It’s easy to take for granted those places we most commonly visit. But today, Saturday 20 August 2022 marks an historic day for Celtic’s home venue. Today is the 130th anniversary of Celtic’s first ever game at the current Celtic Park, an unbroken presence at an iconic football ground.
So today is a notable day, and also one that brings to mind all of the venues that the Bhoys have called home across the years. When the Celts first played in 1888 the original Celtic Park was located a stone’s throw from the current ground. However, chased by the greed of a landlord, Celtic moved in 1892.
On 13 August 1892, an athletics event was held which officially opened the new Celtic Park. Athletics and other sports events were regularly organised by the club in those days. Football though is what matters most, and 20 August 1892 was the landmark first match. The Celts won a seven-goal thriller against Renton, edging the match 4-3 thanks to a late winner.
There was even the added excitement of two sending-offs, one for each team. This would culminate in a month-long ban for each player, Celtic being forced to miss Johnny Madden for weeks on end.
Celtic Park has of course undergone many changes and transformations since that day, arguably none moreso than Fergus McCann’s decision in the 1990s to build the current version of our stadium.
Although both Celtic Parks are the places most closely associated with the club, there have at times been various other grounds treated as home by the Celts.
The obvious – and most regular – of these is Hampden Park.
In the first instance, Celtic spent a full season at this ground in 1994-95, when Celtic Park was being rebuilt. For league games at least, this was an experience best forgot.
20th August 1994, Celtic beat Dundee Utd 2:1 in their first league game at Hampden.
Andy Walker then a late winner from Tony Mowbray. pic.twitter.com/5YIWDIcEap
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) August 19, 2022
However Hampden has been the Bhoys’ home venue on other happier occasions, especially in the 1970s. Famously it was witness to Celtic’s victory over Leeds United in the 1969-70 European Cup.
The Bhoys also effectively sealed six titles-in-a-row at Scotland’s national stadium. Owing to Parkhead renovations, Celtic’s ‘home’ victory over Ayr United in April 1971 all but sealed the title.
Hampden though has not been Celtic’s only ‘home from home’. In recent times, fans will recall different locations in the mid-2010s.
Commonwealth Games events at Celtic Park in 2014 led to the Bhoys playing at ‘home’ in Edinburgh. Celtic’s early European matches took place at Scotland’s home of rugby, Murrayfield. This included a 4-0 win over Reykjavik and a less than impressive 3-0 ‘win’ over Legia Warsaw, thanks to an administrative error from the Polish side fielding a substitute who was suspended.
The following season – in 2015 – Celtic were again on the road when at home. The Bhoys’ played three pre-season friendlies at St Mirren Park owing to Parkhead renovations.
1929 also saw Celtic play their home games elsewhere – but for very negative reasons. A major fire at Celtic Park towards the end of the 1928-29 season left the ground uninhabitable.
In March and April 1929, Clyde’s ground of Shawfield became Celtic’s home for two matches. The Bhoys beat Third Lanark 3-1 and overcame Falkirk by 3-0.
Celtic also travelled to other team’s grounds, but playing as the official ‘home’ team. They beat Partick Thistle 1-0 at Firhill, lost 4-1 to Hibs at Easter Road and were beaten 2-1 by Queen’s Park at Hampden.
One other venue outwith Scotland at which Celtic used as a ‘de facto’ home was Old Trafford in Manchester.
In 1984, Celtic beat Rapid Vienna but were forced to replay the game owing to a Rapid player falsely claiming he had been hit by a bottle.
UEFA decreed the match should be held at a neutral venue at least 100 miles away from Celtic Park. However the relatively short distance to Manchester saw 40,000 Celtic fans make the journey, although they returned angry and disappointed.
Despite having played at all of these locations – including the original Celtic Park – only one place will ever truly seem like home to Celtic fans.
This weekend when the Bhoys entertain Hearts (Sunday 21 August), spare a thought for all those players – and fans – that have passed through Parkhead’s gates in the past 130 years. God bless them all.
Matthew Marr
Matthew Marr tweets at @hailhailhistory. His first Celtic history book – about the Bhoys’ first league title – is out soon. You can get details at @celtsfirsttitle.
Good stuff, Matthew!