RANGERS have been in many domestic cup finals in their long history, but there are only so many Ibrox players who have had the distinction of scoring in both finals…

BILL (Greenock) – Settle an argument, is it true that Derek Johnstone and Peter Lovenkrands are the only two Rangers players to have scored in both a Scottish Cup Final and a League Cup Final?

It is true that Derek Johnstone and Peter Lovenkrands have scored in both finals.

Johnstone scored in three Scottish Cup Finals and one League Cup Final, whilst Lovenkrands scored in the 2001/02 Scottish Cup Final and the 2002/03 League Cup Final.

However, they are not the only Rangers players to achieve this feat. Jorg Albertz, Ally McCoist, Davie Cooper, Alex MacDonald and Ralph Brand among many others scored in both finals.

Most impressively may be Barry Ferguson who scored in both in the same season scoring against Celtic in the 2001/02 Scottish Cup Final and against Ayr United in the League Cup Final of the same year.

PAT (Robroyston) – I was recently reading a book of football statistics, and noted that Jimmy Bone only scored once for Celtic. Could you tell me their opponents for the game in which he scored?

Jimmy’s solitary strike came in a match against Dunfermline Athletic on December 7, 1974.

Celtic won the game 2-1. This was a First Division league match.

IAN (Greenock) – Could you tell me who invented the penalty-kick, where it was first used and what teams where involved?

The invention of the penalty-kick is credited to Northern Irish businessman William McCrum, a keen sportsman, proposed the idea in 1890 in his role as a member of the Irish Football Association.

The idea was submitted to the June 1890 meeting of the International Football Association Board, however the proposal wasn’t well received and was withdrawn but factors in the next year would sway public opinion and the idea would be looked at again the following year.

There was two incidents between meetings in both Scotland and England, on 20/12/1890 Hearts defender Jimmy Adams deliberately handled the ball to prevent an East Stirlingshire goal in a Scottish Cup tie and in the FA Cup on 14/2/1891 a similar incident occurred when a Notts County player prevented a Stoke City goal by handling on the line.

At the International Football Association Board meeting of June 2, 1891, at the Alexandra Hotel, Bath Street, Glasgow, Jack Reid of the Irish FA and his English counterpart Mr C. Crump put forward the motion again and after much discussion it was agreed that penalty-kicks would be introduced.

It didn’t take long for the world’s first penalty to be awarded, on June 6, only four days after the motion had passed the first penalty was to be taken in Scotland during an Airdrie Charity Cup match between Airdrieonians and Royal Albert (Larkhall).

A crowd of over 2000 saw referee Mr Robertson award Royal Albert a penalty, James McLuggage would be the man to take and score the first penalty when he stepped up and converted from 12 yards out.

Royal Albert would go on to win the game 2-0. The first penalty in English football was scored by Billy Heath for Wolverhampton Wanderers in a match versus Accrington Stanley.