CELTIC’S SCOTTISH CUP FINALS – Number 27…CELTIC 2-1 DUNDEE UNITED – HAMPDEN, 18 MAY 1985 – “Up there” with the best of Celtic’s Scottish Cup finals in terms of drama and comebacks, this final hinged on the decision of Manager Davie Hay with 15 minutes to go, to take off the ineffective Paul McStay and replace him with defender Pierce O’Leary while pushing Roy Aitken up the park with instructions to “take a grip” of the game.
Roy did so, and the game was turned round from 0-1 to 2-1 with goals from Davie Provan’s free kick and Frank McGarvey’s header. Earlier Dundee United had looked totally in command, having scored early in the second half.
The 27th Scottish Cup was a reward to the supporters after the Rapid Vienna fiasco and some League form which does not even deserve the word “indifferent”. Paul and Willie McStay had now equalled the feat of their great uncles Willie and Jimmy who had won the Scottish Cup for Celtic in the 1920s.
The Celtic team was: Bonner, W McStay, McGrain, Aitken, McAdam, MacLeod, Provan, Johnston, Burns (McClair), P McStay (O’Leary), McGarvey.
Dundee Utd goalkeeper Hamish McAlpine (left) sits dejected as Celtic’s Tom McAdam swings from the crossbar after Davie Provan (not pictured) goal.
