Celtic On This Day – 31st August – 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 31 August…

SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 1918

It is now becoming increasingly difficult to get to a football match because of transport problems and the sheer fact that there are fewer and fewer men around, but 20,000 manage to get to Shawfield to see Celtic beat Clyde 3-0 with a couple of penalty kicks from the famous Patsy Gallacher and a good goal from the impressive youngster Adam McLean.

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 1938

19,874 are at Celtic Park tonight to see Celtic beat Third Lanark 8-1 in a quite devastating display of football with John Divers scoring four goals and Frank Murphy, Chick Geatons, Willie Lyon (with a penalty) and Johnny Crum getting the others.

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 1955

Celtic collapse totally against Rangers tonight in the League Cup tie at Parkhead and lose 0-4, but that is only half the story for centre half Jock Stein is taken off with a bad ankle injury from which he will never totally recover. He does come back later in the season, but is soon out of action again.

SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 1985

Both sides are happy to settle for a 1-1 draw today at Parkhead, although most people are of the opinion that Celtic were the better team. Ally McCoist scored in the first half for Rangers, but Paul McStay equalised matters early in the second half.

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 1994

11,431 are at Dens Park to see a hard-fought Scottish League Cup tie which Celtic win 2-1 with goals from Andy Walker and John Collins. Following a 2-0 win over Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday, it seems that Celtic are off to a good start in Tommy Burns first season as manager. The night gets even better with the news that Rangers lose to Falkirk, and are now out of the League Cup.

David Potter