using. It is a wonder to those who use it, and never disappoints in its
results.
_Of Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors_–
Price 1s. 1½d. Net. If Posted, 3d. Extra.
The HERBULINE Manufacturing Coy.,
67 RENFIELD STREET.
*************************

FOOTBALL SPECTATORS

Should wear nothing in STYLISH HATS

BUT THE

PURE FUR FELTS,

which never CRACK OR BREAK, no matter how many times they are taken off
to assist the Cheering when

A GOAL IS SCORED.

Sold at 4s. 6d., 5s. 6d., and 6s. 6d.

They are admitted to be the best Value ever offered to the Public.

THOMAS STEWART,
THE POPULAR CITY HATTER.
71 ARGYLE STREET (Near Dunlop Street).
Sign of the Clock Hat.
Branches--73 TRONGATE (Tron Steeple), and at
Temporary Premises, 134 NORFOLK STREET.
***************************
It'll be the end of the game if this goes on, you mark my words.

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6 Replies to “Scottish Football Sells Its Soul To Mammon”

  1. Interesting, incidentally, not as a football observation but a bookish one, that books had several pages of advertisements before the text.

    It’s striking if you see film/photos of Edwardian cities how much advertising there is; all over omnibuses and shop windows and so on. Naomi Klein eat your heart out.

  2. This explains why the Rangers team doctor gave Daniel Prodan the all-clear at his medical, then. We promptly never saw him again…

  3. @Harry – yes, for me it’s one of the most striking features of (a)Atget’s otherwise empty monochrome Paris and (b)the Albert Kahn autochromes. If NK does ever eat her heart out, I trust she’ll want the event sponsored.

  4. A bit OT, but do you know what is meant, James, when the papers tell me that much of the Celtic support never supported Strachan? What was his crime? Is he just from the wrong tribe, or is it something else?

  5. As I understand it, it goes like this: Strachan didn’t have the track record the Celtic fans demanded – he was a Presbyterian from Edinburgh – and although he was successful in terms of titles, the fans weren’t impressed with the manner in which he beat what was put in front of him e.g. a relatively penniless Rangers in turmoil. In Europe, that last-16 Champions League place concealed a failure to win a single game away from home.

    I’m not saying that I agree with any of this, but that’s the general run – they simply didn’t think he was up to it.

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