THE Old Firm have had many memorable encounters on New Year's Day in the past, and it was Rangers who had the bragging rights in 1957...

EX PAT (via email) - Could you give details of the New Year's Day Old Firm game in 1957? Apparently I was taken to this match as a toddler, shortly before emigrating to Canada!

Rangers beat Celtic 2-0 on January 1, 1957. Max Murray and Billy Simpson scored the goals for the Light Blues.

The teams lined-up:-

Rangers: Niven, Shearer, Caldow, McColl, Young, Logie, Scott, Simpson, Murray, Baird and Hubbard.

Celtic: Beattie, Haughney, Meechan, Evans, Jack, Peacock, Smith, Ryan, Mochan, Fernie and Tully.

KEVIN MURPHY (East Kilbride) - I read a story a few weeks ago in the Evening Times about Willie Angus, who won the Victoria Cross in World War I. The article said he played for Celtic. Can you tell me when he played for Celtic and how many games he played? I cannot find any information of any player called Willie Angus playing for Celtic in any reference books I have looked at.

The probable explanation that you could not find any information about Willie Angus having played for Celtic would be that although he signed for Celtic and was on their books in seasons 1911/12 and 1912/13, he never actually played any games for the first team.

He had a short loan spell with Vale of Leven from January 25, 1912, to April 29, 1912, and following his spell with Celtic he moved on to Wishaw Thistle, after which, of course, the war intervened.

CLARET AND AMBER (Bothwell) - Have Motherwell and Dundee United met in the Scottish Cup since their classic 1991 final?

The clubs have met four times in Scottish Cup since the famous 1991 final, which Motherwell won 4-3.

In 1994 Dundee United won 1-0 in the fourth round after a replay and went on to defeat Rangers in the final.

In 1997 United won 4-1 in the quarter-finals and they also beat Well 2-0 in 2001 to knock them out in the fourth round.

Motherwell's sole victory was in 2011 when they beat United 3-0 in a quarter-final replay on their way to the final, which they lost to Celtic.

MR McCANN (Airdrie) - An old newspaper I read shows East Stirling beating Kilmarnock 3-1 in an Anglo-Scottish Cup game back in 1980. Did the Shire go on to play against English opposition later in the competition?

No, Anglo-Scottish Cup ties were played over two legs. In the second leg, Kilmarnock had a 3-0 win at Firs Park.

In the next round Killie defeated Blackpool but were then eliminated by Notts County.