TEN years after the death of Jock Stein at Ninian Park whilst managing Scotland to World Cup Final qualification, Celtic travelled north to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie and got off to a terrible start.
The Celtic players wore black armbands to honour the memory of the club’s greatest ever manager who would have been impressed by the way the Celtic players fought back from going two goals down to pick up the three points in the most dramatic of styles.
Tommy Boyd had the misfortune of scoring an own goal and Eoin Jess doubled the Aberdeen advantage with just ten minutes on the clock.
But Celtic manager Tommy Burns was building a side that was beginning to show signs of a return to better days for the club – like those ones that Jock Stein was well used to – and the players rolled up their sleeves and set about achieving a remarkable fightback.
John Collins started it with a sensational strike, perhaps one of the best Celtic goals you’ve maybe forgotten about – have a look.
Andy Thom got lucky with a cross that found the back of the net and before the interval John Collins was again on the scoresheet to put Celtic ahead. So it was 3-2 to the Hoops at half-time and rather surprisingly that’s the way it finished.
John Hughes was sent off in the second half but ten man Celtic hung on.
The Celtic team was Marshall, Vata, Boyd, McKinlay, O’Donnell, Collins, Grant, Donnelly, van Hooijdonk and Thom.
Subs were Mackay, Walker and McLaughlin.
ALSO ON THE CELTIC STAR TODAY…
Celtic’s French Fancies, ‘Top Talent’ Ntcham plus Edouard’s ‘upwards trajectory’, better than Dembele?…see HERE.
‘I wasn’t happy with my performance at all,’ Scotland’s Man of the Match Ryan Christie…see HERE.
Jock Stein, ‘The coal miner who Won the Biggest Cup of them all’…see HERE.
Czech Mate – Celtic’s sensational striker is the talk of French Football after four goal blitz…see HERE.