Celtic On This Day – 15th February – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter’s Celtic Diary each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 15th February 1919…

SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1919 – As Glasgow begins to settle down after the George Square riots of a fortnight ago, Celtic continue their winning ways with a 4-1 win over Hamilton Academical. ‘Sniper’ McColl scores a hat-trick and Willie McStay scores the other. The Sunday Post talks about a “cake walk” which is hardly surprising with Jimmy McMenemy and Patsy Gallacher in the same team.

SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1936 – Celtic recover from last week’s shock Cup exit to St Johnstone with an emphatic 4-0 win over Kilmarnock with goals from Jimmy McGrory, Willie Buchan, Willie Lyon and Jimmy Delaney. Aberdeen are still top of the League but their challenge is weakening with Celtic and Rangers both having games in hand.

SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1964 – Celtic advance into the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup with a 4-1 win over Airdrie at Parkhead. At half time Celtic were 1-0 up through Steve Chalmers, then Bobby Murdoch scored with a penalty kick soon after half time before John Hughes and Jimmy Johnstone complete the rout.

SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1986 – A paltry crowd of 11,656 watch Celtic struggle to get the better of Second Division Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup. The Amateurs shock the crowd and set alarm bells ringing by scoring first through a penalty, but Brian McClair levels the score, then Roy Aitken adds the winner to stave off the humiliation of a replay. The boos at the end are tinged with relief.

SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2009 – It is not often that one can describe a Celtic v Rangers game as a complete bore, but this goalless draw at Parkhead saw both teams happy to settle for a point. Possibly, if anything, Rangers had the more territorial advantage, and Artur Boruc certainly had a good couple of saves, but it was not a day that anyone would remember with relish. Celtic’s forwards lacked punch.

David Potter