Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 13th January 1894. David’s latest bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything SOLD OUT on Celtic Star Books but the good news is that it is now back in stock! You can place an order here and we’ll post your order immediately. The Celtic Rising is also now available on Amazon Kindle, link below.
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 1894 – Celtic thump the luckless Edinburgh side St Bernards 8-1 at Celtic Park in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup. Sandy McMahon scores four, Johnny Madden two and Joe Cassidy and Willie Maley one each in the rout. The game is played in daylight, but Celtic, who had been experimenting with floodlights in a few friendlies, still have a few electric wires and bulbs over the park. The ball hits them once or twice and St Bernards see fit to complain in a rather weak attempt to get a replay. The result however stands, but the SFA tell Celtic to remove the electrical fittings.
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 1923 – Celtic open their Scottish Cup campaign with a 3-2 win at Recreation Park, Lochgelly. Joe Cassidy scores a hat-trick. It so happens that this game is recorded on film, but the coverage is primitive with the cameraman understandably more interested in taking shots of his friends in the crowd rather that allowing us the opportunity to see Joe Cassidy in action!
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 1962 – In a remarkable game at Tannadice Park which is still in the throes of redevelopment and before an all-ticket crowd of 20,000, Celtic put their supporters through the mill. After an hour’s play, they are 5-1 up and playing superbly with two goals from Mike Jackson, two from John Hughes and one from Pat Crerand. But then Dundee United pull a goal back, then another, and with Celtic clearly rattled, their forwards out of puff and the defence arguing with each other, Wattie Carlyle of Dundee United scores a fourth in the 81st minute. The last ten minutes are desperate “siege of the Alamo” defending, but Celtic held out.
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 1973 – Jock Stein, now released from hospital, was back at Parkhead today to see Celtic defeat Dundee 2-1 in a tight game with two goals from Kenny Dalglish and Jimmy Johnstone. Jock was given a rousing reception, but the main topic of conversation was Lou Macari and whether he was going to Liverpool or Manchester United. He was not popular among the 27,000 Celtic fans at Parkhead today in the middle of this troubled midwinter at Celtic Park.
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 1990 – A truly dreadful Celtic performance today as they go down 0-2 to Dundee United at Tannadice, the first game after the disastrous transfer of Roy Aitken, driven out by the ungrateful Boo Boys in the crowd and Aitken’s persecution in the Press by Gerry McNee. Celtic are going nowhere and oh! how it hurt to see Dundee United with men like Paddy Connolly and Kevin Gallacher who really should have been playing for Celtic.
David Potter
13th January 1923, Celtic best Lochgelly United 3:2 in the Scottish Cup.
Old school video footage: https://t.co/GmmProBIZ8
— Li’l Ze (@LilZe_7) January 13, 2023
I’ve always believed that there was more to Roy aitken than we were told and from what i was to believe is that he was desperate to leave because of some misdemeanor that he was believed to have been up to.
Earlier in today’s column you mentioned lou macari being unpopular at the game that night because of wanting away but 10 years later at least 25 000 of us went to old Trafford for his testimonial and 10 years on again he was back all be it as a short time as manager but big roy who had been our stalwart for years and centenary season double winning captain has never been back in any capacity and although i wasn’t a fan of Gerry mcnee in any way i genuinely believe he was a convenient scapegoat