Celtic On This Day – 8th December – David Potter’s Celtic Diary

Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 8th December 1888. David’s latest bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965 The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything has SOLD OUT on Celtic Star Books but you can still pick up a copy via CELTIC FC official online store while their remaining stocks last. A new order for The Celtic Rising has been placed and will arrive next Friday, 16 December so we’ll resume taking orders on Monday 12 December.

Meanwhile for those who prefer their books on Amazon Kindle you can now order The Celtic Rising on Kindle, see below…

Tom Maley scored a hat-trick for the Bould Bhoys

SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 1888 – Celtic’s impressive first season continues with an excellent 9-2 defeat of Clyde at Old Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup. 9,000 are there to see a hat-trick from Tom Maley, two from Willie Groves, two from Neil McCallum and one each from James McLaren and Johnny Coleman.

Frank Murphy joins Celtic

TUESDAY 8 DECEMBER 1931 – Frank Murphy a talented left winger joins Celtic from Croy Celtic. He has been recommended by no less a person than the great Jimmy Quinn. He will become part of the legendary forward line of Delaney, MacDonald, Crum, Divers and Murphy which will win the Empire Exhibition Trophy.

Jock Stein joins Celtic

SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 1951 – Celtic introduce a new centre-half to-day by the name of Jock Stein who has played for Albion Rovers and in Welsh football. He is big and rugged, but horrifies traditionalists with one clearance with his knee. However as the team beat St Mirren 2-0 with goals from Jimmy Lafferty, the 20,000 crowd are happy.

SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 1984 – A large Celtic crowd at Pittodrie are extremely disappointed by today’s performance as Celtic go down to Alec Ferguson’s Aberdeen. Mo Johnston with a penalty and Frank McGarvey score Celtic’s goals and they are always in the game, but clearly second best to an Aberdeen side who win 4-2.

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER 2019 – A great day for Celtic as they beat Rangers 1-0 at Hampden to win the Scottish League Cup for the fourth year in a row and the 19th time overall. Christopher Jullien scores the only goal of the game, but the hero is goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Jeremie Frimpong is sent off by the over zealous Willie Collum, Alfredo Morelos misses a penalty and the game provides permanent excitement. Rangers have more pressure, but Celtic’s defence does a superb job.

David Potter

About Author

I am Celtic author and historian and write for The Celtic Star. I live in Kirkcaldy and have followed Celtic all my life, having seen them first at Dundee in March 1958. I am a retired teacher and my other interests are cricket, drama and the poetry of Robert Burns.

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