Celtic On This Day – 23rd November – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter’s Celtic Diary looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 23rd November 1918...

SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1918 – Celtic and Partick Thistle attract 25,000 to Firhill to see Celtic’s first fixture since the Armistice was signed on 11 November. Celtic win 1-0 through a Patsy Gallacher goal, but the main topic of conversation is the health of Jimmy McMenemy who is reported as still dangerously ill with the Spanish flu which has been sweeping Europe all through 1918. The strain which Napoleon has caught is described as being of a “particularly virulent nature”.

SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1963 – The world is still reeling from the assassination of President John F Kennedy last night, but the football season continues and Celtic turn on a first class performance to beat Kilmarnock 5-0 with a hat-trick from John Hughes and one each from John Divers and Jimmy Johnstone. A one minute silence was held at all Scottish grounds and was preserved impeccably except for at Dunfermline where some Rangers fans were castigated in the Press for booing because John F Kennedy was a Roman Catholic!

WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1983 – Celtic have a good night at the City Ground, Nottingham with a 0-0 draw against Brian Clough’s side. There is a minor pitch invasion but that seems to have been caused by overcrowding rather than hooliganism. Near the end, Paul McStay comes close, but a goalless draw gives Celtic the initiative.

SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1985 – The team of the season so far has proved to be Hearts, surprisingly, but it is the other Edinburgh team Hibs who are Celtic’s opponents today, and they draw 1-1 with Celtic at Parkhead. Celtic played well in the second half and scored through Mo Johnston, but seemed to lack concentration and commitment in the second half, and Gordon Chisholm nipped in to score for Hibs.

WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2011 – Dunfermline Athletic often put up a reasonable fight at Celtic Park, and tonight is no exception but it is still a disappointing experience for the support who watched their team go two goals up from Gary Hooper and James Forrest, but then tail off (Ki misses a penalty) and almost throw it all away when Dunfermline pull one back late in the game. But 2-1 it is, and Celtic are now closing in on Rangers. More pertinently and urgently for the Ibrox side, so too is HMRC!

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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