EARLY EIGHTIES CLASSICS – CELTIC v SPORTING LISBON…
Summer 1983 was a depressing time for Celtic fans. The agony of losing the league title on the last day of the season was compounded by the departure (albeit long expected) of Charlie Nicholas to Arsenal for a reported fee of £650 000. This was followed by a further shock of truly seismic proportions- the resignation of manager Billy “Caesar” McNeill.
Caesar’s departure was completely unexpected. Whilst he had always experienced a somewhat fractious relationship with the Board, no one could have predicted how events would unfold in the summer of 1983. The loss of a much-loved club legend, and the incredibly acrimonious circumstances which surrounded it, cast a long, dark shadow over the following season.
His successor was Davie Hay, who had been an outstanding player for Celtic a decade earlier. Hay’s apparently laid-back manner was in stark contrast to McNeill’s charismatic and passionate demeanour.
It was Hay’s misfortune to be offered the job at a time when a general air of disillusionment and depression hung over the club. Celtic would go on to finish season 1983/84 as runners up in all three domestic competitions and it would be fair to say that, at the end of his first season, the jury was still out regarding Hay’s suitability for the job.
Season 1983/84 would, however, provide one truly memorable European result – the 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon at Celtic Park in the second round of the UEFA Cup…
Although I lived in London at the time, I was at both legs of the Sporting tie. In fact the away leg was my first time on a plane! After the first leg the waiter in our hotel asked what the score would be in the return leg and I told him we would win 5-0. He laughed of course