Celtic on this Day as Hoops shine at Easter Road in a difficult season, plus wins at Celtic Park with Scotty Sinclair grabbing the winner in one of many wins…
20 December 1975
Hibs 1-3 Celtic. Sean Fallon’s side entered this clash at Easter Road top of the Scottish Premier Division table, level on points with their opposition who were the Hoops’ closest challengers. Fallon was interim manager for the 1975/1976 campaign following Jock Stein’s dreadful car accident which put him out the game until the season after. However, Stein watched Celtic’s victory from the stands.
Controversially, the Hibees abolished the boys gate for this match, and forced their younger supporters to pay the full cost of an adult admission fee for the game. It was a landmark occasion for Tommy Callaghan whose appearance in the capital was his 300th in a Celtic jersey. Dixie Deans, Shuggy Edvaldsson and Jackie McNamara snr were all on target securing a much-needed response for the title-chasers who had been comfortably beaten 2-0 from Aberdeen at Celtic Park a week previous.
The Hoops wouldn’t play again until 27 December versus Ayr United – thus, Fallon allowed Edvaldsson to return home to Iceland for Christmas, and Roddie MacDonald was also granted leave to see his family in Brora over the festive period.
20 December 2017
Celtic 2-0 Partick Thistle. Pressure had been slightly relieved for Brendan Rodgers’ side following their unprecedented 69-game unbeaten domestic run coming to an end at Tynecastle three days before their run of the mill encounter with the Jags at Paradise. Supporters, the media, and everyone connected with Scottish football had been speaking and writing about what club will finally beat Celtic.
When Hearts eventually did end the run, it allowed a chance for Rodgers’ men to reset as they chased a Double Treble. Indeed, it was a perfect response – top against bottom, and goals courtesy of Stuart Armstrong and Kieran Tierney returned Celtic to winning ways as they climbed five points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table. At half-time in this game, Marvin Compper was unveiled as Celtic signed the experienced German defender from RB Leipzig for £1 million… Compper went onto make one appearance for the Hoops.
20 December 1997
Celtic 5-0 Hibs. There had been slight controversy during this period as Wim Jansen’s players refused to turn up for the club’s own official Christmas party, and instead organised one off their own back because Fergus McCann refused to pay for the players’ partners’ dinner and drink insisting that they were only welcome at the Christmas Party after the players had finished their own meal.
All very bizarre. On the game itself, Burley grabbed a double whilst Wieghorst, McNamara and Larsson were also on the scoresheet. Jim Duffy had been struggling at Hibs during this period meanwhile Celtic were hitting form heading into the Old Firm affair in January – that was now three league wins on the bounce.
20 December 2016
Celtic 1-0 Partick Thistle. Scott Sinclair’s early strike moved the Hoops 14 points clear at the foot of the table. It was also Brendan Rodgers’ side’s 12th straight league win. The Jags had become straightforward opponents for Celtic since returning to the top-flight and this victory alone was the Scottish champions’ 18th consecutive Glasgow Derby win.
It had been a bit of a grind, Rodgers made eight changes which included a senior debut for Calvin Miller, and a rare start for Liam Henderson – two Celtic academy prospects. Worth noting that as well as stretching the gap to 14 points between themselves and second place, Celtic still had a game in hand. The league had been well and truly wrapped up in time for Santa arriving.
Conor Spence
Celtic in the Thirties
