MATT CORR in his latest project for The Celtic Star has been working his way through a comprehensive season review for season 1981/81. In the first installment he focused on the early season activity and in particular an away trip to face Juventus in the European Cup – see HERE.
In Part 2 Matt covers the tragic death of Celtic star Johnny Doyle and this is a lovely tribute piece for a great Celtic man from a supporter who watched him play for the club he adored. Read that HERE.
Now Matt takes us from the team starting to play again after their tragic loss away to Hibs through until the end of the year. Over to you Matt…
Floodlight failures and flute bands – Celtic’s Season 1981/82 (Part 3)
It was a subdued Cairn bus which headed through to Leith on the morning of Saturday 24 October 1981, five days after John Doyle’s sudden death, for the game against Bertie Auld’s Hibernian. The match itself reflected our mood, a dour struggle decided by two penalties either side of half-time, Ally MacLeod sending Bonner the wrong way whilst McArthur was the Hibs hero, stopping the spot kick from Nicholas then the rebound from McGarvey. It was the first league defeat of the season, a sad end to a sad week for those of us with Celtic in our hearts.
It was also the final competitive appearance in the Hoops for Willie Garner, who maintained a perfect record of three games, three defeats for his boyhood idols. If Johnny had lived the dream then poor Garner was experiencing his worst nightmare. His Celtic career would be a gift to football anoraks, as he actually won two trophies with Celtic, whilst contriving to lose every competitive game he played.
Give in? Willie actually played in the Celtic team which won the televised National 5-a-side trophy at Wembley in November, beating Kevin Keegan’s Southampton in the final if I remember correctly, having earlier disposed of Manchester United. Young strikers Nicholas and Crainie were in their element as we watched it on ‘Sportsnight with Coleman’, Willie McStay, John Weir and Peter Latchford completing the squad. The following May, he played in a Young Hoops side in the Glasgow Cup Final at Ibrox, although, true to form, Willie scored Rangers’ equaliser in a 2-1 Celtic victory. I cringe even now as I write this, at the poor man’s misfortune and pray to god he retained his sense of humour.
Billy had brought him from Aberdeen at the start of the season, knowing him well from his time there. He had partnered Willie Miller at the heart of the Dons defence when they beat Celtic in the League Cup Final some four years earlier, then moving down the pecking order as the young McLeish emerged as first choice under Ferguson. As he arrived at Parkhead, replacing Roddie MacDonald who moved to Tynecastle, I remember thinking that we had got the better of that deal. It was just one of those things.
Having dropped three points in two games after a perfect start, Celtic returned to winning ways at Broomfield on Halloween, Sullivan, McCluskey and Burns on target in a scare-free 3-1 victory, Tommy’s sublime shuffle and chip for the third goal being the highlight of the match.
The following Tuesday saw another one of those special Eighties trips over the border to take on a top team from England, this time Bobby Robson’s fantastic Ipswich side at Portman Road, in a testimonial for Irish defender Alan Hunter. The current holders of the UEFA Cup and possibly the best team never to win the English title – they had been narrowly pipped by Aston Villa in the spring – they boasted the wonderful talents of Dutchmen Thissjen and Muhren, English internationalists Butcher, Mills, Gates and Mariner, as well as Anglo-Scots Brazil, Wark and Burley. A formidable side by any measure.
Celtic supporters made up around half of the 15,000 crowd, although, strangely, this was the only such occasion where the Cairn CSC, for whatever reason, chose not to run a bus down. The night itself was memorable for three reasons; outstanding vocal backing from the Hoops fans, a 45-minute floodlight failure which provided a career highlight for a flute band from Wishaw (you could not make this up!) and a fantastic attacking performance from the Bhoys, with the terrible trio of McCluskey, Nicholas and McGarvey all on target, as the Celts twice came from behind to snatch a 3-2 win at the death.
There was another thrilling game on the Saturday, as Celtic finally overcame their two-year hoodoo against Aberdeen at Parkhead, glorious strikes from McGarvey and McCluskey either side of the break rendering Strachan’s last-minute counter irrelevant. This would prove a pivotal moment in the season.
Davie Provan made a welcome return from a six-week injury absence for Celtic’s next match, a visit to Cappielow, Nicholas dropping to the bench. Charlie would come on in the second half to quickly set up the opener for George McCluskey, with Celts holding that slender lead as the game drew to a close. There was a dramatic finish, however, Bonner bringing down McNeil in the box to allow ex-Celt Andy Ritchie, a real thorn in our side throughout that period, to equalise with a last-minute penalty.
There was another point dropped the following Saturday, this time at home to Rangers, following an incredible opening spell. David Moyes continued at right-back in place of injured skipper McGrain, the youngster having a hand in all three Celtic goals, first setting up McAdam for a third-minute opener, then delivering a teasing cross for McGarvey to score with the most delightful looping header before heading down for MacLeod to complete the scoring at 3-3 with a vicious drive early in the second half. Rangers had equalised in the fifth minute through Dalziel, then took the lead with two quick goals from Bett and John MacDonald with the clock scarcely reaching the twenty-minute mark.
The short trip to Firhill provided the next test, Celtic passing with ease thanks to a fantastic McCluskey opener from fully 25 yards and a somewhat fortunate second from Provan after the interval. At the other end, Bonner earned his crust, keeping out a volley from Jags’ teenage striker Maurice Johnston. Then back home on the first Saturday of December, Dundee were comfortably put to the sword 3-1, thanks to a second-half McGarvey double, either side of a Mike Conroy strike, his last goal for the club. And to complete a successful day, Ritchie was at his mercurial best as Morton shocked Aberdeen 2-1.
This would prove to be the last League action of 1981, as extreme weather descended on Scotland. Having led from the opening day, Celtic remained in pole position, an impressive seven points clear of Dundee United, St Mirren and Aberdeen. With a game in hand, League Cup finalists United would be considered the prime threat from that posse. However, despite their defeat at Cappielow, most of us were convinced that the strongest challenge would again come from Ferguson’s Dons in the new year.
Hail Hail!
Matt Corr
To be continued…
