Willie Maley - Celtic Football Club First Ever League Championship Winners medal 1892-93

Willie Maley - Celtic Football Club First Ever Scottish League Championship Winners medal 1892-93, 15ct gold and enamel Scottish Football League Champions medal, 1892-93, the obverse inscribed SCOTTISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, 1892-93, the reverse inscribed Won By CELTIC F.C., W. MALEY

This is arguably one of the most important Celtic Football Club medals ever to come to the market. Willie Maley is one of the most important figures in the history of the club.

On a visit to the Maley household in 1887 to invite Tom Maley to join Celtic, Brother Walfrid and the rest of the Celtic deputation met Willie Maley and they casually invited him to also play for the club. In 1888, he was signed by the fledgling Celtic and became one of the club's first players as a midfielder and after winning several cup competitions, Celtic secured their first Scottish League Championship in 1892-93, they finished the season with 29 points with Rangers being runners up on 28 points. Appointed as the first full-time manager of Celtic F.C. in 1897, Maley served until 1940, making him one of the longest-serving managers in football history. Under his leadership, Celtic became a dominant force in Scottish football, winning sixteen League Championship and fourteen Scottish Cup final victories, fourteen Glasgow Cups and nineteen Glasgow Charity Cup. Renowned for his emphasis on developing young talent, Maley played a key role in shaping the club’s identity and traditions. He essentially will be remembered as the man who built the club’s early success and identity. Maley remains one of the most influential figures in early British football