On this day in 1969…
The date – Saturday 26 April 1969. The occasion – Scottish Cup Final. The venue – Hampden Park, Glasgow. The score – Celtic 4 Rangers 0. The attendance 132,870 including a young David Potter. The Referee : J Callaghan, Glasgow.
The Celtic team: Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan (Clark), Connelly, Chalmers, Wallace, Auld, Lennox
The Rangers team: Martin, Johansen, Mathieson, Greig, McKinnon, D Smith, Henderson, Penman, Ferguson, Johnston, Persson
This is one of Celtic’s most memorable Cup finals. Not only did it seal a Treble but it meant that the Treble had been won in the month of April, for the League Cup final against Hibs, normally held in October, had had to be postponed because of a fire at Hampden. In addition it wiped out from the Celtic psyche the horrible events of 1963.
Rangers had in fact beaten Celtic twice this season in the League but Celtic’s consistency had told in the end. On their day, however, Rangers were a good enough team, and no Old Firm Cup final is ever a foregone conclusion.
Celtic were without the suspended Jimmy Johnstone and the injured John Hughes. Rangers had to do without their centre forward Colin Stein (no relation to Jock!) who was similarly suspended although a preposterous attempt had been made to have the suspension lifted to allow him to play!
The weather was dull but fair as both sides started off playing towards their own sets of supporters. It was a typical whirlwind start from Celtic and within two minutes, they were ahead. A Bobby Lennox corner kick on the left found BILLY McNEILL in splendid isolation to head home as Alex Ferguson failed to mark him and Kai Johansen failed to be stationed at his goalpost.
Rangers never really recovered, although the game now turned rather unpleasant with one particular charge on John Fallon leading to nasty repercussions. Without losing their composure, Celtic gave as good as they got, however, and then came the two minutes just before half time when the Cup was won and lost.
First George Connelly picked up a loose ball on the right, slipped it though to BOBBY LENNOX who with his famous turn of speed, ran through and slipped the ball past Norrie Martin. Rangers were clearly rattled by that, and then with the Celtic End still in a fervour, incredibly, it happened again! This time it was John Greig who was slow on a goal kick from Martin, and GEORGE CONNELLY nipped in and robbed him to put Celtic 3-0 up. The half-time whistle came as a relief for Rangers.
The second half was very much an anti-climax with Rangers fans trying to invade the park, but being compelled to watch the rest of the game by the sadistic Glasgow police. On the field, Rangers did fight but lacked anyone with the guile to get the better of Bobby Murdoch and Bertie Auld who controlled things throughout.
About half way through the second half, STEVE CHALMERS ran about 40 yards to score another, and the game finished 4-0 to a Celtic team, who, one felt, could have upped a gear and scored more if they needed to.
It was Celtic’s 20th Scottish Cup triumph.
David Potter
ON THIS DAY 26TH APRIL 1969
Celtic 4-0 Rangers, Scottish Cup Final
Celtic seal the treble in emphatic style! They have now won the three domestic trophies in the space of 28 days.☘️☘️ pic.twitter.com/aW7J02fE8Y— Willie Collow (@CollowWillie) April 26, 2022
26th April 1969, Celtic beat Rangers 4:0 in the Scottish Cup Final to complete the Treble.
McNeill, Lennox, Connelly and Chalmers. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/94SGAKWfrU
— Li’l Ze (@LilZe_7) April 25, 2022
