BATTLE OF THE HOOPS – PART 2…

When Buckie Thistle come to Celtic Park on Sunday, they will be unable to wear their usual green-and-white hooped shirts. Celtic have previously met the Highland League team as we featured early today. And the Bhoys have also played other teams that wear the same shirt design as Scotland’s Premiership Champions and Scottish Cup holders.

St Anthony’s FC after their first game of 2024

Arguably the most significant of these is Junior side, St Anthony’s, who play in Govan. The Ants also wear the hoops and many people assume it is in tribute to Celtic. However, some people believe that when Celtic first switched to wearing hoops – in 1913 – that they had actually been inspired by the St Anthony’s top!

A Bhoys XI has once met the Ants on the pitch. In 1913, a Celtic select went to Govan where they won 4-1 in a friendly fixture.

Celtic have also faced clubs that more famously wear green-and-white hoops. Perhaps the side with most global recognition is Sporting Clube de Portugale, often referred to as Sporting Lisbon.

Celtic have faced the Portuguese team at different times but the most renowned came in 1983 in the UEFA Cup. With the Bhoys 2-0 down from the first leg, Celtic Park celebrated a fantastic 5-0 comeback.

Just across the Irish Sea, Shamrock Rovers are another team whose strip emulates the Celts. Glasgow’s green-and-white have met the Dublin sides in various friendlies, and also in the European Cup.

In 1986, Celtic went to Milltown and gained only a narrow 1-0 lead. However, the 2-0 scoreline in the second leg ensured the Bhoys eased into the next round.

Two other Irish teams have also worn the famous hoops. The most renowned of these are Belfast Celtic, a side which ultimately fell victim to extreme sectarianism in the six counties.

Before then, they faced their Glasgow equivalents on various occasions, starting in 1897 – with a 4-0 win for the Scots at Solitude in Belfast. The last game between the two seems to have been a 1952 friendly, which ended 3-2 to the Glasgow Bhoys.

Another Belfast team is, despite the name, Donegal Celtic. Based in west Belfast at Donegal Celtic Park – sometimes known as Suffolk Road – they were formed in 1970.

Glasgow Celtic met this Celtic in 2008. A Scottish side made up mainly of young players but also some first team men – such as Riordan and Graveson – won 1-0 in Ireland.

In the third part of this article series which will be published later today, you can read about the teams Celtic have played that don’t usually wear green-and-white hoops – but have done at some point in their history!