• The Magazine
  • Interviews
  • Current
  • Nostalgia
  • Legends
  • European
  • World
  • Log in
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • The Magazine
  • Interviews
  • Current
  • Nostalgia
  • Legends
  • European
  • World
  • Log in
  • Subscribe

Sibling Rivalry, part 4: The McAdams – spanning the great Glasgow divide

Pink by Pink
January 11, 2021
in Legends, Nostalgia
Sibling Rivalry, part 4: The McAdams – spanning the great Glasgow divide

PART 5: THE McADAMS - SPANNING THE GREAT GLASGOW DIVIDE

Part 4 of our ‘Sibling Rivalry’ series moves to Scotland, where TOM FLIGHT looks at the brothers whose football careers spanned the almost impossible divide between Rangers and Celtic.

There is some dispute as to how the ‘Old Firm’ got its name. One popular version is that the term comes from a football publication called the “The Scottish Referee” which produced a cartoon in 1909 accusing Rangers and Celtic of exploiting the rivalry to drum up business, hence the old ‘Firm.’ If the origin of the rivalry was fabricated for monetary gain, the malice and hatred between fans soon became real, and the rivalry has become defined by religious bigotry and intolerance. In a piece for These Football Times Matt Gault described it as “the perfect embodiment of footballing hatred.” The idea that members of the same family could play on opposing sides seems unthinkable. But that’s exactly what happened in the 1980’s when Celtic defender Tom McAdam faced his older brother Colin who played upfront for Rangers.

The siblings were born in Glasgow and played together at Dumbarton where Colin became a legend when he scored from his own half against Arbroath. Colin, who had a reputation for being a hard man, looked out for his younger brother in the unforgiving lower leagues. “Quite often in games when we were young, if someone landed one on me, Colin would say: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get him’” Tom said of those early days.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s a common story in football that those with older brothers often have an advantage in their early development, as competing with older siblings forces you to raise your game (Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are recent examples of this theory), so it is not much of a surprise that the younger McAdam, Tom, would go on to have the more successful career. After an unhappy spell at Dundee United he joined Celtic in 1977 where he turned out 261 times, winning 3 league titles, 1 Scottish Cup and 1 Scottish League Cup. He was initially signed by Jock Stein as a striker for £60,000 from Dundee United, but he struggled upfront. Towards the end of 1978-79 season, with a race for the title against Rangers going down to the wire, Tom was moved to centre-back. In Celtic’s last game of the season against Rangers, Tom was magnificent as he helped Celtic to come from 1-0 down to win 4-2 (Rangers only really needed a draw, as they had two matches left to play) to clinch the league for Celtic. The match made Tom a Parkhead legend.

Colin joined Rangers in 1980. With his flowing mane of hair, he became known as “The Beast” and gained a reputation for being a courageous, hardworking striker. He quickly entered fan favourite territory when he scored twice against Celtic in a 3-0 win three months after arriving at Ibrox. “He never let me live it down,” Tom said of the match.

The brothers faced each other in eight Old Firm derbies, and fittingly, both found themselves on the winning side four times each. The most high-profile clash was probably the 1984 League Cup Final at Hampden which Rangers won thanks to a hat-trick from a young Ally McCoist.

Embed from Getty Images

The story of the McAdam brothers is one of the more sanguine stories to come out of Old Firm history. Both are fondly remembered by supporters to this day. They were close off the pitch, but would run through brick walls for their teams, and their battles on the pitch added extra spice to the derby at a time when Rangers’ and Celtic’s dominance was waning due to the rise of the ‘New Firm’ of Dundee United and Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen.

Sadly, 4 years ago Colin passed away suddenly due to complications following a heart attack. Reflecting on his brother’s life, Tom acknowledged that having a member of his family opposite him helped him put that little bit extra effort into a game, “The games hold great memories for me and I will always be proud of what Colin and I achieved.”

FOLLOW TOM ON TWITTER @TomFlight

Related Posts

Programme Review: Maidstone United v Kidderminster Harriers
Latest

Programme Review: Maidstone United v Kidderminster Harriers

Wednesday 16th December 1987 FA Cup Second Round (Third Replay) Maidstone United v Kidderminster Harriers Programme Price: 50p It's...

by Jamie Ingram
December 13, 2022
0
Malcolm Macdonald: A throwback centre-forward
Latest

Malcolm Macdonald: A throwback centre-forward

“What is taken to the cup final every year but never used?” This used to be a quasi-famous trick...

by Jamie Ingram
February 16, 2023
0
‘A wonderful life’ : Willie Morgan exclusive interview
Interviews

‘A wonderful life’ : Willie Morgan exclusive interview

Willie Morgan is a Manchester United and Scotland legend. The winger, twice Manchester United player of the year, is...

by Jamie Ingram
February 16, 2023
0
Programme Review: Newhall United v Barlestone St Giles
Latest

Programme Review: Newhall United v Barlestone St Giles

Monday 28th August 1995 Newhall United v Barlestone St Giles Midland Football Combination Division 1 Programme Price: Not Stated...

by Jamie Ingram
December 13, 2022
0
Load More
Next Post
Book review: The Madness is on the Pitch by Jens Lehmann

Book review: The Madness is on the Pitch by Jens Lehmann

liverpool vs man city prediction
Current

Man City vs Liverpool Predictions, Betting Odds & Lines, and Tips (Premier League April 1)

by Jamie Ingram
March 31, 2023
0
0

One of the biggest games in the English Premier League this season is here as Liverpool face-off against title-chasing Man...

Read more
Wrestlemania Betting Odds

WWE WrestleMania 39 Betting Odds 2023 & Expert WrestleMania Predictions

March 31, 2023
0
Anthony Joshua vs. Jermaine Franklin

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Betting Odds, Predictions & Stats: Where to Bet On the Joshua vs Franklin Boxing Match

March 30, 2023
0
valero-open-odds

2023 Valero Texas Open Odds: Where to Bet on the Valero Texas Open, Predictions, and Betting Tips

March 29, 2023
0
David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant - Mar 25

David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant Odds: Fight Predictions, & Betting Tips for the Super Middleweight Showdown

March 22, 2023
0
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Profile

© Copyright 2023 – Football Pink

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Profile

© Copyright 2022 - Ronnie Dog Media All Rights Reserved. Live Score

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Gmail
  • Print Friendly
  • LinkedIn
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr