Celtic On This Day – 24th February – 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 24th February 1894. David’s latest bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything is available now in print on Celtic Star Books, and also on Amazon kindle, links below…

Jimmy Blessington scored

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1894 – Celtic gain ample revenge for last Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final defeat by beating Rangers 3-2 at Celtic Park before a crowd of about 8,000, the attendance being lower than anticipated because of the exceptionally wet weather. This effectively guarantees the second League Championship in a row for Celtic. Jimmy Blessington, Sandy McMahon and Johnny Madden score the goals, the vital one being that of Johnny Madden after Baker had equalized for Rangers.

John Crum scored

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1940 – In the first leg of the first round of what was known as the War Emergency Cup, Celtic beat Raith Rovers 4-2 at Celtic Park before 6,201 fans. Celtic’s goals are all scored by men called John – Crum has two, Divers one and Gould one. The second leg will be at Stark’s Park next week. Meanwhile the “phoney war” continues with loads of embarkations and disembarkations and loads of people in uniform, but nothing as yet happening (at least in western Europe) and a few people daring to suggest that a peace deal may yet be possible.

Jock Weir scored

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1951 – Not for the first nor last time, serious problems of overcrowding today at Tynecastle as Celtic edge home, beating Hearts 2-1 in the Scottish Cup. All the goals are scored in the first half (Celtic’s coming from Jock Weir and John McPhail), but the hero was goalkeeper George “Sonny” Hunter who survived a tremendous second half barrage from Hearts with supporters actually sitting on his goal net and lining the touchline, such was the crush on the terracing.

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1962 – A good performance by Celtic today to beat Jock Stein’s Dunfermline Athletic 3-0 at East End Park. Sadly for the Pars, full back Willie Cunningham has to go off injured and no substitutes are allowed in 1962. Celtic take full advantage with a goal from John Divers, and then two late ones from John Hughes.

SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2019 – Celtic, without a great deal of bother beat Motherwell 4-1 at Celtic Park today with two goals from Odsonne Edouard, one from Scott Sinclair and one from Olly Burke. No-one notices anything odd about Manager Brendan Rodgers, but in a few days time he will astonish the world by suddenly jumping ship when on the verge of his own treble treble.

David Potter

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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