Peter McNeil (1854 – 30 March 1901) was a Scottish
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
and along with brother Moses, one of the founding members of
Rangers Football Club
Rangers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the Govan district of Glasgow which plays in the Scottish Premiership. Although not its official name, it is often referred to as Glasgow Rangers outside Scotland. The fou ...
. He made seven
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Rhu in
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire ( gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Breatann) or the County of Dumbarton is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbartonshire borders Pe ...
, the son of John McNeil and his wife, Jane Loudon Bain. His father was the gardener at Belmore House. Around 1870 the family moved to 17 Cleveland Street in
Anderston
Anderston ( sco, Anderstoun, gd, Baile Aindrea) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and forms the south western edge of the city centre. Established as a village of handloom weavers in the early 18th cent ...
.
Peter McNeil was apprenticed as a clerk in
Anderston
Anderston ( sco, Anderstoun, gd, Baile Aindrea) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and forms the south western edge of the city centre. Established as a village of handloom weavers in the early 18th cent ...
around 1871.
He played in Rangers first ever match in May 1872 against another
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
Glasgow Green
Glasgow Green is a park in the east end of Glasgow, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde. Established in the 15th century, it is the oldest park in the city. It connects to the south via the St Andrew's Suspension Bridge.
History
I ...
.
After finishing playing football, he continued as match secretary and was hugely influential in the fledgling years of the Club. McNeil died in 1901 at the Hawkhead Asylum near Paisley aged 47. He was certified insane and had been sectioned. The pressures from financial problems had taken its toll on his mental and physical health.
He is buried in
Craigton Cemetery
Craigton Cemetery is a cemetery in south-west Glasgow dating from the mid-19th century. It stands on Berryknowes Road.
The cemetery has a Jewish section containing 230 graves. The cemetery also contains 251 commonwealth war graves from the Fir ...
in southwest Glasgow.
Recognition
On 22 February 2010, Peter McNeil was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame.
Family
In 1885, he married Jeannie Fraser. They lived at 31 Rawcliffe Terrace in
Pollokshields
Pollokshields ( gd, Buthan Phollaig, Scots: ''Powkshiels'') is an area in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Its modern boundaries are largely man-made, being formed by the M77 motorway to the west and northwest with the open land of Pollok ...
. In 1888, they moved to 37 Bentinck Street in the Kelvingrove district.