Celtic On This Day – 3rd September – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter’s new Celtic diary highlights key Celtic-related events relevant to each day, today covering 3 September…

SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1898

Jack Bell scores a hat-trick and Tommy Hynds the other as League Champions Celtic beat St Mirren 4-1 at Celtic Park. He doesn’t score today, but the star of the team is, as usual, Sandy McMahon whose dribbling and all-round skill are a joy to behold.

THURSDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1914

With the Great War a month old and the British Expeditionary Force already in action in France, Bridget Delaney, wife of Patrick Delaney, coalminer, gives birth to a baby boy at 159 Omoa Road, Cleland in Lanarkshire. The boy will be called James, and will become one of the greatest Celts of them all.

SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1927

Back in the town of his birth for the first time since his debut, John Thomson impresses everyone with a good performance during the first half at Stark’s Park when Raith Rovers were in the ascendancy, but it is a different story in the second half as Tommy McInally scores, then Jimmy McGrory, and McGrory again just at the end as Celtic win 3-0.

SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1960

One of Celtic’s many disasters about this time in their history when they go down 1-2 to Rangers in monsoon conditions at Celtic Park, after being a goal up early in the game through Steve Chalmers. This means that they are eliminated from the League Cup after seeming to have the section won, but they lost to Partick Thistle on Wednesday and now, in the most distressing of circumstances, to Rangers. But Celtic’s team is inexperienced and although immensely talented, lacks game management skills.

TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1991

Sadly defeats to Rangers are often “infectious” in that they lead to another, and this was what happened here as Celtic, having lost 0-2 to Rangers on Saturday, went out of the Scottish League Cup (admittedly on a penalty shoot-out) to Airdrie at Broomfield. Manager Liam Brady says that it was no disgrace to lose to Airdrie because they beat Aberdeen as well. It was then that we realised that the man did not really understand Scottish football.

David Potter

40 years ago today, Celtic come from a goal down to beat Rangers 2:1.

Aitken and McGarvey. pic.twitter.com/GxVtygtoDM

— Li'l Ze (@LilZe_7) September 2, 2023