William Wilton

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William Wilton (born Largs, Ayrshire, 9 June 1865; died 2 May 1920) was the first ever manager of Rangers F.C., serving the club in that position from May 1899 until his death in 1920. He had previously filled several roles including match secretary to the reserve and first teams.

[edit] Career

Wilton joined the club in September 1883 as a player but never progressed beyond the second string eleven. He was soon appointed secretary to the clubs youth team and reserve side. He was also on the special committee that oversaw the clubs move from Kinning Park to Ibrox in 1887. Wilton became match secretary of the first team in 1889, taking over from James Gossland. The club shared the inaugural Scottish League title in 1891, Wilton had been appointed as the league's first treasurer at the start of the season.

When the club became a limited company ten years later Wilton was chosen as manager. In his decade as match secretary for the first team, the club won two League championships in 1891 and 1899, as well as three Scottish Cups in 1894, 1897 and 1898. He also won four Glasgow Cups in 1893, 1894, 1897 and 1898, and a Charity Cup in 1897. Rangers had achieved the first ever 100% league record, winning all 18 games and scoring 79 goals in 1898-99. To date no team has ever achieved the same, although several teams have gone unbeaten in a league season since.

Under Wilton's stewardship as manager, Rangers won eight league championships and an another Scottish Cup, nine further Glasgow Cup's and seven more Charity Cups. In his final season in charge the club won its tenth league championship and it was the start for a glden era. Wilton, however, would not see the full extent of the team's success.

The day after the final match of the 1919–20 season, he set out for a boating holiday with his assistant Bill Struth. He died in a boating accident on the first day of that holiday; he was aged 54. Struth then took over as Rangers manager.

[edit] External links

Manager profile at Rangers.co.uk

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