Celtic On This Day – 29th December – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 29th December 1928…

SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 1928 – A hard fought win today over Dundee at Parkhead. Celtic were two up in the first quarter of an hour with goals from Willie Gray and Alec Thomson, but Dundee fought back and Celtic were much indebted to John Thomson in goal for their 2-1 victory.

THURSDAY 29 DECEMBER 1955 – The death is announced of Tommy McInally, Celtic’s personality player of the 1920s. He died in his native Barrhead of throat cancer only a few days after his 56th birthday. He was, some think, the greatest ball-player of them all, but let himself down time after time, as he would cheerfully admit. His funeral at St.Conval’s Cemetery, Barrhead on the morning of Hogmanay was well attended, not least by the Celtic team before they departed to play Queen of the South in the afternoon. Manager James McGrory was of course a team-mate and friend of Tommy.

SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 1956 – Celtic’s last game of 1956 is a 3-3 thriller at Easter Road against Hibs. Lawrie Reilly of Hibs equalised after Celtic had come from being 2-1 behind to go 3-2 up with good goals by Vince Ryan, Eric Smith and Neil Mochan. The second half was played under Easter Road’s floodlights, still a comparatively new phenomenon in 1956.

SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 1973 – Celtic finish the calendar year of 1973 with two successive 6-0 victories. Last week it was Falkirk’s turn, and today Dunfermline with Jim Leishman at centre-half are overwhelmed as three separate players, Kenny Dalglish, Dixie Deans and Harry Hood all score two goals to the delight of the 21,000 crowd.

SATURDAY 29 DECEMBER 2007 – Today sees the first ever visit of Gretna to Celtic Park. The rise and fall of Gretna is a remarkable story, but they are outclassed today in a 0-3 defeat with goals from Scott McDonald, Scott Brown and an own goal.

29th December 2007, Celtic 3:0 Gretna.

McDonald, Brown and McGeady. @ScottyMcD83 @ScottBrown8 pic.twitter.com/coQwVD2eEj

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) December 29, 2023

David Potter

16 years gone today… never forgotten.. God bless you Phil O'Donnell.. Heaven gained another Celtic great the day God called you to Paradise 💚 xxx @CelticFC @MotherwellFC pic.twitter.com/ODgEe05BBX

— Babs McMahon 🧁💚 #RememberMyNoah💙 (@BarbaraMcMahon8) December 29, 2023

Phil O’Donnell💚 pic.twitter.com/Nn0l1BexXv

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) December 29, 2023

Happy Birthday Tony Watt. @32watto pic.twitter.com/P22V8cUlg6

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) December 29, 2023

29th December 1979, Rangers 1:1 Celtic.

Bobby Lennox with an immediate equaliser. pic.twitter.com/POfisaRStc

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) December 29, 2023

29th December 2001, Dundee Utd 0:4 Celtic.

Hartson, Petrov, Thommo and Larsson. @JohnHartson10 @StanPetrov19 @Alantommo8 pic.twitter.com/tTaJzd1cf1

— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) December 29, 2023