Celtic On This Day – 24th October – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter’s Celtic diary highlights key Celtic-related events relevant to each day, today covering 24th October…

🎂 Happy 50th birthday to former #CelticFC Captain, Jackie McNamara!

Have a great day, Jackie 🍀 pic.twitter.com/Kz3DoTMBL3

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 24, 2023

SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 1914

The war that might have ended “before the leaves fall” clearly hasn’t, and even the “over by Christmas” prediction seems wide of the mark as Celtic travel to Douglas Park, Hamilton to play a League match before 12,000 spectators. Jimmy Quinn, now 36, is described as “fleshy, slow and cumbersome” but nevertheless turns up trumps to score the only goal of the game in the 88th minute. Meanwhile bad news is heard about old Celtic favourite Peter Somers, now a director with Hamilton, who is reported to be very ill.

SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 1953

30,000 at Parkhead see a good game and a good Celtic performance with goals from John McPhail and Jimmy Walsh in the first half, as Celtic win 2-0 over a Hearts side who have been showing signs of improvement.

WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 1962

New signing Bobby Craig joins the club from Blackburn Rovers and plays that same night against Valencia in the Fair Cities Cup. Not surprisingly, this move is not a success, as Celtic can only draw 2-2 when they were 2-4 down from the first leg. Celtic’s goals come from an own goal (pictured below) and Pat Crerand.

24th October 1962, Celtic 2:2 Valencia in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

First ever European game at Celtic Park. pic.twitter.com/D63Q2SPeJX

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) October 23, 2023

SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 1964

A painful day for Celtic as the League Cup final is lost to Rangers after Celtic had been on top in the first half but could not score. Rangers then score twice and Celtic’s late revival during which Jimmy Johnstone pulls one back is too late. 91,423 are there, and the Celtic end is devastated because it was felt that this could at long last be the day of Celtic’s revival. As it is, they now go into free-fall and crisis time beckons once again. In the long and lamentable catalogue of Celtic’s “death wish” games against Rangers at this time, this one is a collector’s item.

SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 1987

Not a great day for Celtic as, without McAvennie, they go down 1-2 to Dundee United at Parkhead before a 31,032 crowd who are puzzled by the inconsistency of their team. Tony Shepherd scores the only goal for Celtic in injury time after Dundee United have scored two late goals.

Billy Stark challenging Dave Bowman October 1987

David Potter

25 years ago today, Celtic 2:0 Aberdeen.

Donnelly double. @SimonDonnelly13 pic.twitter.com/Yg4hKysPUk

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) October 23, 2023

24th October 1999, St Johnstone 1:2 Celtic.

Burchill and Wieghorst. @Burchyboy27 pic.twitter.com/jZo37dMgwx

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) October 23, 2023

24th October 2004, Livingston 2:4 Celtic.

Petrov, Camara, Hartson and Sutton. @StanPetrov19 @JohnHartson10 @chris_sutton73 pic.twitter.com/0NUgnGi7tB

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) October 23, 2023