The Birth of the Modern Day Football Boot

It was 30th April 1994 at Ibrox Park, Glasgow. Champions Rangers were hosting their bitterest rivals, Celtic, in a match thick with tension and significance. Rangers, closing in on their sixth league title in a row, were overwhelming favourites. The bookies tipped them for a comfortable win, bolstered by the absence of any travelling Celtic supporters—a controversial decision by Rangers Chairman David Murray. It was reportedly payback for an alleged unpaid fine from Celtic for broken seats during their last visit.

With 45,000 Rangers fans filling the stands, the atmosphere was electric. The crowd was in high spirits, entertained during the warm-up as the Gers mascot comically attempted to headbutt towering striker Duncan Ferguson. Just two weeks earlier, Ferguson had been involved in an infamous on-field incident where he allegedly headbutted Raith player Jock McStay. Though the referee missed the clash, and play carried on, Ferguson later served jail time for the assault—an unprecedented sentence in Scottish football.

For Celtic fans watching the game from pubs and living rooms across Scotland, something in the pre-match warm-up caught their attention: John Collins’ boots. The Celtic midfielder was wearing something new, something odd—the Adidas Predator boots. There had been a few press releases about how these boots, with their distinctive "rubber fins," would revolutionise football by offering greater spin, power, and control. However, most fans dismissed them as little more than marketing hype. That was until the 29th minute of the game.

The Goal That Changed Everything

In the 29th minute, Celtic were awarded a free kick on the edge of the D, just 20 yards from goal. John Collins and Dariusz Wdowczyk stood over the ball, facing a six-man Rangers wall. Wdowczyk seemed the obvious choice to take the kick, known for his thunderbolt strikes. But as the whistle blew, it was Collins who stepped forward.

With just two steps, Collins curled the ball with precision and power, sending it over Mark Hateley at the edge of the wall and into the top corner of the Rangers net. The goal was sublime. Ibrox fell silent, the stunned crowd unable to process what had just happened.

However, in boardrooms in Germany, there were no silences. There were cheers. Adidas executives were likely toasting the boots’ first big moment—the moment their gamble on Craig Johnston’s crazy idea had finally paid off.

The Story of the Predator Boots

The story of the Adidas Predator boots begins not on the pitches of Europe, but in Australia. Craig Johnston, a former Liverpool player, had retired at the young age of 27 to return home and care for his sister, who was gravely ill. While coaching kids back in Australia, Johnston noticed a problem: players struggled to get proper grip and spin on the ball. That’s when inspiration struck.

Johnston began experimenting, attaching strips of rubber from a table tennis bat to a pair of boots, securing them with elastic bands. After several prototypes, he realised he was onto something revolutionary. The rubber allowed for unprecedented control, power, and spin, but Johnston hit a brick wall: no manufacturer was interested.

Despite rejection after rejection, Johnston refused to give up. He turned to his contacts in football, calling in favours from German legends Franz Beckenbauer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Paul Breitner. The three icons tested the boots, taking turns curling the ball into the net from impossible angles. Johnston filmed the session, capturing their astonished reactions.

Armed with this footage and the backing of Beckenbauer, Johnston finally convinced Adidas to take a chance on his creation. The Predator boots were born.

A Legend Is Born

The Predator was conceived in the mind of Craig Johnston in Australia, but its birth on the professional stage came at Ibrox on 30th April 1994. John Collins’ free kick made him the first player to score in the boots in a professional game.

That goal didn’t just silence Rangers fans—it announced the arrival of a new era in football. From that moment on, the Predator boots became iconic, worn by legends like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, and Steven Gerrard. Yet it all started with one man’s determination and one unforgettable free kick.

The Legacy of the Predator

The 1994 Rangers vs. Celtic match was more than just another chapter in Scotland’s fiercest rivalry. It was the stage where modern football boots took their first steps. Adidas Predator boots became the must-have gear for players around the world, forever changing the way the game was played.

The story of Craig Johnston, John Collins, and the Adidas Predators reminds us that innovation often comes from the unlikeliest places. Who knows? The next revolution in football might already be brewing, waiting for its own unforgettable moment to announce itself to the world.

By David Connelly