Month 3, Day 31 of Celtic Historian David Potter’s new diary on The Celtic Star which will run throughout the new season and will highlight key Celtic-related events relevant to each day, today covering 31st October…
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 1903
Celtic are the first visitors to the New Hampden Park which is opened today. It is a fine, large, well-appointed stadium and holds comfortably the 60,000 which The Glasgow Herald believes to be present. Sir John Ure-Primrose, the Lord Provost of Glasgow makes a speech and his wife declares the ground open. Sam Gilligan of Celtic takes the centre to start the game, and therefore has the honour of being the first man to kick a ball at Hampden. Sadly for Celtic, however, Queen’s Park win 1-0.
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 1931
Today is the debut of Canadian Joe Kennaway in the Celtic goal. Joe was brought across the Atlantic to fill the void left by the death of John Thomson and today he plays in a 2-2 draw against the strong going Motherwell at Fir Park. The Scotsman says that he had a good game, but he seemed to find the soft ground rather difficult. Charlie Napier scored two goals for Celtic.
WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER 1956
After a decade of striving, Celtic at last win the Scottish League Cup. They do this at a virtually empty Hampden before a meagre crowd of 31,156 on a Wednesday afternoon in a replayed final against Partick Thistle following a terrible first game on the Saturday. All the goals come early in the second half and are scored by Billy McPhail with two and Bobby Collins one, as Celtic run out 3-0 winners. Meanwhile the world awaits with dread the outcome of the Suez Crisis which threatens world war as Israel today presses even further into Egypt.
THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER 2002
Graeme Souness returns to Celtic Park tonight as Manager of Blackburn Rovers in a much awaited UEFA Cup tie. Celtic win 1-0 with a goal from Henrik Larsson, but the English media are full of patronising comments about how good Blackburn played and how they are going to win in two weeks’ time at Ewood Park.
SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 2009
Kilmarnock have not won at Celtic Park since 1955, and today they are not like doing it either as Celtic beat them 3-0 with goals from Aiden McGeady, Georgios Samaras and the very impressive Niall McGinn. 46,000 are there and enjoy a boost following the depressing exit from the League Cup to Hearts the previous midweek.
David Potter
31st October 1956, Celtic beat Partick Thistle 3:0 to win the League Cup for the first time.
Billy McPhail(2) and Bobby Collins with the goals.https://t.co/tDHr7gdje6 pic.twitter.com/mpYFcvrrIh
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 1970, Celtic win 5:0 at Motherwell.
The conditions, they were poor.https://t.co/gLy1dYlkiC pic.twitter.com/5HxFftkVD4
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 1973, Celtic 3:2 Aberdeen.
One of Dalglishs goals and Pat McCluskeys. pic.twitter.com/9NVqtZWPsH
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
35 years ago today, Aberdeen 0:1 Celtic.
McAvennie with the winner. @MaccaFrank pic.twitter.com/l0thdZReo7
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 2001, Celtic 4:3 Juventus.
Joos, Sutton(2) and Larsson. @chris_sutton73 pic.twitter.com/3kQINMHrGT
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
20 years ago today, Celtic beat Blackburn 1:0 in the first leg of the Uefa Cup tie.
Larsson winner. pic.twitter.com/lfYV4YYWVQ
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 2009, Celtic 3:0 Kilmarnock.
McGeady, Samaras and McGinn. pic.twitter.com/KeNQmglAB4
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 2015, Celtic 3:1 Aberdeen.
Griffiths(2) and Forrest. pic.twitter.com/9AlJaM7Sux
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
5 years ago today, Celtic 1:2 Bayern.
Good goal from McGregor. pic.twitter.com/Uc6vaZ5NOn
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
31st October 2018, Dundee 0:5 Celtic.
Rogic, Sinclair, Forrest, Edouard and Christie. @Tom_Rogic @Scotty_Sinclair @Oedouard22 pic.twitter.com/iftVkcnnOd
— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) October 31, 2022
