We think of Christmas Day as a time when (most) people are not at work and can spend time with their families. In many ways that’s a modern feeling; historically working was common on Christmas Day, and football games also took place. Since 1888, Celtic’s first team have played on Christmas Day on 18 occasions. The first one came in 1893 and the most recent in 1971.
The Bhoys’ first festive fixture was an especially notable one. As well as being the Celts’ first such match, it also saw the earliest use of a lighting system at Celtic Park. On 25 December 1893, the Celts lined up against Clyde for a friendly that finished 1-1. Lights were strung across the park on poles and 5000 fans came to witness this novelty, although the system stopped being used the following month.
There were two further Christmas Day matches for Celtic in the 1890s. In 1895 the Bhoys ventured south to Bury where 4000 fans watched an entertaining 3-3 draw, one in which the Daily Record said “the Celtic combination was the better of the two”. Rangers had also gone south that same day and lost 5-1 to Everton. Two years later, in 1897, Celtic played their first competitive Christmas Day match when they travelled to Barrowfield for a league match, beating Clyde by a huge nine goals to one.
It was 12 years before Celtic fans again watched a Christmas Day fixture. In 1909, the Bhoys went to Ayrshire for a league match against Kilmarnock. A 1-0 victory was sealed thanks to a “sensational goal” scored by Jimmy Quinn, although the Scottish Referee also claimed Celtic were “lucky” to get the win.
War raged across Europe and elsewhere in the world the next time Celtic played at Christmas. Although Christmas Day 1914 was famous for its ‘truce’ football games, the Celts’ match was in 1915. The men in green welcomed Airdrie to Celtic Park for a 2.15pm kick off. However there was little Christmas spirit for the Lanarkshire visitors who were battered 6-0 in a league fixture. The Sunday Post credited “wizard of Paradise” Patsy Gallacher for this success.
Five years later came another yuletide match. This time Celtic went to Paisley to play St Mirren in the league in a “tousy game”. The Bhoys gained some Christmas cheer with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from McInally and Cassidy, one in each half. In 1926 the Celts again appeared on Christmas Day; the Sunday Post described the players as being “phantoms in the fog, chasing a ball which was at times invisible from the press-box.” This didn’t hurt Celtic who claimed two league points with a 4-0 win.
The 1930s saw three Celtic games take place on Christmas Day, two of which were against Queen’s Park. In 1933 the Bhoys went to Hampden Park where they edged an exciting match 3-2. 6000 watched proceedings, including the home men missing a good late chance to equalise. The following year the encounter was reversed as the Spiders came to Celtic Park where a more emphatic performance gave the Celts a 4-1 win. The Press & Journal agreed it was a fair result saying “Celtic well worth victory”. In 1937 the Celts played their final Christmas Day games of the 1930s; it was one to remember. Kilmarnock – managed by legendary Celt James McGrory – came to Celtic Park and were hammered 8-0. Doubles from Murphy, Crum and Divers and a goal each from Delaney and MacDonald were decisive.
It would be six years until Celtic again played on Christmas Day, this time during another World War. In 1943 the Celts travelled to Douglas Park in Hamilton for what turned out to be a fascinating match. The Bhoys were three nil down just after half-time, and this remained the case until 14 minutes to go when late strikes from Gallacher (2) and McAuley made it a draw.
Playing on Christmas Day happened on three further occasions in the 1940s. In 1946, Celtic beat Queen’s Park 1-0 in a Celtic Park league game. The Spiders played a young schoolboy goalkeeper by the name of Ronnie Simpson. The following year a hugely entertaining fixture saw Hearts defeated 4-2 at Celtic Park. The match was finely poised until fve minutes from the end when goals from Walsh and McDonald sealed victory. This was a crucial result at the season’s conclusion given how close the Bhoys came to relegation.
1948 saw the Celts’ final 1940s Christmas Day fixture. 35,000 fans watched visitors Aberdeen being dispatched 3-0; Bhoys’ captain John McPhail was cheered on his return to the team and his goal – along with two from John Paton – was what separated the sides.
In the 1950s, Celtic had two Christmas Day outings. The first – in 1954 – brought Clyde to Celtic Park for what proved to be an entertaining 2-2 draw. The Bhoys fell behind before Boden equalised just before half-time. Bobby Collins put the Celts ahead but Clyde pegged back the home men to claim a share of the spoils. Three years later and Celtic were again at home – but this time it was not a Merry Christmas. The Bhoys lost 2-1 to Queen of the South, despite James Conway getting a debut goal for the Hoops.
The next time Celtic played on Christmas Day it helped the Bhoys claim the title which took them to Lisbon. In 1965, Morton were walloped 8-1 in a completely one-sided match at Parkhead. These goals were a Joe McBride hat-trick, doubles from Chalmers and Hughes and one from Murdoch. The fans were even happier on hearing Rangers had lost at Ibrox to Dunfermline.
Celtic’s most recent Christmas Day match was in 1971. The Aberdeen Evening Express said fans at Parkhead had been treated to a “Christmas cracker” as the Bhoys overcame Hearts 3-2. Harry Hood’s first minute strike and goals from Jimmy Johnstone and Dixie Deans made all the difference for the Celts.
It has been more than half a century since Celtic fans were last able to watch their team and then tuck into Christmas Day turkey. It seems unlikely that they ever again will do so, given modern attitudes. Such matches did often prove hugely entertaining, including 8-0, 8-1 and 9-1 wins. Perhaps this year the Bhoys could save their Christmas scoring until 2 January and give us extra reason to cheer.
Matthew Marr
Hail Hail History – follow on Twitter.
