Before the First World War Glasgow was the football capital of the world and also the most extensively municipalized city in Britain. Civic pride and enthusiasm for football came together in the promotion of the Glasgow Charity Cup. First played for in 1875, it was the major charity football competition in Britain for almost 90 years, raising the modern equivalent of nearly £11 million. This article will outline the history of the rise and eventual decline of the Glasgow Charity Cup and examine how the organisation of the competition and the disbursement of its revenues were influenced by developments within football and changes in social welfare.
