Celtic On This Day – 21st January – 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 21st January 1922…

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 1922 – Celtic have a good win today at Celtic Park when they beat Aberdeen 2-0 with a degree of ease, the goals coming in the first half from Tommy McInally and “Jean” McFarlane. Rangers could only draw at Hamilton, so Celtic and Rangers are now tied at the top. In the meantime, concern is expressed about the condition of Pope Benedict XV, and the other item in the news is the arrival of Michael Collins in London to negotiate the transfer of power from Whitehall to the Irish Free State.

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 1933 – In the Scottish Cup travel to East End Park, Dunfermline to dish out a 7-1 hammering to the Second Division Pars who already in 1933 “enjoy” that nickname, which is apparently short for “paralytics”. Jimmy McGrory and Hugh O’Donnell both score hat-tricks and Bertie Thomson scores the other.

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 1939 – Kirkton Park, Burntisland is the unlikely venue for Celtic in the Scottish Cup, for they play against Burntisland Shipyard. Celtic, in the middle of a terrible run in which they have lost four of their last five League games, struggle as the amateurs match them goal for goal until with the score at 4-3 Celtic at long last take a grip on proceedings and finish the game 8-3 winners. Malky MacDonald scores a hat-trick, Johnny Crum two, and John Watters, Jimmy Delaney and Frank Murphy one each. The game is much enjoyed and much remembered in Fife.

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 1967 – “Efficient rather than spectacular” was the way that this one was described as Celtic beat Hibs 2-0 at Parkhead with goals from Steve Chalmers and Willie Wallace. Willie Wallace’s goal was a brilliant one, and this result over a team that could have been a challenger for the League title means that Celtic are now five points clear of Rangers, although the Ibrox men have a game in hand.

SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 1995 – Poor Celtic simply cannot get out of the bit these days. Today sees their fourth goalless draw of the season as, even with new signing Pierre van Hooijdonk on board, they cannot score against Partick Thistle at Firhill before a crowd of 11,000. Disorientated by not having a home (Parkhead is being rebuilt) and still recovering from their dreadful League Cup final loss to Raith Rovers, Celtic are going through a very dark time in their history.

David Potter

21st January 1989, Hibs 1:3 Celtic.

McGhee, McStay and Walker. pic.twitter.com/0N4XbwWz72

— Li'l Ze (@LilZe785) January 21, 2024

21st January 2012, St Mirren 0:2 Celtic.

Forrest then Brown with a near exact copy of “The Broony” goal. @ScottBrown8 pic.twitter.com/JqSccxf13r

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) January 21, 2024

21st January 2015, Celtic 4:0 Motherwell.

Virgil, Griffiths and an excellent double from Lustig. @VirgilvDijk pic.twitter.com/DuHLwmkIDM

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) January 21, 2024

A year ago today, Celtic 5:0 Morton.

Mooy(2), Kyogo(2) and Turnbull. @Kyogo_Furuhashi pic.twitter.com/rB9INpVxO6

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) January 21, 2024