Celtic On This Day – 21st March – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 21st March 1891…

Johnny Campbell scored

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 1891 – In the first ever Scottish League game against Rangers (such clashes would not be given name “Old Firm” for another decade) Celtic draw 1-1 at Old Celtic Park with a goal from Johnny Campbell. The Glasgow Herald says it “was the most important game to be played for some time”. Some sources claim that the score was 2-2 but The Glasgow Herald insists it was 1-1.

Jimmy McMenemy scored

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 1908 – A late Jimmy McMenemy goal was enough to beat Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Pittodrie (semi finals were not played at neutral venues until 1912) and the game was the best ever attended at Pittodrie. The Aberdeen Press and Journal thinks that the black and golds of Aberdeen were unlucky to lose (but then they would, wouldn’t they?) but is nevertheless is awe of the mighty Celtic and the crowd that they are able to attract to see them. Apart from two special trains from Glasgow, they attracted many from the local area including “clergymen and women with perfumes” who could now tell everyone that they had seen the great Jimmy Quinn.

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 1925 – One of Celtic’s most famous days as they beat Rangers 5-0 in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers. A crowd of 101,714 see Jimmy McGrory and Adam McLean score two each and Alec Thomson the other one in a triumph which is as comprehensive as it is unexpected. It is a game that will be commemorated in song for many decades.

“Hello, Hello we are the Timmalloys,
Hello, Hello you’ll know us by the noise
We beat the Rangers in the Cup, twas great to be alive
Not one, not two, not three, not four but FIVE!”

Jimmy Delaney scored

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 1936 – Celtic take another step towards the League Championship with a fine 2-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park, the goals coming from “Jeemie and Jeemie” namely Delaney and McGrory. It was not a great performance, but it was the right result in front of a huge Celtic following which easily dwarfed the local support.

Henrik Larsson scored twice

SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2004 – Hibs are today swept aside by a Celtic side who are clearly on the crest of a wave as they beat the Edinburgh side 4-0 with Henrik Larsson and Didier Agathe scoring two goals each.

David Potter

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About Author

David was a distinguished Celtic author and historian and writer for The Celtic Star. He lived in Kirkcaldy and followed Celtic all my life, having seen them first at Dundee in March 1958. He was a retired teacher and his other interests were cricket, drama and the poetry of Robert Burns. David Potter passed away on 29 July 2023 after a short illness. He was posthumously awarded a Special Recognition award by Celtic FC at the club's Player of the Year awards in May 2024. David's widow Rosemary accepted the award to huge applause from the Celtic Supporters in the Hydro.

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