Celtic on this Day – Celtic’s first goalscoring sensation Sandy McMahon passed away…

25 January 1965
Former Celtic goalkeeper Dick Beattie is sentenced to nine months in prison for his part in match fixing operations in English football between 1961-1963 which became known as the British betting scandal of 1964.
25 January 1916

Celtic’s first goalscoring sensation Sandy McMahon sadly passes away prematurely. An incredible 171 goals in 217 appearances, McMahon cemented himself as one of the true greats in the club’s history for his goalscoring exploits during Celtic’s inaugural years.
25 January 2020
Celtic 2-0 Ross County. A pivotal weekend in the 2019/2020 title race. The Scottish champions looked rough around the edges, but three points it was courtesy of Callum McGregor and Odsonne Edouard. Relegation-threatened Hearts surprisingly pulled off a shock win against theRangers 2-1 at Tynecastle a day later meaning Neil Lennon’s side had regained top spot in the league.
25 January 2017
Celtic 1-0 St Johnstone. Celtic equalled the Lisbon Lions’ remarkable run of 26 domestic matches unbeaten with a slender victory over St Johnstone to move 22 points clear in the Scottish Premiership! Tommy Wright’s men’s resistance was finally broken when Dedryck Boyata headed past Zander Clark. Skipper Scott Brown made his landmark 400th appearance in a Celtic jersey.
25 January 2003
Celtic 3-0 St Mirren. Missing first-team regulars, Colin Healy and Jamie Smith were given rare starts under Martin O’Neill. The First Division side put up a plucky resistance at Celtic Park in this Scottish Cup fourth round encounter. Three second half goals; Henrik Larsson pitched in with a double and Mo Sylla made sure Celtic breezed their way through to the latter stages of the competition.
Conor Spence
The late, great Celtic Historian David Potter’s Celtic Diary each morning on The Celtic Star looked back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 25th January 1908…

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 1908 – Peebles Rovers are rare visitors to Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup and are given a good reception from the Celtic crowd, reduced by bad weather to 4,000, before Willie Kivlichan scores twice and Peter Somers and Davie Hamilton once each in the 4-0 victory. Celtic players then go on to have a Burns Supper that night.

TUESDAY 25 JANUARY 1916 – The death is announced of Sandy McMahon in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary at the age of 45. He has been suffering from chronic nephritis for some time. He had been a great centre-forward and inside-left for Celtic in the 1890s, winning four Scottish League championships and three Scottish Cups. He was the first in a long line of Celtic’s personality goalscorers, and Willie Maley went to see him hours before he died. He was buried in Dalbeth Cemetery a few days later.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 1947 – Celtic’s first Scottish Cup tie since the end of hostilities ends in a disappointing 1-2 defeat to Second Division Dundee at Dens Park. Gerry McAloon scores Celtic’s late consolation goal, but today’s result is particularly disappointing to the large Celtic crowd.

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 1964 – Morton, the runaway leaders of the Second Division, are confident of their chances against Celtic at Cappielow in the Scottish Cup, as the Press spearhead a campaign to convince them that they will win. For a while it looks possible as Alan McGraw scores first for the home side, but then John Hughes scores one of his wonder goals, Charlie Gallagher scores direct from a corner kick and Jimmy Johnstone adds a third. Goalkeeper John Fallon is warned for over-zealous celebration by a small-minded or promotion-hunting policeman!
60 years ago today, Morton 1:3 Celtic.https://t.co/6XnYDQauj3 pic.twitter.com/O1gMARYKKY
— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) January 25, 2024

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 2003 – The time was when St Mirren were doughty Scottish Cup fighters with several fine wins over Celtic to their credit. Not today, though. After a slow start and a goalless first half, Celtic turned it on in the second half and won 3-0 with two goals from Henrik Larsson and one from Momo Sylla..Jamie Smith and Colin Healy were given a rare start and played well enough for supporters to feel that they deserved more of a chance.
25th January 2003, Celtic 3:0 St Mirren.
Larsson(2) and Sylla. pic.twitter.com/1qiOYrixN5
— Li’l Ze (@LilZe785) January 25, 2024
David Potter
