18 October 1873 - When The Scots Buy A Cup, They Keep It

On 18 October 1873, Renton FC won the first-ever Scottish Cup tie, defeating Kilmarnock 2-0. Because the Scottish Cup predates league play, that match was the first competitive match in Scotland.

Sixteen clubs entered the inaugural tournament, which started with an unseeded knockout round. The clubs contributed the money used to purchase the cup and medals--a total of £56 12s 11d. Of those first eight matches, two were forfeits. The widest winning margin was Queen's Park's 7-0 victory over Dumbreck, followed closely by Clydesdale's 6-0 win over Granville.

Renton advanced to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Queen's Park, 2-0. A year later, the same two teams met in the Final, with Queen's Park winning again.

Although the FA Cup tournament predates the Scottish Cup by two years, the first FA Cup trophy was stolen in 1895, making the current Scottish Cup the oldest existing national tournament trophy in the world.

16 August 1890 - The Second Oldest League In The World

On 16 August 1890, the Scottish Football League kicked off its very first season. It is the world's second-oldest football league, two years younger than England's Football League.

Although the Scottish Football Association had existed since 1873, the teams competed in the Scottish Cup and in irregular matches among themselves. By 1890, interest in Scottish football had increased, so that the growing number of teams needed an ordered schedule. As a result, a group of eleven teams organized the Scottish Football League. The eleven were Abercorn, Cambuslang, Celtic, Cowlairs, Dumbarton, Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Renton, St. Mirren, Third Lanark, and Vale of Leven. Scotland's oldest club, Queen's Park, were invited join, but declined.

Four matches were played on that opening day: Rangers beat Hearts, 5-2; Celtic lost 1-4 to Renton; Cambuslang crushed Vale of Leven, 8-2; and Dumbarton drew 1-1 with Cowlairs. Renton were expelled during the season for using professional players, but returned to the league the following season. The SFL also deducted four points each from Celtic, Cowlairs, and Third Lanark for fielding professional players.

Rangers and Dumbarton finished that first season tied for first on points. After they drew a playoff match 2-2, the SFL declared them joint champions.