Jim Craig – Celtic 3 Rangers 2 – Bertie Peacock popped up to score the winner!

The years after the 2nd World War were not good times for Celtic. The team struggled in the league and failed to impress in the new competition of the time, the League Cup; while even in the competition regarded as Celtic’s speciality – the Scottish Cup – a semi-final defeat by Morton was the best performance in the four post-war seasons.

However, the team was always likely to spring a surprise and Celtic did so on this day in 1950, when Rangers came on a visit to Parkhead.

The teams that day were;
Celtic; Bonnar, Fallon, Milne, Evans, Mallan, Baillie, Collins, Weir, McPhail, Peacock and Tully.

Rangers; Brown, Young, Lindsay, McColl, Woodburn, Cox, Rutherford, Findlay, Thornton, Johnson, Rae.

The play was the usual hard-tackling, end-to-end stuff, a staple diet of Glasgow Derby clashes. The surprise was that all the goals came in the final 30 minutes.

Jock Weir opened the scoring with half-an-hour to go, Rae equalising for Rangers one minute later. In the 74th minute, centre-forward Willie Thornton gave Rangers the lead with a fine header. Six minutes later, Rangers centre-half Willie Woodburn was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and John McPhail equalised from the penalty spot. And five minutes from the end, just as the match seemed to be heading to finish in stalemate, Bertie Peacock popped up to score Celtic’s winner!

Many Happy Returns to Stephane Mahe, who made 76 appearances for Celtic from 1997 to 2001.

Jim Craig

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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