A rare gold medal presented to to the winners of a football tournament to celebrate a prestigious international exhibition held in Edinburgh 136 years ago has fetched £2,300 at auction.
John McPherson, dubbed Rangers’ first superstar footballer, was awarded the medal after Rangers defeated Sunderland Albion in the final of the Edinburgh International Exhibition Football Contest in 1890.
The celebrated inside forward, known as “Kitey”, scored twice in the 5-1 victory, played in front of 6000 fans at Meggetland.
His inscribed medal, still in its original presentation box, went under the hammer at McTear’s auctioneers in Glasgow, where it was snapped up by a collector.
McPherson, born in Kilmarnock in 1868, joined Rangers from Cowlairs aged 22, and scored on his debut in a friendly against Everton at Ibrox.
An engine fitter by trade, he played in Rangers’ first ever Scottish League match, scoring in a 5–2 win over Hearts at Ibrox on 16 August 1890.
In his second game McPherson scored four – including the Scottish League’s first ever hattrick – in a 6–2 win against Cambuslang.
He then became the first player to claim a five goal haul in an 8–2 win over St Mirren the same season, in which Rangers finished joint champions.
The same month he was part of the Light Blues team that dismantled Sunderland in the cup created to celebrate the International Exhibition of Science, Art & Industry.
McPherson is said to have played in every position for the club – including in goals. In his final match in 1902 he stood in for injured goalie Matthew Dickie to ensure a 3-2 win and another League Championship.
Over 12 years, McPherson won five Scottish Championships – including the unrepeated 1898-99 season when Rangers won all of their 18 matches – and the Scottish Cup three times.
He also scored six goals in eight games for Scotland.
Described as the finest player in the first 50 years of Rangers’ history, McPherson later became a director from 1907 until his death in 1926, aged 58. He is a member of Rangers’ Hall of Fame.
A spokesperson for McTear’s said: “John McPherson was a true Rangers legend who played a pivotal role during the Ibrox side’s early years.
“It is rare to see memorabilia from this era in Scottish football come to auction, and rarer still to have a medal associated with such a prominent player.”
