Bill Struth

Lore & Background

Struth was born in Leith, Edinburgh, the eldest child of William Struth senior, a stonemason, and Isabella Cunningham. He grew up in Edinburgh and Milnathort in Kinross-shire and worked as a stonemason, but also competed as a professional runner until his 30s. In the early 1900s he began helping to train players at Heart of Midlothian, and in 1908 moved to Glasgow to become trainer at Clyde. He moved to Rangers in 1914 as assistant manager, and took over as manager in 1920 after predecessor William Wilton drowned in a boating accident. Struth won the league title 18 times, including five in a row between 1927 and 1931. His tenure included Rangers' first league and cup double in 1928 and first treble in 1949. If wartime and local competitions are included, he won 73 trophies, making him the most decorated manager in British football history. He was a disciplinarian, insisting players wore collar and tie for training, and bowler hats were obligatory. In 1947 he became a director, then vice-chairman after retiring in 1954. In 1952 part of a leg was amputated due to gangrene. He died on 21 September 1956, aged 81, at his home in Dumbreck and is buried in Craigton Cemetery. His wife Catherine Forbes predeceased him in 1941.

In Their Own Story

The rain lashed against the Ibrox stands, blurring the floodlights into streaks of white and gold. On the touchline, Bill Struth stood motionless, his cap pulled low, eyes scanning the wet pitch with a gaze that had seen decades of triumph. The crowd roared as another goal was scored, but he remained calm, merely nodding to the team manager beside him. In this moment, amidst the chaos of the match, the quiet authority of Struth held everything together; he knew the game plan was working, just as it always did under his watch.

Reader's Guide

Struth's managerial honours with 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. Individually, he is the 6th most decorated manager of all time (30 trophies).

Did You Know?

• Struth never played football professionally; he was a stonemason and professional runner before becoming a trainer.
• He managed Rangers for 34 years, not 40 as sometimes claimed.
• Struth won 30 major trophies, not 'over 30'.
• He became a Rangers director in 1947 and later vice-chairman after retiring in 1954.
• A bronze bust of Struth was unveiled at Ibrox in 2005, and the Main Stand is now named the Bill Struth Main Stand.