Celtic On This Day – 26th May – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day 26th May 1938. David’s latest bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything is available now in print on Celtic Star Books.

John Divers scored twice

THURSDAY 26th MAY 1938 – In incessant rain, only 20,226 turn up at Ibrox to see the replay of Celtic and Sunderland who drew 0-0 the night before in the quarter-final of the Empire Exhibition Trophy. Jimmy Delaney is out injured and Sunderland are 1-0 up at half-time, but Celtic turn it on in the second half with a goal from Johnny Crum and two from John Divers.

Henrik Larsson wheels away to celebrate with Didier Agathe after putting Celtic 2-0 up with a wonder strike.

SATURDAY 26th MAY 2001 – Celtic complete a domestic treble in Martin O’Neill’s first season by beating Hibs 3-0 in the Scottish Cup final before a Hampden crowd of 51,284. Jackie McNamara (who is not originally in the starting eleven and only came on as a substitute for the injured Lubo Moravcik) scores the first goal then Henrik Larsson scores the other two, the second from the penalty spot. It would have been nice to see Larsson get his hat-trick, but it doesn’t happen. Celtic are compelled to wear their yellow strips, but for the trophy presentation, they don the green and white hoops. It is only the third time that Celtic have won a treble – 1967 and 1969 being the other two occasions.

SATURDAY 26th MAY 2007 – It is the unlikely figure of Jean-Joel Perrier Doumbe who scores the only goal of the game which beats Dunfermline and brings the Scottish Cup to Celtic Park for the 34th time. Five minutes remain of a scrappy Cup Final and it is a scrappy goal scored before 49,600 fans at Hampden. It means however that Celtic have won a Cup and League double for the 14th time. Manager Gordon Strachan has now won four domestic trophies out of six in his two seasons. Dunfermline are already relegated from the Premier Division.

SUNDAY 26th MAY 2013 – In the only Scottish Cup final ever played on a Sunday, Celtic in spite of playing in a hideous black strip win the Scottish Cup for the 35th time by beating Hibs 3-0. Gary Hooper scores twice in the first half but can’t quite join the ranks of Dixie Deans and Jimmy Quinn by scoring a Cup final hat-trick as Joe Ledley scores the third.

David Potter

About Author

I am Celtic author and historian and write for The Celtic Star. I live in Kirkcaldy and have followed Celtic all my life, having seen them first at Dundee in March 1958. I am a retired teacher and my other interests are cricket, drama and the poetry of Robert Burns.

1 Comment

  1. Michael Duffy on

    Hi David
    I would be grateful if you can inform me why the 1967 European Cup final was played on a Thursday ?
    Regards Michael