17th March – Five Memorable Celtic Moments on This Day

Five memorable Celtic moments, with a nod to the late Celtic Historian and Celtic Star legend David Potter, on this day starting in 1928…

Jimmy McGrory
Jimmy McGrory

SATURDAY 17 MARCH 1928 – With McInally still out of favour, the team continue to do well, winning today 2-1 against Hearts at Parkhead in a game where Celtic were “smooth-moving and harmonious” and should really have scored more goals. As it was, McGrory scored twice and Celtic retain their position at the top of the League.

Enjoy tea, biscuits and The Celtic Star – completely ad free…

Never see another Ad on The Celtic Star! Subscribe Now and get Seven Days for Free!

Jimmy Delaney
Jimmy Delaney, Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr, out now on Celtic Star Books. Image Celtic Curio

SATURDAY 17 MARCH 1945 – Optimism is in the air as the German Reich now begins to implode with the Russians driving them back in the East and the British and Americans advancing on the West, but it is still the same dismal war time story from Celtic, as they rely on a Jimmy Delaney penalty to earn a draw against Clyde before 10,000 at Parkhead.

The Celtic team at Airdrie on St Patrick’s Day 1962

SATURDAY 17 MARCH 1962 – Any outside chance Celtic may have had of winning the League flag disappears today when they go down 0-1 to Airdrie at Broomfield. It is a shame because they have been playing some good football, but it is typical of this season in which they had already lost to small teams like Falkirk and Stirling Albion. Today’s game is another story of missed chances by the young forwards, then just the one mistake at the back.

SUNDAY 17 MARCH 1991 – Celtic beat Rangers 2-0 at Celtic Park in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup – but that is only half the story for three Rangers players are sent off – Terry Hurlock, Mark Walters and Mark Hateley as BBC Scotland on live terrestrial television ruthlessly expose the ugly side of Rangers success. Graeme Souness has the grace to apologise at the end. Celtic’s goals are scored by Dariusz Wdowczyk and Gerry Creaney. Peter Grant is also sent off, but for the less than totally heinous crime of breaking from a wall too early at a free kick!

Henrik Larsson scored

WEDNESDAY 17 MARCH 2004 – In a match preceded by a minute’s silence for the victims of a bombing in Madrid, Celtic beat Dundee 2-1 at Dens Park more easily than the score line would suggest with goals from Stilian Petrov and Henrik Larsson. Celtic are now almost within touching distance of the League title.

Celtic in the Thirties
Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order

Introducing The Celtic Star App and our new ad-free Premium Service...

Go ad-free on The Celtic Star, get a FREE trial period to try it out. Also download our new App – available for both Apple and Android – and get the best Celtic content on your phone without fighting through pop-up ads and being forced to watch videos.

Our new PREMIUM service comes with a free seven-day trial so you can look before you book. If you are happy to continue the price will be just 99p per month or £9.99 for the year. For that you get an AD-FREE SITE plus access to our premium content, and you’ll also help us make The Celtic Star even better and less reliant on advertising revenues, allowing us to be more focused on publishing the best Celtic features on the internet.

Click HERE to access your FREE trial. We think you’ll like it! We’re Obsessed with Celtic and we think you are too! Join us hand in hand...

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

Comments are closed.