On This Day 1974 – Airdrie 2-4 Celtic, Drybrough Cup
CELTIC started the first game of the new 1974/75 season resting Kenny Dalglish, George Connelly, Dixie Deans and Brian McLaughlin.
McGrain, Johnstone, Dalglish and the recently departed Davie Hay (sold to Chelsea for a club record £250,000) had all been involved in the Home Internationals and the World Cup in West Germany where Scotland only just (by one goal) failed to qualify for the latter stages.
This was the game where Celtic ‘keeper Denis Connaghan scored an incredible own goal when he threw the ball into his empty net in error.
Jock Stein was pictured laughing.
The ‘new’ experiment in the offside law in the Drybrough Cup began the previous season – you can’t be offside outside the 18 yard line – continued again this season despite the rule change being unliked by both players and officials.
Airdrie had ex-Celtic player Ray Franchetti in their forward line.
During the summer whilst in the Largs training camp with Scotland the infamous Jinky-adrift-in-a-boat incident happened off of Largs Pier.
Celtic started the season in good form. Hardly a game of football – more a training exercise – which Airdrie were quite happy to admit to – with a silly offside rule which Celtic fully exploited.
Steve Murray was the best Celtic player, full of stamina and running.
Airdrie: McWilliams, Jonquin, Lapsley, Menzies, Cowan, McCulloch, McCann, Whireford, McRoberts, Franchetti, Wilson (Reynolds). Sub: McKinlay
Scorers: Whiteford (74) Connaghan (OG 77)
CELTIC: Connaghan, McCluskey, Brogan (McGrain), Murray, McNeill, Callaghan, Johnstone, Wilson, Hood, Davidson (McNamara), Lennox.
Scorers: Johnstone (19), Murray (26), Lennox (pen 58), Wilson (71).
Also on The Celtic Star today…
Sawyers’ ‘Unfinished Business’ at West Brom, as £3million deal agreed for former Celtic target…see HERE.
Celtic offer Izaguirre Six Month contract, Arsenal’s Reluctance, long may it continue…see HERE.
Celtic sign Tobi Oluwayemi on a three year deal…see HERE.
Preston’s loan move for Scotty Sinclair rejected by Celtic
CELTIC have rejected Preston’s request to take Scotty Sinclair on loan, according to reports this morning. The English Championship side apparently don’t have the cash to meet the £2.5million that Celtic are looking for the player who signed a contract extension at the end of last season.
Continue reading HERE.
Lenny’s ‘Poo-poo’ Point on UEFA’s disgraceful Champions League Qualifying System
NEIL LENNON and Dan Petrescu could come face to face in a fortnight as their sides meet in the Champions League third round Qualifiers, assuming they can negotiate their respective way through the second leg of the second round this week.
Celtic are let’s say the bookies favourites to be there, after thrashing the Estonian Champions Nomme Kalju 5-0 at Celtic Park on Wednesday. For the former Chelsea star, his chances are tougher to call. His CFR Cluj side takes a 1-0 to Israel this week and Maccabi Tel Aviv will perhaps fancy their chances of overturning that narrow defeat to make it through to play Celtic…CONTINUE READING HERE.
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