Bill Struth

Struth's portrait in theIbrox Trophy Room
Personal information
Full name	William Struth
Date of birth	16 June 1875
Place of birth	Leith, Scotland
Date of death	21 September 1956(1956-09-21) (aged 81)
Place of death	Glasgow, Scotland
Managerial career
Years	Team
1914–1920	Rangers (assistant)
1920–1954	Rangers

William Struth (16 June 1875 – 21 September 1956) was a Scottishfootball manager. He was the second manager ofRangers Football Club, leading the club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954, as well as being the holder of a number of other positions, including director. Struth is one of the most successful managers in Scottish and British football history, winning 30 major trophies in his career; arecord 18Scottish league championships, 10Scottish Cups and twoScottish League Cups.

Struth was born inLeith,Edinburgh, the eldest child of William Struth senior, a stonemason, and Isabella Cunningham.^[1] He grew up in Edinburgh andMilnathort (his father's birthplace) inKinross-shire and worked as a stonemason, but he also competed as a professionalrunner until he was in his 30s.^[2] In the early 1900s he began helping to train the players at his local football club,Heart of Midlothian, and in 1908 he moved toGlasgow to become the trainer atClyde.^[3][4] For three seasons atShawfield he worked alongsideAlex Maley, brother of theCeltic managerWillie Maley.

Struth moved to Rangers in 1914 to take up the position of assistant manager.^[2] At the age of 45, in 1920, he took over as manager after his predecessorWilliam Wilton drowned in a boating accident offGourock.^[5]

Struth went on to win the league title 18 times as manager, winning 14 titles in 19 years before theSecond World War. This included winning five titles in a row between 1927 and 1931.^[6] Struth's tenure as manager spanned the club's first league and cupdouble in1928, when Rangers lifted theScottish Cup and ended a 25-year 'hoodoo', and its firsttreble in1949, Struth becoming the first Scottish manager to achieve this honour.^[6]

If wartime competitions (the1939–40 Scottish Emergency League followed by six wartimeSouthern League championships, theScottish War Emergency Cup, the1946 Victory Cup, aSummer Cup and fourSouthern League Cups) and local tournaments (19Glasgow Cups, 20Glasgow Merchants Charity Cups) are included, Struth won a total of 73 trophies during his career, making him the most decorated manager in British football history.^[7]

Struth was renowned as a disciplinarian, insisting that the team wore a collar and tie when turning up for training;^[2]bowler hats were obligatory for Rangers players.^[8]Adam Little was signed by Struth andthis interview gives an insight into his methods.

In 1947, Struth became a Rangers director and was then appointed vice-chairman after retiring in 1954. In 1952 he had part of a leg amputated as a result of gangrene. He died on 21 September 1956, aged 81, at his home inDumbreck and is buried inCraigton Cemetery, overlookingIbrox Stadium. His wife, Catherine Forbes, predeceased him in 1941. The grave lies in the south-west section on a terrace on its north side.

In 2005, Rangers' chairmanSir David Murray unveiled a bronzebust of Bill Struth, located in the Main Stand at Ibrox, now known as the "Bill Struth Main Stand" in honour of his contribution to Rangers Football Club.

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

As of 25 June 2023

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

• 6th most decorated manager of all time (30 trophies)^[a][b][9]

• List of longest managerial reigns in association football

• Bob Crampsey (1990).The First 100 Years.Scottish Football League.ISBN 0-9516433-0-4.

• Mason, David., Stewart, Ian.Mr Struth: The Boss (2013).

• Sportspeople from Edinburgh
• Rangers F.C. managers
• Clyde F.C. non-playing staff
• Scottish football managers
• 1875 births
• 1956 deaths
• Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees
• Heart of Midlothian F.C. non-playing staff
• Scottish Football League managers
• Scottish football coaches
• People from Leith
• Rangers F.C. non-playing staff

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