January 1967 sees mixed fortunes for three famous old Glasgow clubs…
Whilst the calendar year 1967 would be a momentous one for both of the old east end rivals, Celtic and Clyde, it would sadly spell the end of the road for another historic Glasgow club, Third Lanark.
As Clyde were winning in Ayrshire and Celtic were taking five goals off Dundee in Glasgow to move four points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the table, Thirds were losing 1-0 to Brechin City at Glebe Park in the second preliminary round of the Scottish Cup, the only goal, perhaps ironically, scored in the 13th minute. That would prove to be their farewell tie in the competition in which, as 3rd LRV, they had beaten Celtic in the new east end club’s first-ever final back in February 1889.
Now sitting mid table in the Second Division, Thirds’ failure to meet the guarantees of visiting clubs and pay supplier invoices, together with a series of resignations at board and managerial level and grave dissatisfaction amongst the players regarding the conditions at Cathkin Park was triggering suggestions that the club would struggle to complete the season.
The signs for the survival of the Hi Hi were growing increasingly desperate as Celts hosted the Bully Wee on Wednesday, 11 January 1967, the match deferred from Ne’erday due to the frozen conditions. Despite pre-match speculation that Joe McBride would return, the heavy conditions ensured that he would take no part in proceedings. And it was a ninth successive unchanged line-up for Clyde as the following teams took to the field before 38,000 spectators.
Celtic: Ronnie Simpson; Jim Craig & Tommy Gemmell; Bobby Murdoch, Billy McNeill & John Clark; Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Wallace, Stevie Chalmers, Charlie Gallagher & Bobby Lennox. Substitute: Bertie Auld
Clyde: Tommy McCulloch; Harry Glasgow & Eddie Mulheron; John McHugh, Dick Staite & Stan Anderson; Graham Macfarlane, Harry Hood, Joe Gilroy, Ian Stewart & Sam Hastings. Substitute: Davie Souter
The Hoops continued life minus their injured 33-goal striker by thrashing the Shawfield outfit 5-1, a second successive Parkhead win by that margin to open 1967. Stevie Chalmers netted Celtic’s opener within 12 minutes, with the visitors’ leading marksman, Joe Gilroy restoring parity just after the half-hour mark. Charlie Gallagher had been the star man in the weekend victory over Dundee and he put the hosts ahead again early in the second period.
Chalmers then made it 3-1 with 20 minutes remaining with the goal of the game arriving immediately afterwards, Tommy Gemmell marking his 99th consecutive appearance for Celtic by blasting a ridiculous volley past Tommy McCulloch from fully 30 yards. Within seconds, Bobby Lennox rounded off the four-minute scoring burst and a wonderful attacking display from Jock Stein’s men by heading home Celtic’s fifth goal. It was only a second defeat in 10 matches for the visitors and brought to a halt Clyde’s run of four successive away League victories.
Matt Corr
*An extract from Harry Hood – Twice as Good by Matt Corr, available from Celtic Star Books (link below), Celtic FC stores and on Amazon.
On this day…1967
Bobby Lennox beats Tommy McCulloch and John McHugh to head home Celtic’s final goal in a 5-1 win over Clyde.
Harry and his high-flying Bully Wee teammates had arrived at Celtic Park on a run of four successive away League victories. pic.twitter.com/I3RfK5b9Uz
— Harry Hood: Twice as good (@HarryHoodBook) January 11, 2022
And for those who missed this one on The Celtic Star, here’s a catch-up chance to check out the photographs given to this site by the former Celtic Director Tom Grant of the demolition of the old Celtic Park and in its place the emergence of the New Celtic Park which we know and love today. These photographs are fascinating and well worth checking out on the link below…
READ THIS…Exclusive – A Phoenix Rising, a House of Steel. Celtic Park Redevelopment Photographs
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